The Boss

[jimmyjazz]

I've seen the Stones. I wish I had seen Led Zeppelin. The Who would have been a treat. The Beatles were out of the question -- I'm not that old.

But Springsteen, man, that guy is America's answer to all those Limey bastards. (Note: I am a Limey bastard by descent.) I'm watching him tear it up at last year's Rock 'n Roll HOF concert, and he's just the most genuine, generous performer on the bill. And he's a genius, a true genius, in an era when that term is thrown around with absurd abandon. His music is instantly identifiable, anthemic world-class rock and roll, but it's more than that, it's folk music, not only for East Coast factory workers, but for all blue-collar Americans, and even those of us who foolishly identify ourselves with that demographic from the comfortable periphery of the suburbs and the urban mixed-use core. We have no fucking clue.

But Bruce does.

This is my favorite Springsteen song, and maybe my favorite song, period. Ask me on another day, and I'll likely have a different answer, but I doubt I'll ever name other lyrics. He scares me with his imagery -- who operates on this level? I'll give you a hint: nobody in the rock era. Nobody.

In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs round these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
Run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
`cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta find out how it feels
I want to know if love is wild, girl I want to know if love is real

Beyond the palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you wendy on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight but there's no place left to hide
Together wendy we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But 'til then tramps like us baby we were born to run

[Tasmaniac]

It's damn hard to argue with Born to Run, jimmy. I humbly submit Rosalita.

[jimmyjazz]

Shit, you could name 20 Springsteen songs as being better than "Born To Run" and I couldn't necessarily argue with you. He's that good.

Let me ask this: how many artists of the rock era are almost always defined by the LIVE versions of their music? Not many. You think of Springsteen, you think "concert". And his recordings are fantastic.

[Tasmaniac]

Springsteen was one of the most entertaining performers I have ever seen, and he's in some damn good company.

[Sii]

stud

Id also like to know where he gets his energy. his whole career he has been nothing but raw energy and balls to the wall in his concerts. pretty amazing...even still today

so many great songs

[GhostOfTomJoad]

JJ, do you have the 30th anniversary box set of BtR? The making of documentary Wings for Wheels (which was almost the name of the album) is just incredible. The amount of effort he put into that song & album because he knew it was his last shot at reaching a real audience. After his first 2 albums tanked Columbia was about to cut him. In fact the story goes that a college-aged son of one of the Columbia execs saw Bruce perform at his school in '74 while Bruce was beginning to record BtR and basically told his dad that cutting Bruce from the label would be the biggest mistake he would ever make.

Jon Stewart's introduction of Bruce at last year's Kennedy Center Honors where he proclaimed that Bob Dylan & James Brown had a child & dropped him off on the side of the Jersey turnpike is about as accurate as an analogy as I can find. Whether you want the release of pure, joyous rock 'n roll, emotionally draining ballads, folk, blues, country, or seashore R&B, Bruce & the E Street Band will deliver. All night & then some.

[Tasmaniac]

Love this:

[jimmyjazz]

Ghost, I don't have that boxed set, but I'll go get it. Thanks for the rec. And without much thought, let me just say that "Wings for Wheels" would not be nearly the iconic album title as "Born To Run".

[tropheus]

they guy is so good, you tear up listening to "across the border", the guy is so good you want to dance like a child or with your child when he sings, "Working on a Dream", the guy is so good, you want to come to Jesus when he sings "rise up" over and over in "City of Ruins", he's so good you can feel what it's like to be in prison when he sings "Straight Time", the guy is so fucking good, you sometimes want to listen to the story behind the song more than the song, the guy is so fucking good he can do straight up american roots music with his high pitched, strained, rock-n-roll voice and sound like a true soul singer (seger sessions), he's just that fucking good.

[5280]

[5280]

yo boss you might to want to upsize those bugle boys

[GhostOfTomJoad]

Ghost, I don't have that boxed set, but I'll go get it. Thanks for the rec. And without much thought, let me just say that "Wings for Wheels" would not be nearly the iconic album title as "Born To Run".

No, it definitely would not have worked as well. Neither would 'War and Roses' which was one of the other titles considered.

[GhostOfTomJoad]

I'll add that one of the things that I enjoy so much about the making of BTR doc is the story behind the challenges of recording the song & album. I know that's right up JJ's alley but hearing the stories of how laborious & painful those sessions were is just fascinating to me. Things like:

* the many months it took to record the 4 minutes title song as Bruce agonized over every minute detail from amps to guitars to lyrics to overdubs, because he had a vision in his head & he wouldn't settle for anything less than what he believed in (and Little Steven joking that no song should take more than 4 hours to record ever)
* the tension between Jon Landau & Bruce's manager at the time Mike Appel & the roles they both played in helping getting the album made. The fact that Bruce asked Appel to be in the documentary--and he agreed--is prettay amazing considering their lawsuit 30 years ago which resulted in Bruce breaking free of his original contract w/ Appel (which was legendarily signed on the hood of a parked car in NYC). I sincerely hope that this relationship dynamic is touched upon in the upcoming film 'The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town' coming out in a few months.
* Jimmy Iovine's insight as engineer for the BTR sessions. How he would chew on a piece of foil gum wrapper so the pain caused by his fillings would keep him awake throughout the night. Or how he was tearing up the bills for the studio as they arrived because he knew they couldn't pay them.
* How, after recording most of the album, Boom Carter & Dave Sancious left the band & the process of hiring their replacements, Max Weinberg & Roy Bittan. I also love Max admitting he's never been able to play the syncopated drum fill in the middle of BTR the way Boom does on the record so he's just eliminated it from the song.
* The 12+ hour recording session of the sax solo in Jungleland as Bruce guided Clarence note by note on what he wanted. It was the last thing they recorded, they were up all night doing it, and as soon as they finished they got in a van to drive to their first show of the concert tour.

[Underdog]

Love this:

My favorite Bruce song. I'm not a big fan, but enjoy a lot of his catalog. Puts on one helluva show.

[Jack Straw]

great post/thread

puts on a hell of show for sure

[GhostOfTomJoad]

One of my favorite Springsteen concert moments was back during The Rising tour in '03 @ the FEC during the 2nd encore when, before playing 'Land of Hope & Dreams' he told the audience "I can't promise you life everlasting, but I can promise you life...RIGHT NOW!" And that's the beauty of one of his concerts: it stays with you for days & when you walk out of the arena or hall you feel the energy that only pure rock 'n roll can deliver.

[miguelito]

Ghost, I don't have that boxed set, but I'll go get it. Thanks for the rec. And without much thought, let me just say that "Wings for Wheels" would not be nearly the iconic album title as "Born To Run".

Nebraska's working title was "Hats for Bats."



B2R is my "Desperado." I'll tell my wife to shut it, and crank the volume whenever it comes on.

[Message Board User]

Have seen Bruce in concert no fewer than 7 times and each one was amazing. Too bad I was born too late to see him in the 70s - those shows must have been life-transforming. What band today could play a 4 hour show the way he routinely did back then?

I also heard that on the Born in the USA tour, newspapers for cities would devote a full section on the show.

My favorite Bruce song:



My most prized possession is my autographed BtR cover and the pic of me with Bruce before a show in Chicago in 95 outside the Rosemont Theater.

[Slaytanic Wehrmacht]

And then there is the other side.....quite possibly the most overrated artist of all time. I don't think I know one person that owns one of his records.

[GhostOfTomJoad]

And then there is the other side.....quite possibly the most overrated artist of all time. I don't think I know one person that owns one of his records.

Obviously you & every person you know sucks at life. That's the only possible answer.

[tropheus]

Obviously you & every person you know sucks at life. That's the only possible answer.

agreed.

[Sii]

I don't think I know one person that owns one of his records

you might want to find some better friends

[Slaytanic Wehrmacht]

Nah, don't care to hang out with fucking nerds. Don't get your fucking pop panties in a wad....most artists have fans and non-fans.

[jimmyjazz]

Well, he's no Mastodon, that's for sure.

[Slaytanic Wehrmacht]

Sorry Jimmy, just never been a fan.....however, I understand his contribution to popular music....kinda like Michael Jackson.

[tropheus]

sunshine pooper

[Dolemite]

And then there is the other side.....quite possibly the most overrated artist of all time. I don't think I know one person that owns one of his records.

I never cared for him either. Never cared for lyrics being yelled, screamed. Dancing in the Dark, Tunnel of Love, I'am on Fire were the only three songs I cared for. Also thought his band was goofy. Especially that dork in the bandanna.

But we in minority. Most people think he is great.

[tropheus]

funny, he doesn't scream once on GOTJ. His acoustic stuff is as good as it gets.

[Dolemite]

funny, he doesn't scream once on GOTJ. His acoustic stuff is as good as it gets.

Another thing is I don't listen to what the lyrics are saying so stuff I like is generally liked because of how it sounds. So his song writing ability doesn't matter to me which I know is a big deal to some.

[tropheus]

fair enough, he's best feature, especially on GOTJ is the lyrics, though he kills it with the harmonica on multiple occasions on that album which gets me everytime -- harmonica, organ, accordion even all kick ass.

[Dolemite]

fair enough, he's best feature, especially on GOTJ is the lyrics, though he kills it with the harmonica on multiple occasions on that album which gets me everytime -- harmonica, organ, accordion even all kick ass.

That's why I never cared for the Beatles. Never cared for the lyrics and the music is bland, as opposed to LZ or the Stones whose music is enjoyable to me.

[Tasmaniac]

That's why I never cared for the Beatles. Never cared for the lyrics and the music is bland, as opposed to LZ or the Stones whose music is enjoyable to me.

Die.

[tropheus]

he doesn't like the Beatles or the Boss but I bet he like Alabama. That should tell you everything you need to know.

[Tasmaniac]

he doesn't like the Beatles or the Boss but I bet he like Alabama. That should tell you everything you need to know.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's a Skynyrd man. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Dolemite]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's a Skynyrd man. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Actually, I never cared for Alabama or Skynyrd. Allman Brothers yes.

[Slaytanic Wehrmacht]

Hell when I was a kid in the 80's i would see his videos and think "who the hell is this cocksucker" and "why is he on MTV, this shit sucks".....oh wait, everything on MTV sucked in the 80's....except Headbangers Ball and Yo MTV Raps.

[Tasmaniac]

Hell when I was a kid in the 80's i would see his videos and think "who the hell is this cocksucker" and "why is he on MTV, this shit sucks".....oh wait, everything on MTV sucked in the 80's....except Headbangers Ball and Yo MTV Raps.

Was there a TV in the meth lab?

[Guitarman]

BTR is a dangerous song to drive to. You're suddenly rocketing past all traffic at 90 or 95 mph singing your head off as the song nears its high point: "The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive..." Some songs inspire lead foot.

[alincoln]

That's why I never cared for the Beatles. the lyrics and the music is bland.

wow.

[tantric superman]

It's pretty simple. There are some artists who you admire and accept as great but who don't really hit an emotional high note with you. Springsteen is a great example who fits this bill probably for lots of people. I used to think I was actually way on the meh side for U2, but then I ended up wearing out some of what would now be called their "middle period" LPs.

I like Springsteen a whole lot for a few days, and then done.

I like everyone live, but at the end of the day, it's the listening to an artist for weeks or months where you can't get enough of them that kind of define who are the most important are to you. I think I "get" the ones who think he doesn't hang the moon a bit more than the ones who think he does. But no beef with the ones who do.