Bruce Springsteen is 70 today. I’ve spent half my life being a big fan and it seems the older I get the better he becomes. More and more depth and nuances are revealed to me.
Not sure how many times I’ve seen him live, but I’m guessing roughly ten. He is, of course, impossibly good live. He’s one of those you don’t grow out of, quite the opposite.
So bring us your favourite songs and why not go for something that deserves more attention?
My choice The Missing was written for Sean Penn’s The Crossing Guard as a thank you and good luck after Penn loosely based his directorial debut The Indian Runner on Springsteen’s Nebraska song Highway Patrolman.
Happy birthday, Bruce!
Lemonhope says
Happy Birthday, Bruce
Today, this is my favourite
Blue Boy says
Oh I’m so glad it’s not just me. An absolute masterpiece
Neela says
I know some people who “love” Bruce but are not aware this album exists. The title track and Youngstown are right up there, I think.
Kid Dynamite says
Imagine being able to bury a song as good as this on disc four of an outtakes collection
duco01 says
I was going to post that one, KD!
Superb song.
attackdog says
I would imagine this song is set in LA?
It’s so depressing. This scene is probably seen anywhere in the US, or at least is was when the ‘Vet’ moniker was still alluring.
I produced a stupid, happy family, air-head nonsense shoot in a Miami suburb. Following the shoot I distributed the models clothes, footwear, unused drinks, unused food -basically everything – to the ‘Vets’ under the main flyover into downtown. Apart from alcohol, I can only assume most of them had nothing.
About a week later I passed the same spot and witnessed a full on party – 20 odd ‘Vets’ all dressed in stock photography primary colours, out of their brains, dancing under the bridge.
Kid Dynamite says
Probably my favourite Springsteen song ever
Lemonhope says
I do love the Seeger Sessions album
bang em in bingham says
The absolute joy of Bruce in a nutshell….brilliant album
NE1 says
My birthday as well although Bruce has a couple of decades on me. In amongst the wonderful gifts from family, my son gave me a Rattlesnake Speedway T-shirt so favourite song today would be Promised Land but that’s not obscure.
Not sure if this counts as obscure these days either but it was included on Tracks so here’s My love will not let you down from the Leeds Arena concert ( was that really 6 years ago). I’m good with all flavours of Bruce but it’s great to watch the full on rush of guitars here when Nils, Bruce and Little Steven lineup and then theres the drums listen to the drums.
Happy birthday Bruce (and me).
Paul Wad says
Happy birthday to you too! My birthday tomorrow. I’ll be 50. I’m wondering how on Earth this has happened. It’s like the difference between 6 goals and 7 in football, where they have to spell out SEVEN on the videprinter, cos, like, it’s way more than 6. 50 seems way more than I’ve ever been before. Clicking over on to 30 and 40 were a bit meh, but 50 just seems a bit more serious.
It’s quite an appropriate age for me really though, as it is the exact midway point between how old I feel and how old I act.
But 50, fuck!
Gatz says
50 really messed with my head. Like you I breezed through 40, but when I got to 50 (in 2017) I kept feeling puzzled, and had to do the mental arithmetic to prove to myself that it was true. It still happens, though much less often, now.
Paul Wad says
I seem to have read about loads of 50th anniversaries these past few months, just to keep reminding me of the impending..hang on, it’s 10 past midnight, already here!…birthday. The moon landing, the Sharon Tate murder, Monty Python, Woodstock, British troops entering Northern Ireland, Gap forming (which has enabled me to pick up some t-shirts with the year of my birth on them!), John and Yoko’s wedding, the death of Brian Jones, Scooby Doo, the Stonewall Riots and some album or other is 50 the day after tomorrow. I just haven’t been able to shift for 50th anniversaries, but I guess it’s like that for all 50 year olds.
Actually, another album is 50 today, although it hasn’t had the coverage that Abbey Road has had. I am the same age as Laura Nyro’s New York Tendaberry. I think I’ll give it a listen in the morning.
NE1 says
Thank you very much and congratulations to you too for tomorrow.
50 as well, I beat you by a day. How on earth did we end up here!
My son summed it up quite well earlier after he’d jumped at me, been caught (just) and then swung around(with difficulty). I wont be able to do that in another 50 years says I. You may be dead by then comes the 11yr olds reply! No malice, just logic.
And on that note, good luck to all of us.
Paul Wad says
For a few years now my little lad (now 9) has said of him getting whiskers ‘you’ll be dead by then’. Charming, sons, aren’t they.
Blue Boy says
Happy birthday. 50 is a breeze – it was 40 I hated. You’ll be fine. And, trust me, by the time you get to 60 you’re just grateful to still be breathing…..
retropath2 says
HB@ both of yous, ya whippersnappers. Most of us were still wearing afghan coats when you were born……..
dai says
Something new and wonderful.
SteveT says
I am gonna go for If I should fall behind from Lucky Town. Not his best album but a fabulous song.
Slug says
Also contains Big Muddy, which is just great.
Neela says
Especially the version on Live In NYC where pretty much the entire band sings a verse or a couple of line each. Beautiful. Gets me every time.
Slug says
Here is a long time favourite of mine, from my favourite Springsteen album Nebraska. I’m particularly fond of downbeat, reflective, solo Bruce. This is up with the best of his father/son relationship songs.
However, this live version includes a two and half minute intro which could be straight out of Top Gear…
Gary says
I’m not much of a fan of his post Nebraska output, but I love his take on Suicide’s ‘Dream Baby Dream’. This live versh even better than the studio versh on High Hopes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1nTfDAn2KQ
Gary says
And as a companion to the black and white video focussing on Bruce it’s nice to watch the colour video of the same song focussing mostly on the audience.
Gary says
I imagine everyone’s seen this clip of him bringing a kid out of the audience to play Growin’ Up, but it’s still one of the best things on YouTube.
Boneshaker says
This track from The Ties That Bind compilation of outtakes is just about as good as it gets.
Gary says
I really like ‘Freedom Cadence’, from the film ‘Thank You For Your Service’. Never officially released.
retropath2 says
My first album was this, from which this is the title track, and my favourite. (Tho’ I did buy the single of Born to Run a head of that.)
retropath2 says
Some may enjoy this.
http://www.covermesongs.com/2019/09/best-bruce-springsteen-covers-ever.html
(Sadly, my choice of Kevin Rowland’s Thunder Road got voted down…….)
Gary says
‘You Lift Me Up’, from The Essential bonus dic, might be the least Springsteen-like song he has recorded.
Feedback_File says
Happy Birthday Boss
The song that moves me the most – a masterpiece of how to frame a huge subject without resorting to drama and hyperbole
bang em in bingham says
bloody wonderful
Twang says
Let’s have a cover. I love this.
Blue Boy says
Akomg with Lemonhope’s choice at the top of the thread I’ll go for this which says all you need to know about life, it’s preciousness and it’s fragility
.
Twang says
Oh yes one of my all time favourites.
Chrisf says
I’ve been listening to a lot of his archive recordings of late – especially the 75 – 78 sets. The period from Born To Run through to The River has always been my favourite, although I don’t think there is a single poor album across his whole discography.
As for something that deserves more attention, I give you Murder Incorporated from the Blood Brothers film. Always been a favourite track – not just a great rock out, but maybe also because it kinda marked when he got the E Street band back together after a string of solo albums…..
ivan says
I saw him on the Wrecking Ball tour in the RDS in Dublin, got into the ‘pit’ too.
It was the usual barnstormer of a gig and here’s the thing. Normally when he’s on the home straight, it’s the big guns, the stompers, the bawlers, and occasionally he’ll wrap it up with something really quiet, but almost always it’s classics you’re geting.
That night, he didn’t. His second last song that night was Rocky Ground from the very album he was touring and it was immense. It still is. It’s oh so simple, and (heresy ahoy) it’s got a bit of a rap in it but it’s just lovely. The sound on this is a bit ropey but hopefully it conveys some of the magic.
Neela says
Wrecking Ball is such a great album. Good choice of song, @ivan!
niallb says
This. Always this.
niallb says
And the best song on TJ.