Bruce Springsteen - Classic or Dud ?

I can't get worked up and annoyed about Bruce in the way I can about some other rockers. He has an ear for a great line (the opening of "Hungry Heart" for instance) and I can forgive him a lot for that. He doesn't resonate with me and like the Replacements I think that's a cultural thing.

I also - and this is totally subjective - never get the impression Bruce ever thinks he's particularly cool. Which is not something I can say of most other 'real rock'n'roller' types, mainstream or otherwise.

File under yet to be discovered. I was listening to an apologetic defence of his work from Sean Rowley on the radio the other day, and it got me wondering again. People of my generation's first real exposure to him was the 'Born in the USA' air-punching era and that obviously wasn't likely to engender much interest. Yes, I know it was all ironic.

What I have heard of his 70's stuff sounds like I might grow to love it. That midwest blue-collar world his songs inhabit seems harder to relate to than any other, but even in 1988, I had the feeling Paddy McAloon was missing the point with the song 'Cars & Girls'.

At the moment, I'm afraid the song of his I like best is a 90s one - 'If I Should Fall Behind', which I only know from the Grant McLellan cover version.

Badly Drawn Boy is a Springsteen obsessive, which I thought was quite cute.

N.

And yes, Tom, he's got a very good ear for a line.

I heard the version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" when I was young and that is pretty spiff, I freely agree. Circa 1984, liking El Bruce was unsurprising for me as that was a pretty damn good radio year -- Chuck Eddy specifically called it as such in _Stairway to Hell_, and he was goddamn right. Thus liking all that stuff he made was a matter of course alongside all those singles from _Purple Rain_ and _Like A Virgin_ and etc.

Time went on and I proceeded to not care. I never cared enough to buy an album anyway, and the 'classic early singles' only made sense in my classic rock phase, which lasted about nine months in senior year.

Then I ended up in LA and encountered the first of Robert Hilburn's 345,234,843 printed sermons on How Bruce Springsteen Heals the Sick, Raises the Dead and Means More to Human Existence Than the Combined Efforts of Louis Pasteur, Billie Holiday and Charles Schulz. I encountered other blowhards. The music touched me with the impact of a dying flea. A roommate was obsessed with him to the point of near mania. I cried.

The end.

Frankly, the Walkabouts any day of the goddamn week, month, year, decade, century, etc. If the relative fame levels were reversed, I would cling to this assumption with even more deep, abiding passion because then I would have The People on my side. Even alone, though, it's comfy. And Frankie Goes to Hollywood's version of "Born to Run" is my fave.

i actually liked born_in_the_u.s.a when it came out at age 7, but later, i found it to be an obstacle in getting to love bruce, and i'm sure there are a ton of artists out there whose work at that time has kept people away from them.

as sterling said, it's funny what driving a car can do, especially when it's another dark and lonely night out on an empty anonymous new jersey highway and "born to run" comes on the highway. but i've been there, so i'll move on.

you can get by on the first five or so albums on the music and production alone -- unless of course you hate phil spector and are, therefore, destined to spend eternity in hell -- and the later stuff will stick if you find something in the lyrics that rings far too true. sure, he mines the same territory in a lot of his songs, but so do belle & sebastian and so did the smiths; except the kids in bruce's songs could kick the ass of their counterparts in the aforementioned.

ned, i think you have the same problem as tom: it's a cultural thing. ;)

It's not a cultural thing; I mean for god's sake Motorcycle Emptiness might as well be Bruce Springsteen on a literacy trip in terms of subject, and I know Tom likes the song, and I believe Ned does too. Whether that particular statement was tongue in cheek or not, it's a tired excuse and reasoning, one usually used by the saddest of Bruce Springsteen fans, the ones who "identify" with his sentiments, seemingly losing track of the fact that BRUCE'S CHARACTERS NEVER ACTUALLY MAKE IT OUT. Some positive role models to rock out to.

The thing is, I think it's the voice and the earnestness, which was already said. The stylistic values of it....the basic cultural and escape sentiments, lyrically, of Motorcycle Emptiness and Born to Run might be very similar in tone, but the style and vocalisings are entirely, 100% different. Bruce has a very sarcastic bent, a very dark bent, lyrically, but his style of music softens the blow and sometimes people just don't like it.

And those people are wrong, incidentally :P

Nebraska is half good but doesn't deserve the plaudits it gets as the Springsteen album it's cool to like.

The rest is pretty much DUD.

Nevermind that Born in the USA was my first record not meant to be played on the Fisher Price record player (with the STEEL NEEDLE)

Nevermind Tracks Nevermind the fact that Born to Run is one of the best driving albums ever when your top is down and it's summer and the road between Ventura and home stretches out and empty at night with no cops...

Nevermind he has out Dylan-ed Dylan

Nevermind that he can outrage The Man as he pushes the dark side of life. (41 Shots)

Nevermind the line "The record company Rosie, JUST GAVE ME A BIG ADVANCE!"

Nevermind the Live box set, reminding us just how powerful he was

Nevermind Time and Newsweek

Nevermind Thunder-Fucking-Road

Nevermind The cover of Jersey Girl

Nevermind Tracks

Nevermind the MTV Unplugged set where he scrapped the entire notion of an acoustic show and just plugged in and tore down the house

Nevermind everyone on this list who called him a dud.

well, Bruce isn't *that* bad! ;)

La Bruce just collectively calls to my mind a stunted bastard vision of music that presumes he was the sole carrier of the 'spirit of rock and roll truth' that the Beatles and Stones 'started' in the sixties. A CLAIM I HAVE ENCOUNTERED MORE THAN ONCE, though thankfully not here, and happily never from the man's own lips either, at least to my knowledge. Without that rhetoric I would just shrug and ignore him for somebody more interesting, but with it, frankly, he becomes a very very useful target to kick against. Perhaps only a straw man, but one I wouldn't mind seeing go up in flames.

The boy has fallen off of late, but... I'm reminded of the Bangs article where he describes how he dismissed this Maoist band as sounding like Bruce, and the band replied "oh, good, the working class like that stuff" or something of the sort, and I'm reading this thinking -- no. no. no. The correct answer is "oh, good. Bruce fucking rocks!"

What I appreciate about Bruce is how he can capture the majesty of a major chord. How so many of his songs have the same progression, but you don't realize it 'till you try to play 'em yourself. How he can take gospel music and write it to a girl instead. And yes, more of them damn anthems.

I mean.. I know that anthems aren't an alien concept to the UK -- after all, The Who were full of them. But maybe British anthems are a different type a "get off of my cloud" or "sod off" type, more cynical and pissy than dreamy and wide-eyed. Maybe this is, after all, because America is The Big Country, The Great Bitch, et cet. Maybe to get America you have to get just how there's always somewhere you might go, maybe.

Along these lines, "Not Fade Away" which is a novel by Jim Dodge is a great rock road story, sort of like the lighter side of Richard Hell's "Go Now" or the more earnest(?) side of Bruce McCullough's "Doors Fan" sketch (on his album, Shame-Based Man). Yes. Get that spirit of the open highway.

I will say, though, that I do lack a car and have never had one. That might serve as a better explanation. ;-)

I wish I wasn't misinterpreting.

Inspirational in some ways. I have often felt that England needed a Springsteen, albeit not just a a copycat 'rocker'; I mean, someone who would write about all the lost and found small-town lives. But to be fair, I suppose there is already a UK tradition here: the probably Jarvis Cocker is a case in point.

1. they don't understand that he's actually not as "pro-america" as they might think he is

2. they don't have as close a connection to "old school" code (which includes "old school" rock)

3. they are mostly college kids on their way up to some office job or whatever that is removed (if not far removed) from the "underworld" (the "blue collar" or "real" world) to get the lyrical sentiments

4. well, and...sometimes people just don't like something 'cause they just don't like it

I, however, do not apply to any of those 4. For I actually do "get" some of the appeal of Bruce (albeit, it took my until my mid or late twenties to get there). Sure, his overly sentimental (downright broadway or maudlin) look at the working class can be a bit (or a bunch) too much. And sure, his music can be too simple and/or too derivitive. But, that's a part of the whole. Familiarity in both music and lyrics, is a large part of the appeal of his stuff (and those like him, ala Mellencamp, etc). He just had the concept to put nearly a whole career on the working class/blue collar life like no other has (not in such a wide reaching broad sense, at least - other than Mellencamp, but Bruce did it a bit better and first).

Classics:

Having said all that, 'Nebraska' and 'Ghost of Tom Joad' are the only two full albums that I would declare anywhere near a "classic" state of existence (with 'Nebraska' being the one clear-cut vote). Many of the rest of his 70's and 80's albums have some good solid worthy singles on them, but. I can't go so far as to get 'The River' (for example) anywhere near a "classic" nod. That one, in particular, I find to be overrated (though still having the wonderful track "Stolen Car" and the title track deserving of 'Nebraska'-like attention).

Anyways, I forgot to mention to huge (to the point of shadowing) element as to one of the why's (or why not's) of enjoy/appreciating Bruce. Which is: DRIVING. Cars and driving is such a central and/or reoccuring figure/subject in his work that...I can't believe I forgot to touch upon that (only after reading some of the others posts, darn it). But yea, I do LOVE to drive. Which also helps to explain the appeal of Springsteen (to me, at least).

*By the way, I do own that McCulloch album 'Shame Based Man' and...love it (some really funny stuff and one of the very rare comedy albums worthy of many plays - if not it's own discussion here on "I Love Music"...anyone?). Every single one of my girlfriends (one present, others past) hated it. "And if (after torching the stolen car) you can still hear the Doors playing...then you have become...a DOORS...FAN!" I'm not a Doors fan, however.

I hadn't listened to this record in a couple of years, but god, it still sounded great. Actually, I kept getting shivers down my spine when it was playing and it had me close to tears a few times (mostly on "Thunder Road" and "Backstreets.") Listening to this today finally settled an ILM debate for me: Music can never affect me quite as much now as it did when I was a teenager. No record I've heard in the last few years, including Loveless, has had as much affect on me as Born to Run did this morning, and I know it's not just because Born to Run is such a great album. This is a record that got to me when I was young and emotionally vulnerable in a way that I'm not anymore, at the age of 32. I still feel music very deeply and appreciate and enjoy a wider range of music than ever, but music doesn’t completely overpower me the way it did when I was 15. Oh well.

Springsteen is still a big classic, by the way, despite all the incredibly corny lines on Born to Run.

"candy's room" is the grebtest song ever written about being in love w. a prostitute when you sound a bit like david bowie

Is this a new genre? Cos that'd be fucking incredible.

I still love Bruce Springsteen. Put on Rosalita and you will see me go insane.

Best vocal on an "Everybody's Talkin'" (even if it's the worst arrangement):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjw0yE8mQVc

Wow

You know I always liked my walking shoes
But you can get a little too fond of the blues
You walk too far, you walk away

Songs where it's fun to say HOOS in place of the actual lyrics

I kind of think Lana Del Rey took the same SoCal influences, went in a different direction and ended up with Mariners Apt Complex

not so sure about "there goes my miracle." on first listen, it's exactly what i feared this album would be. not sure he has the voice for these arrangements. i'd kinda like to hear scott walker singing this, though.

(also, i'm secretly hoping it's about miracle the horse from mel brooks' "history of the world part 1.")

(and still completely enthralled by "hello sunshine.")

This new one is kind of a misfire, though it's interesting to hear him try something so different. Docked several points for super-generic drum machine cameo and distracting production poo, which undoes whatever good the strings do.

Sounds like a Morrissey song.

Lol, indeed it does. The high notes on the chorus sound a little auto tuned maybe

Another new one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsH4URIWNRE

Kinda ... "Lucky Town" (the album) vibes? It's not bad, pretty slight, but the video implies he may tour with a different band again. Also ... no Tele! I think he's playing a Gretsch Country Gentleman? Maybe that will be this cycle's bolo tie.

Speaking of Springsteen, I'm a little surprised there's been no word of a BitUSA boxed set. It's the 35th anniversary this year, and fans have been speculating on a dual BitUSA/Nebraska box, though I think it would make more sense to split them up. Nebraska could easily be a 2-disc set, esp. if they unearth the legendary electric sessions. But BitUSA ... there's a ton of leftover stuff, some of it already released on other comps and collections, but I think Springsteen would rather keep things simple and collect any leftovers into collections that flow like albums (like he did with Darkness and the River) rather than just dump a bunch of stuff out there.

One of the my faves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewhMge_MXM

I forgot that the second volume of remasters came out. I'm listening to the cleaned up Tunnel of Love right now, and no joke, it sounds great, I'm hearing things I've never heard before!

I wonder if the BitUSA stuff will happen next year. I saw somewhere that there's be an E-Street tour in 2020, so maybe that'll tie-in to the reissue.

This album doesn't really sound like anything else he's ever done. While I don't like some of the choices he made - production (as usual), arrangements (a little gloppy) - I respect the effort to do something different.

Would have been both apt and very funny if it ended with Happy Trails, like Diver Down.

I'm enjoying this but it remains to be seen if I'll come back to it. And yeah, I appreciate hes trying something different. "Hello Sunshine" is his best single since "Radio Nowhere" (even if reminds me a bit too much of "Everybodys Talkin'")

if theres not an old town road cover on this im not interested

the other night i watched the video for "Dancing in the Dark" and i had forgotten how fucking handsome he was back in the day. i would have done anything he wanted me to.

Fp

xp otm he was a smokeshow back then no question.

i still heart him with all my heart

https://www.brucespringsteen.it/DB/mn.aspx?yr=1968&mt=09

Lol I got pushed a very Onion-y Slate headline, 'Rolling Stone SLAMS Bruce Springsteen with rare four star review."

Haha

The album is... pleasant? And the production isn’t as jarringly plastic as his recent records. But nothing’s grabbing me. It’s sort of Devils & Dust pt. 2, of all things. He’s still in great voice, but the nothingness of the material makes that bittersweet.

On the one hand, I appreciate the economy of the songs and songwriting. On the other hand, his full embrace of lyrical cliches to an extent he never quite has before really undercuts his character portraits. On the third hand, sometimes those cliches work in his favor, like when he veers from a cliche into something fresher and it makes the distinction that much more apparent and effective.

I wish it had more of the Hello Sunshine feel/sound esp his singing voice but it is pleasant “lazing on an afternoon” music

I’m inclined to look this sort of thing but am also not sure if much of it is going to stick.

Anthony Scaramucci tried to pick a Twitter fight with Nils Lofgren. Guess who it didn’t go well for?

I’m not the one still trying to get a job on a sinking ship. And that word scramble on #huckabee was something to behold. @MSNBC really must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel. Self esteem, right now about 100. Thanks mooch https://t.co/uAtfNLrIv7

— Nils Lofgren (@nilslofgren) June 15, 2019

<3 u nils

this album is very very glen campbell. and sometimes that sort of mellow good vibe friendliness is exactly what i need. would be even better with a few songs equivalent to the weirdo vibe that Jimmy Webb gave to Glen, but there you go.

lol I was just reading that htread:

I can hardly believe I’m responding to this but Jesus, what a world where this talentless piece of shit even summons the balls to talk smack about anyone Neil Young picked to play on “Tonight’s the Night.”

— Roy Edroso (@edroso) June 16, 2019

I'm liking this a whole lot so far, though I fear Trump may have ruined "Sleepy Joe's Cafe" because when I heard it all I could think of was Biden.

the new record is excellent. best since magic but also probably way better than magic

Hmm. I think Wrecking Ball was pretty strong. But other than that tbf, two albums since Magic - Working on a Dream and High Hopes - are down there with the worst of his records (so ... Human Touch?). Anyway, I'm a huge fan, and the album seemed fine, but I can't see putting this on that often.

songwriting-wise it feels very close to devils and dust and the arrangements are awesome

It’s sort of Devils & Dust pt. 2, of all things

yeah! huge plus for me, i love that record, "long time comin'" is my favorite springsteen song

yeah it feels better than Magic - more even & more of a consistent mood

I fear Trump may have ruined "Sleepy Joe's Cafe"

i fear the arrangement might have ruined that one. it sounds like it's on the wrong album. the river, maybe? the eddie & the cruisers soundtrack?

man I love this album, to my ears his best full album since Born in the USA.

That's crazy to me, but I'm glad you're enjoying it.

He sat in with Southside Johnny this weekend and played or played on maybe 6 songs, like "Talk to Me," "Kitty's Back" and "The Fever," which is the most he's played live in some time, let alone in electric mode. Implies he's gearing up for maybe a band tour.

He said something recently about him and the E-Street Band going out next year.

He's hinted at it, but he's also said (I think) that he has enough material for an E Street album, so one presumes they have to record a new album first. Next year is still pretty far away, though, especially for old guys.

BTW I have a friend who has interviewed most of these dudes before, and it's amazing how NDA-level cagey they are about plans, album or otherwise.

Next year is still pretty far away, though, especially for old guys

no, wait, that's not how it works for old guys. for old guys, next year is like three hours from now.

A three-hour concert from now...

Also: This revive led me to pull Darkness... from the stacks to spin this afternoon.

Thank You Thread!

Lol at this last bunch of posts

A bit late to this, but just wanted to say that I think the title track on the new album is genuinely very, very good. Not sold on the rest of the album though I like a few of the songs. But "Western Stars," the song, is glorious.

Love the way the strings get more and more dramatic as the speaker drinks himself into maudlin nostalgic fantasy, and the way the word "friend" addressed to the anonymous stranger who's buying him drinks gets more emotionally needy and more sadly ironic at the same time, and the way it all builds to this glorious drunken vision of the riders on Sunset, until his fantasy world finally collapses and we're back where we began, at the start of another empty day. It actually reminds me of "Thunder Road" in the way it builds and builds and then drops down to a final line, except that here there's no time left and nowhere for the speaker to go, except further into his own mind.

I've gotten totally obsessed with Springsteen in the last few months. Before I was just kind of a casual fan, then I listened to "Nebraska" all the way through and now I can't stop. It's a sickness.

The other day I found myself having Deep Thoughts about the meaning of the song "I'm a Rocker," and I was like, "shit, this has gone too far."

If I ever have a kid I will name it Terry and raise it gender-neutral as a token of my love for Bruce.