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In honor of his 60th birthday (9/23/09), what is your favorite Bruce Springsteen song or story?
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Where to begin? I manage the Bruce Springsteen page and he's my all-time favorite musician. I respect him as both a musician and a songwriter. If I told you how many times I've seen him live, I'd out myself as a complete and utter nutcase. I'm one of "those" fans, you see.
With favorite songs - I have several top faves that seem to rotate through the years (decades, even). Someone mentioned "Backstreets" - definitely a favorite, especially this time of year. I also love "New York City Serenade" and "Racing in the Streets." Obviously I like the "hits" too. I can scream along to "Hungry Heart" with the best of them.
My all-time favorite Springsteen song, ironically, is one of the few I have NEVER seen the man play live. The song is "Incident on 57th Street" from ''The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle'' album. Many years ago I heard a live bootleg of this song and I was hooked immediately. I already loved the lyrics on that particular album, but hearing it...well anyway. Hooked. We're seeing two shows at Giants Stadium next month, two more at Madison Square Garden and a final one in Nashville. If I go 0-5 with "Incident" I will still have seen some of the finest live concerts ever.
I'm going to post my personal favorite video version of this song here (from Madison Square Garden - I missed this by ONE show), along with the audio/video from 1980 (the version that blew my mind). Hope you enjoy. Good to see fellow Springsteen fans around Mahalo Answers.
Happy Birthday, Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
With favorite songs - I have several top faves that seem to rotate through the years (decades, even). Someone mentioned "Backstreets" - definitely a favorite, especially this time of year. I also love "New York City Serenade" and "Racing in the Streets." Obviously I like the "hits" too. I can scream along to "Hungry Heart" with the best of them.
My all-time favorite Springsteen song, ironically, is one of the few I have NEVER seen the man play live. The song is "Incident on 57th Street" from ''The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle'' album. Many years ago I heard a live bootleg of this song and I was hooked immediately. I already loved the lyrics on that particular album, but hearing it...well anyway. Hooked. We're seeing two shows at Giants Stadium next month, two more at Madison Square Garden and a final one in Nashville. If I go 0-5 with "Incident" I will still have seen some of the finest live concerts ever.
I'm going to post my personal favorite video version of this song here (from Madison Square Garden - I missed this by ONE show), along with the audio/video from 1980 (the version that blew my mind). Hope you enjoy. Good to see fellow Springsteen fans around Mahalo Answers.
Happy Birthday, Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
voted helpful: defolts
Ah Springsteen, one of the few good things to come from NJ. I'm going to go with some of his classics from the 1980's here.
Voted as best: pellrider
Thanks, Chris!
I just read (on his Mahalo page, Bruce Springsteen) that he may be making a surprise(?) appearance at U2's show tonight! He was in Des Moines last night, and will be taping an episode of Elvis Costello's show tomorrow.
I just read (on his Mahalo page, Bruce Springsteen) that he may be making a surprise(?) appearance at U2's show tonight! He was in Des Moines last night, and will be taping an episode of Elvis Costello's show tomorrow.
Born to Run
Cool article about "Born to Run": http://www.slate.com/id/2226603/pagenum/all
It reminds me of living in Newport Beach/Balboa in 75/76.
I was one block to the bay and one block to the beach. Awesome time. Pitcher Margaritas at El Rancho for lunch, and swimming and shopping all day.
My cousin and I met some New York kids Michael Lancelot of Pizza Pete's and his cousin, and the resulting friendship and East Coast mindset was amazing.
I'm fully convinced it's the times we pass through, that make us all connected, not necessarily where we are from or at when they do.
Backstreets
One soft infested summer
Me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe
The fire we born in
Catching rides to the outskirts
Tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house
Getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets
Slow dancing in the dark
On the beach at Stockton's Wing
Where desperate lovers park
We sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings
Huddled in our cars
Waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night
We let lose of everything
To go running on the backstreets
Running on the backstreets
Terry you swore we'd live forever
Taking it on them backstreets together
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Where famous dancers scraped the tears
Up off the street dressed down in rags
Running into the darkness
Some hurt bad some really dying
At night sometimes it seemed
You could hear the whole damn city crying
Blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down
You can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now
When the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say
But I hated him
And I hated you when you went away
Laying here in the dark
You're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts
Crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry
We'd go see
Trying to learn to walk like the heroes
We thought we had to be
Well after all this time
To find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park
And forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Where we swore forever friends
On the backstreets until the end
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets...
I was one block to the bay and one block to the beach. Awesome time. Pitcher Margaritas at El Rancho for lunch, and swimming and shopping all day.
My cousin and I met some New York kids Michael Lancelot of Pizza Pete's and his cousin, and the resulting friendship and East Coast mindset was amazing.
I'm fully convinced it's the times we pass through, that make us all connected, not necessarily where we are from or at when they do.
Backstreets
One soft infested summer
Me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe
The fire we born in
Catching rides to the outskirts
Tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house
Getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets
Slow dancing in the dark
On the beach at Stockton's Wing
Where desperate lovers park
We sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings
Huddled in our cars
Waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night
We let lose of everything
To go running on the backstreets
Running on the backstreets
Terry you swore we'd live forever
Taking it on them backstreets together
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Where famous dancers scraped the tears
Up off the street dressed down in rags
Running into the darkness
Some hurt bad some really dying
At night sometimes it seemed
You could hear the whole damn city crying
Blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down
You can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now
When the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say
But I hated him
And I hated you when you went away
Laying here in the dark
You're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts
Crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry
We'd go see
Trying to learn to walk like the heroes
We thought we had to be
Well after all this time
To find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park
And forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Where we swore forever friends
On the backstreets until the end
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets...
source(s):
personal experience
personal experience
Voted as best: librarian
Sweet! Sounds like good memories. Thanks, ab1
Bruce Springsteen, 60 years old! I can't believe it! Well, I am moving on myself, so I can believe it. Anyway, my favorite Springsteen song and story.
Has to be "Born in the USA" from 1984. I am a Vietnam Era Veteran, so can relate to the song. My story has to do with politicians politicking. The song was VERY popular. President Regan was quoted as saying, he wished we had a lot more Americans like Mr. Springsteen.
The song is about how a man got into trouble and was sent off to war to kill. His brother was killed in the war. He came back home and couldn't get a job. Now he's been, "burning down the road, nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go".
The song does sound very patriotic. "Born in the U.S.A.;I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.". And that was the President's (or his advisors) mistake. They didn't check out the lyrics.
Anyway, at the time I got a giggle out of it.
Has to be "Born in the USA" from 1984. I am a Vietnam Era Veteran, so can relate to the song. My story has to do with politicians politicking. The song was VERY popular. President Regan was quoted as saying, he wished we had a lot more Americans like Mr. Springsteen.
The song is about how a man got into trouble and was sent off to war to kill. His brother was killed in the war. He came back home and couldn't get a job. Now he's been, "burning down the road, nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go".
The song does sound very patriotic. "Born in the U.S.A.;I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.". And that was the President's (or his advisors) mistake. They didn't check out the lyrics.
Anyway, at the time I got a giggle out of it.
source(s):
My Memory; and
http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bruce-springsteen-lyrics/born-in-the-usa-lyri...
My Memory; and
http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bruce-springsteen-lyrics/born-in-the-usa-lyri...
Voted as best: buddawiggi
Bruce Springsteen has had many "Glory Days" in his 60 years. A legend in his time. I recently read this story about Bruce Springsteen and it touched my heart.
In 1999, Kadiatou Diallo lost her 23 year old son, Amadou. Amadou a Guinean immigrant, was shot to death by four New York City plainclothes officers who mistook him for a rape suspect. Springsteen wrote a song about this "American Skin (41 shots)".
Here's Mrs. Diallo's story:
"The first time I heard the whole song was at Madison Square Garden. One of my friends contacted Bruce's management, and he invited us to meet him backstage. He hugged me in a very warm, affectionate way. He also introduced his wife and members of his band. I was stunned because I thought, 'he's going to come and be like this big celebrity singer'. He escorted us to sit in the VIP section. We listened to the music. It really got into my heart and soul..
"I never expected to hear from him after that. But he did something that I have never shared with the public. He sent us pictures that he took with us and he donated money in Amadou's honor for scholarships at four colleges in New York City."
In 1999, Kadiatou Diallo lost her 23 year old son, Amadou. Amadou a Guinean immigrant, was shot to death by four New York City plainclothes officers who mistook him for a rape suspect. Springsteen wrote a song about this "American Skin (41 shots)".
Here's Mrs. Diallo's story:
"The first time I heard the whole song was at Madison Square Garden. One of my friends contacted Bruce's management, and he invited us to meet him backstage. He hugged me in a very warm, affectionate way. He also introduced his wife and members of his band. I was stunned because I thought, 'he's going to come and be like this big celebrity singer'. He escorted us to sit in the VIP section. We listened to the music. It really got into my heart and soul..
"I never expected to hear from him after that. But he did something that I have never shared with the public. He sent us pictures that he took with us and he donated money in Amadou's honor for scholarships at four colleges in New York City."
Thanks for sharing that story, marlene. From my involvement in the Springsteen fan community, I can tell you that he has touched many individuals similarly, and that he is well aware how much he can touch people's hearts through such simple actions.
Of course, we must recall the flip side to this story, too. This song, and his reaching out to Diallo's family, was VERY controversial because he pissed off many NYPD officers (and officers elsewhere, of course).
Two other things should be briefly noted: (1) that the lyrics are even-handed and are not really "anti-police" or "pro-police" - he refers to being "baptized in EACH OTHER'S blood"; and (2) the officers were acquitted.
Of course, we must recall the flip side to this story, too. This song, and his reaching out to Diallo's family, was VERY controversial because he pissed off many NYPD officers (and officers elsewhere, of course).
Two other things should be briefly noted: (1) that the lyrics are even-handed and are not really "anti-police" or "pro-police" - he refers to being "baptized in EACH OTHER'S blood"; and (2) the officers were acquitted.
Oh yeah, I meant to post the link to the lyrics, so that you can judge for yourself: http://brucespringsteen.net/songs/AmericanSkin.html
so he took what me and many other think and made it into a song.
if he upset the officers then maybe they are in the wrong line of work.
he basically writes from the heart and what he believes, it does not seem to be agenda driven.
if he upset the officers then maybe they are in the wrong line of work.
he basically writes from the heart and what he believes, it does not seem to be agenda driven.
Is there really a good Springsteen song?
I guess Glory Days is OK, but most of his music is too "Jersey" for the rest of the country.
I guess Glory Days is OK, but most of his music is too "Jersey" for the rest of the country.
Obviously, you're entitled to your opinion, chrisdammit. (;-))
But, I don't think you can legitimately express "the rest of the country's" opinion. Only 7 other American singers/groups (and 6 others) have sold more albums in the U.S. than Springsteen. He has sold 64 million records in the U.S., and about that many around the rest of the world. He continues to bring in new fans and his concerts continue to sell out around the country and around the world. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt
But, I don't think you can legitimately express "the rest of the country's" opinion. Only 7 other American singers/groups (and 6 others) have sold more albums in the U.S. than Springsteen. He has sold 64 million records in the U.S., and about that many around the rest of the world. He continues to bring in new fans and his concerts continue to sell out around the country and around the world. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt
he is immensely talented, he is able to move from rock to soft and pretty much most pop music, Stevie Wonder is the only other Musician that I can think of that has the ability to change music styles where it actually sounds good.
I like Tunnel of Love, it's just a nice sounding well produced song.
Born to Run came out when Bruce was very young and if you listen to it,you can tell how talented he was at young age. I really like the smooth relaxing songs like tunnel of love and Human Touch,
forget what the songs lyrics are, I just like the way it sounds.
Born to Run came out when Bruce was very young and if you listen to it,you can tell how talented he was at young age. I really like the smooth relaxing songs like tunnel of love and Human Touch,
forget what the songs lyrics are, I just like the way it sounds.
Thanks, defolts! They're not my faves, and he doesn't play them very much (both came during the period when he was without the E Street Band) - but were interesting songs.
they just sound good to me. this is one of the more talented musicians around. He is good with the E Street band and he is good without them, I really cannot think of anyone else that can change music styles the way he does besides Stevie Wonder where the music is still great instead of being merely tolerable. only Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder come to mind.
Favorite song: "Red Headed Woman"
He sure has fun with that one! And, I'm guessin' you do, too! ;-)
Most songs, by any artist, spark a specific range of emotions when listened to. Some cause happiness and elation, others sadness or remorse.
Every now and again, a song will come along that can cover the entire spectrum of emotions. You know, the kind of song that when you listen to it in a specific context will fill you with jubilant memories of great moments from the past; and when listened to under a different set of circumstances may provoke heart felt sentiment, regret, or even a sense of loss.
Bruce Springsteen's, Glory Days, does that for me.
Ironically, so does a song of another New Jersey native, Frank Sinatra and "My Way."
Every now and again, a song will come along that can cover the entire spectrum of emotions. You know, the kind of song that when you listen to it in a specific context will fill you with jubilant memories of great moments from the past; and when listened to under a different set of circumstances may provoke heart felt sentiment, regret, or even a sense of loss.
Bruce Springsteen's, Glory Days, does that for me.
Ironically, so does a song of another New Jersey native, Frank Sinatra and "My Way."
tags: bruce-springstee...
voted helpful: defolts
Thanks for that answer, and for throwing Sinatra into it!
Nobody got it in my opinion, I'm on Fire is by far the best song ever in the whole world!!! Nick Cave, Tori Amos, and even Johnny Cash covered it, that's got to say something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=896QR14mFJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLQPgrSfWY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=896QR14mFJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLQPgrSfWY
Love it, Mila! Thanks!
Voted "No best answer": mila_mm,
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Everyone, sorry that I didn't select a "best answer" - I was out this weekend with no access to the computer! Thanks for all the great answers!