I saw rock and roll's future and it's Bruce Springsteen..
Discussion
Raygun said:
said Jon Landau in the 70s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJLhFpK2zk
Springysteen[sic] certainly took them all god fearing mericans[sic], land of the free, born in the USofA to town with his biggest hit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJLhFpK2zk
Never doubted he could play, don't really like his stuff but that is quite good.
Unfortunately I've only seen the once and that was on the Born In The USA tour and I think his best shows were behind him by this time, how I would have liked to see the slim Springsteen of the 70s with all that energy on stage, after The River I start to lose interest but he was brilliant imho up to this point.
I saw him on TV recently accepting some or other lifetime achievement award. All suited up, he delivered a passionate and heartfelt speech about what music had meant in his life and to others. After that he was on stage in his jeans and t-shirt and rocked the place.
Seems like a genuine guy.
Seems like a genuine guy.
mrmaggit said:
I must admit that I've never been a fan of his, but went to see him and the band at the Ricoh Arena at Coventry. After that, I totally understand why he is so popular with his fans, and yes I would definitely try to get to see him again.
Still don't own any of his music, though.
Stating the obvious but do try and get a copy of the Born To Run album because it is a belter, at the start of Jungleland he mentions 'The Rangers had a Homecoming in Harlem late last night' referring to the Rangers army unit coming back from the Vietnam war, the track is a masterpiece imho.Still don't own any of his music, though.
I saw him live in the U.K. in '81 - i'm not really a fan (apart from the odd track here and there), the ticket was bought for me and I have to say he was superb. If I remember rightly he played for over 3 hours, and by the end the manager of the venue was stood at the side of the stage tapping his watch and gesturing to Bruce that it was time to leave the stage....think he would have played all night if he could! 
There is a quote about Paul Weller that goes something along the lines of "he had so much to say and he had said it all by the age of 25". It makes me think of Springsteen who said about writing "born to run" that he was trying to write the greatest American rock and roll song of all time, he did it at the age of 25 too...
Gaslight Anthem capture a lot of the early Springsteen spirit, they are great live in small venues.
Gaslight Anthem capture a lot of the early Springsteen spirit, they are great live in small venues.
Racing in the street. A favourite of mine.
I got a sixty-nine Chevy with a 396
Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor
She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot
Outside the Seven-Eleven store
Me and my partner Sonny built her straight out of scratch
And he rides with me from town to town
We only run for the money got no strings attached
We shut 'em up and then we shut 'em down
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I wanna blow 'em off in my first heat
Summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
We take all the action we can meet
And we cover all the north east state
When the strip shuts down we run 'em in the street
From the fire roads to the interstate
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
And go racing in the street
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I wanna blow 'em all out of their seats
Calling out around the world, we're going racing in the street
I met her on the strip three years ago
In a Camaro with this dude from L.A.
I blew that Camaro off my back and drove that little girl away
But now there's wrinkles around my baby's eyes
And she cries herself to sleep at night
When I come home the house is dark
She sighs "Baby did you make it all right"
She sits on the porch of her daddy's house
But all her pretty dreams are torn
She stares off alone into the night
With the eyes of one who hates for just being born
For all the shut down strangers and hot rod angels
Rumbling through this promised land
Tonight my baby and me we're gonna ride to the sea
And wash these sins off our hands
Tonight tonight the highway's bright
Out of our way mister you best keep
'Cause summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
I got a sixty-nine Chevy with a 396
Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor
She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot
Outside the Seven-Eleven store
Me and my partner Sonny built her straight out of scratch
And he rides with me from town to town
We only run for the money got no strings attached
We shut 'em up and then we shut 'em down
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I wanna blow 'em off in my first heat
Summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
We take all the action we can meet
And we cover all the north east state
When the strip shuts down we run 'em in the street
From the fire roads to the interstate
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
And go racing in the street
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I wanna blow 'em all out of their seats
Calling out around the world, we're going racing in the street
I met her on the strip three years ago
In a Camaro with this dude from L.A.
I blew that Camaro off my back and drove that little girl away
But now there's wrinkles around my baby's eyes
And she cries herself to sleep at night
When I come home the house is dark
She sighs "Baby did you make it all right"
She sits on the porch of her daddy's house
But all her pretty dreams are torn
She stares off alone into the night
With the eyes of one who hates for just being born
For all the shut down strangers and hot rod angels
Rumbling through this promised land
Tonight my baby and me we're gonna ride to the sea
And wash these sins off our hands
Tonight tonight the highway's bright
Out of our way mister you best keep
'Cause summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
Speedracer329 said:
Strange that on a pro Springsteen post that most contributors are not really fans of his.
I confess I am not a fan either, I did try but don't like his voice.
Good call there, to be honest I can't stand him musically, and to be honest I wouldn't pat money to see him.I confess I am not a fan either, I did try but don't like his voice.
I'm much too young and cool to go in big for Bruce, but despite the reception to his recent stuff being apparently lukewarm, I quite liked Wrecking Ball.
I prefer Ian Hunter though, of Mott the Hoople, who seems to manage a similar (IMO) old rocker trick but with a bit more substance these days. Give 'When I'm President' a go.
I prefer Ian Hunter though, of Mott the Hoople, who seems to manage a similar (IMO) old rocker trick but with a bit more substance these days. Give 'When I'm President' a go.
trashbat said:
I'm much too young and cool to go in big for Bruce, but despite the reception to his recent stuff being apparently lukewarm, I quite liked Wrecking Ball.
I prefer Ian Hunter though, of Mott the Hoople, who seems to manage a similar (IMO) old rocker trick but with a bit more substance these days. Give 'When I'm President' a go.
I like Ian Hunter, see him many years ago at Milton Keynes Bowl, always a fan of Once Bitten Twice Shy and being a Bad Co fan Mick Ralphs is a ledge.I prefer Ian Hunter though, of Mott the Hoople, who seems to manage a similar (IMO) old rocker trick but with a bit more substance these days. Give 'When I'm President' a go.
Big fan of Springsteen here, though sadly not yet seen one of his gigs. Brilliant insightful lyrics, especially from the blue-collar point of view - even though, as he sang in 'Better Days', - "It's a sad funny ending to find yourself pretending / A rich man in a poor man's shirt".
Sadly, I've also never made it to the States yet - but Springsteen's songs seem to perfectly evoke the slightly tarnished, tatty but proud Stars And Stripes image of America now.
Always comes across well in interviews, and I love some of the stories about him. There was the legendary tale of a young American fan who met him in the street and jokingly invited Bruce for lunch/dinner. Springsteen agreed, and they promptly walked in to a gob-smacked family sitting around the table ready to eat. I'm not sure if Bruce helped with washing the dishes afterwards, though.
A living legend, IMHO.
Just edited to add one of my favourite Springsteen lyrics:
"The River"
I come from down in the valley
where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
We'd ride out of this valley down to where the fields were green
We'd go down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we'd ride
Then I got Mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress
That night we went down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we did ride
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
Now all them things that seemed so important
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Now I just act like I don't remember
Mary acts like she don't care
But I remember us riding in my brother's car
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
Now those memories come back to haunt me
they haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
Or is it something worse
that sends me down to the river
though I know the river is dry
That sends me down to the river tonight
Down to the river
my baby and I
Oh down to the river we ride
Sadly, I've also never made it to the States yet - but Springsteen's songs seem to perfectly evoke the slightly tarnished, tatty but proud Stars And Stripes image of America now.
Always comes across well in interviews, and I love some of the stories about him. There was the legendary tale of a young American fan who met him in the street and jokingly invited Bruce for lunch/dinner. Springsteen agreed, and they promptly walked in to a gob-smacked family sitting around the table ready to eat. I'm not sure if Bruce helped with washing the dishes afterwards, though.
A living legend, IMHO.
Just edited to add one of my favourite Springsteen lyrics:
"The River"
I come from down in the valley
where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
We'd ride out of this valley down to where the fields were green
We'd go down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we'd ride
Then I got Mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress
That night we went down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we did ride
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
Now all them things that seemed so important
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Now I just act like I don't remember
Mary acts like she don't care
But I remember us riding in my brother's car
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
Now those memories come back to haunt me
they haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
Or is it something worse
that sends me down to the river
though I know the river is dry
That sends me down to the river tonight
Down to the river
my baby and I
Oh down to the river we ride
Edited by MikeT66 on Friday 5th June 06:54
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