Cover Song Spotlight: "Suzanne" by the Castiles

Today, we're reaching way back in Springsteen's career to 1967, spotlighting his cover of "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.  Even though I'm part of the Internet generation, there's still part of me that's in awe of the Internet's power to preserve rare performances such as the one above.  I have wasted hours just digging through YouTube and finding pre-E Street Band Bruce performances (as well as watching old Mr. Show skits).

And, yes, since this song is about a woman, I'm tying it into our very-very-loosely-themed Women's History Month that we've had going on here.

Cover Song Spotlight: "Coma Girl"

I've always enjoyed this cover of Joe Strummer's "Coma Girl" from Glastonbury in 2009.  So, since it's about a girl, and we're having an incredibly loose Women's History Month thing going on, I figured I'd post it.  Bruce does an amazing job here, making the song his own (I mentioned earlier that it would have been a perfect addition to High Hopes).  Below is the live performance footage, but I believe the audio quality is better in the video up top.

Exclusive: Living Proof Shampoo!

It was a morning like any other.  I groggily arose from bed and stumbled into the shower.  As the warm streams of water washed the sleep from my eyes, I was greeted by a completely unexpected Springsteen reference.  My girlfriend, unbeknownst to me, had acquired Living Proof shampoo!  Being as this is Women's History Month, I sat down with my girlfriend to get the full story behind Living Proof shampoo.  Here's the exclusive interview:

LOS: How is your experience with Living Proof shampoo?

GF: It makes my hair feel clean, and it smells good.

LOS: How do you think the shampoo relates to the Springsteen song, "Living Proof" from the album Lucky Town?

GF: Well, the shampoo and the song have the same name.  Also, I think Bruce has sexy hair, so I thought maybe this hair care product would make me as sexy as him.

LOS: In "Living Proof", Bruce sings, "I put my heart and soul, I put 'em high upon a shelf, right next to the faith, the faith that I'd lost in myself."  How has this influenced your choice in placing the shampoo on the shower caddy?

GF: It actually made me want to put it on your section of the shelf, but since I am an only child I want to keep it on my shelf.  However, I did make sure that it was prominently displayed.

LOS: Are there any other Springsteen shampoos you would be interested in trying?

GF: I think "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" could be a good one.  It could make your head cold in the summer.

LOS: Or maybe they could call it "Tenth Avenue Frizz Out"!

GF: No.

This concludes are exclusive deep-dive into the Living Proof shampoo.  There are, apparently, dozens of Living Proof beauty products, so perhaps there is more to explore.  Now, I ask you, the reader: what other Springsteen-related beauty products have you come across in your life?  Which ones would you love to see?  Let us know in the comments!

Monday Motivation: Springsteen Songs to Save a Bad Week

Having a bad week? And it’s only Monday? Springsteen doesn’t go hand-in-hand with upbeat, feel good music, but there’s something about The Boss that can pull you out of your deepest doldrums. Here’s a playlist designed to improve your perspective in just 30 minutes.

1. "Reason to Believe" (Nebraska) – If you’re feeling down, chances are you’ll need to stew a little before you can start climbing out of your funk. So, start things off by commiserating with “Reason to Believe.” Yes, the song is traced with cynicism but there’s also recognition that no matter how bad it gets, you can still find a reason to believe.



2. "Tougher than the Rest" (Tunnel of Love) – Okay, so you’re feeling like you aren’t alone any more in your state of despondence. But that’s not just it. In fact, you’re not just anybody. You can get through this. You’re tougher than the rest.



3. "Better Days" (Lucky Town) – “Every fool's got a reason to feelin' sorry for himself.” And Bruce is right. You know what? Things aren’t so bad. In fact they’ve been worse. It’s time to start counting your blessings.



4. "Thunder Road" (Born to Run) – Alright, time to start tapping your feet and boosting your confidence. You can’t be kept down. After all, it’s a town full of losers and you’re pulling out of here to wiiiiinnnnnn.



5. "Rosalita" (The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle) – That bad mood you were in? The things that were nagging at you? Almost completely gone. The only thing needed to eradicate them completely? Crank up the volume and revel in the unbridled joy of youthful abandon.




What Springsteen songs do you turn to when you need a boost?

Links: Springsteen Songs Covered By Women

With March being Women's History Month, it is fitting that today we spotlight Springsteen songs that have been covered by women.  Compiled by Jay Lustig on NJArts.net, there are two parts: click here for part one, and click here for part two.  These links contain over 30 Springsteen songs covered by women in nearly every cover style imaginable.  You've got country Springsteen, disco Springsteen, gospel Springsteen, 80s synth Springsteen, folk Springsteen, covers-that-sound-like-the-original-Springsteen-version-that-you-almost-wonder-why-they-bothered-covering-it Springsteen, and, of course, tons and tons of acoustic Springsteen.  It's hard to pick a favorite, but if you don't have time to listen to all 30, I'll spotlight the Sleater-Kinney version of "The Promised Land", which I've been digging:

But hey, take your time going through the list.  Remember, this is a month-long celebration!