Song Spotlight - "Born To Run"

Key Live Performance


Here, we have the acoustic arrangement of "Born To Run", which was released on the Chimes of Freedom LP in the late 80s.  Nowadays, it seems that nearly every song has an "acoustic version" of it out there, and usually it is done in jest.  However, a re-imaging of a popular song, by the artist himself, was a greater novelty 25+ years ago.  This version of "Born To Run" comes at a fascinating time in Springsteen's career, too, as he had just released Tunnel of Love and would soon be leaving the E Street Band behind.  This performance symbolically captures this new phase in Springsteen's career, as he takes his most iconic song down to its bare bones and rebuilds it by himself.

Key Lyrics
"Oh-oh, Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run."

"Born to Run" is filled with a surprising amount of violent imagery, including two uses of "suicide", along with dying, being broken, etc.  The lyrics spotlighted above are simultaneously gruesome and catchy.  It's a trick you don't see in many pop songs, as they tend to stick to words like "baby" and "i wish".  With these in-your-face lyrics, it isn't surprising that it was nominated to be New Jersey's official state song.

Overall

Come on.  It's "Born To Run"!  It's Bruce's most iconic song, and for good reason.  You've got a dramatic drum-roll to start, an instantly memorable chorus, and an amazing drop.  It's hard not to drive recklessly when listening to this song.  It's the perfect anthem for lovers and dream, and yet, crazily enough, many people would say that it isn't even the best song on the album!  It just goes to show how on point Bruce was at this point in his career.  This song has been a pop-culture staple for 40 years, and will easily be for 40 more.

Video Spotlight - "Blinded By The Light" in Helsinki, 2012

We're a bit obsessed with Bruce going acoustic here on this blog, and astute readers may notice we are double-dipping a bit here.  I originally posted this in response to Steve's post last month, but figured it was worth going back to during this 4-day weekend.  So, if you missed it the first time around, make sure to take seven minutes away from your family and loved ones and check out this fun, loose, and excellently filmed performance.

Great Moments in Springsteen Television History - "No Surrender" from Glee

This past summer the TV World lost Glee stare Corey Monteith.  I'm not exactly what you would call a Glee fan, that is to say I've never seen an episode but still hate it.  However, I am saddened to hear that someone who was obviously talented die so young.  Monteith's character on the show, Finn, was honored by his fellow cast mates in the episode "The Quarterback", airing earlier this month.

As per usual with Glee, there were several musical performances throughout the episode, all paying tribute to Finn.  One of the songs was an acoustic, slowed down performance of "No Surrender" performed by the character Puck. Bruce has played stripped down acoustic versions of "No Surrender" before, most notably on the Live 1975-1985  box set.  The song takes on a whole new meaning when it's performed like this.  Much more somber than the rebellious enthusiastic electric version.

Again, I don't watch the show so I don't particularly know the significance of this character, or why he would choose this song specifically.  However, just going by content, "No Surrender" is a great choice for a song to tribute his friend.  The lyrical content of "No Surrender" has been discussed before on this blog, so I won't repeat myself.  But suffice to say, it's one of those songs that just about every Springsteen fan nods along with, and recalls their own memories to , when they hear this song.  So it's very easy to understand why this song would be the choice for the character to sing about his friend.  (Note: Rory has requested I sing "You're Missing" in my faux opera voice at his funeral.  If that song were more well known to the public, I would have suggested that instead.)

Which Bruce Song Do You Wish You Could Hear Acoustic?

As Rory mentioned recently in relation to "The Promised Land," we’re always susceptible to Bruce’s slowed-down acoustic versions of his hard rock singles. This got me thinking, which hard rocking song would I most like to hear performed acoustic but never have? For me, the answer is “Lucky Town.”

Of course, Bruce being a prolific experimenter and the Internet being a never-ending cache of live performance footage, I was able to find this pretty quickly. Bruce performed “Lucky Town” a few times during the Devils & Dust tour in 2005. Like so many of his acoustic versions, the lyrics take on a new sense of poignancy when delivered slower and unencumbered by a mass of instruments. In particular, I enjoyed hearing my favorite lyrics in this version: “I got dirt on my hands but I’m building me a new home.”



Are there any of Bruce’s classic rock songs that haven’t received the acoustic treatment yet? I’d be interested in hearing “Livin’ in the Future” acoustic but I feel that we get a good taste of that from the slower version he performed live during the Magic tour.



What is your favorite acoustic version of a Bruce classic? Which song hasn’t received the treatment yet but deserves it the most?

Song Spotlight - "The Promised Land", Live in Freehold

Taking a fast-paced song and slowing it down is an oft-used tactic by Springsteen - he's done it with his classics like "Born To Run", "Born In The USA", and "Thunder Road".  These versions spotlight the powerful lyrics in each song that can be lost in the original versions, which lend themselves more towards dancing or blasting out of your car stereo.  One would think that after doing this so many times, it would become predictable, but I get sucked in every single time.  "The Promised Land" from his night in Freehold is the most recent slower, acoustic version I've discovered, and it once again gives the song's lyrics a deeper emotional punch.  It is one trick I keep falling for over and over again.

Video Spotlight - Darkness on the Edge of Town

Astute readers may remember this video from OB's acoustic Springsteen article from last year, but I felt like this video deserves another go-around in the video spotlight.  As OB noted before, it is an extremely passionate rendition in a performance where Bruce comes off as exhausted (the voice cracks are an excellent touch).  But, the reason I wanted to go back to this video was, because it introduces us to the most unusual character of Springsteen lore: 90s Bruce.

We all already know that it wasn't his best time, but I do prefer the solo acoustic 90s Bruce than the fake E Street Band 90s Bruce.  However, let's take a moment to honor the horrific fashion choices of 90s Bruce.  In other videos from this time period, you'll see Bruce with a questionable goatee, overly-elaborate leather jackets, Brett-Favre-approved Wrangler jeans, and....earrings.  This video is too early into 90s Bruce to see any of that, we do get a glimpse of a burgeoning mullet and an oversized shirt that must have been purchased at The Gap.  Never really known for his fashion, I think we are all very glad he has gone back to basics with the simple black-on-black-on-black look for the last decade.

Bruce Goes Electric!

Last week I counted down my favorite songs that Bruce re-did acoustically.  This week I will be doing the exact opposite and counting down my favorite songs that Bruce did originally did acoustically but now plays a full electic version with the E Street Band.



5.  State Trooper-
This particular version is recorded with the Arcade Fire, for all you hipsters out there.  Originally on the Nebraska album, I first noticed this song on the season finale of the first season, of the HBO hit show "The Sopranos".  I like this song, don’t love it, but it’s definitely worth a listen The song doesn’t change much too much with the E Street Band, just adds a drum beat and an electric guitar with a pretty cool slide effect.  That isn’t the case with the other songs on the list.  I definitely prefer the original version, the single voice and acoustic guitar definitely give the song a more frantic feeling when it gets to the chorus of “Mr. State Trooper, please don’t stop me.”  That is definitely lost with the E Street version, and is probably why Bruce doesn’t play it all that often.



4.  Reason to Believe-
Oh hell yeah!  This blues-rock version rocks just kicks all kind of ass!  Seriously this song was the highlight of the night when I saw Bruce on March 7th, 2008  at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, NY.  From the awesome harmonica intro, the pounding drums, to the Doors-esque guitar work this song.  Another Nebraska song, Bruce played this pretty regularly in the 80’s(albeit in a much tamer version, see the Live 1975-1985 box set for an example) and on his solo tours.  This version of the song was played pretty regularly on the first leg of the Magic Tour, and then got inexplicably cut, and rarely played since.  That’s a shame, and something I would love to see changed on this tour.



3.  The Ghost of Tom Joad-
This song, minus Tom Morello’s incredibly masterful solo, is very similar to the original acoustic version heard on the album of the same name.  It’s almost as if Bruce took the song, turned it up to 11, and it has definitely works as Bruce has played this song with a decent amount of regularity on every tour since it’s release.  Named after the main character from John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes Of Wrath”,  the song’s lyrics tackle injustice in society.  The song was made popular when it was covered by the band Rage Against the Machine (Hence Morello appearing with band on that night, and on multiple other occasions).  I personally can’t stand the Rage version, but if it made more people seek out the original then I’m all for it.  As excellent as the original version is, I think I prefer the live version as Bruce sounds downright pissed off in it.  And the video I included, taken from the 25th anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden, just might be Bruce’s best performance of the song.



2.  Youngstown-
Now this is a song where I prefer the changed version as opposed to the original.  Bruce’s 3 folk albums (Nebraska, Ghost of Tom Joad, and Devils & Dust) all have a common theme of struggling working class, even more so than the other albums.  “Youngstown” is a song that fits in perfect of on Tom Joad, and does an excellent job of showing the struggles of what happens to factory towns when the factory goes under.  But instead of being a song of loss and lament, like on the album, the song turns into a song of bitterness and anger, when performed live with The E Street Band.  I love that Bruce still performs the song in this manner to this day.  And check out Nils Lofgren’s CRAZY solo at the end.  If that doesn’t get you fired up, something’s wrong



1.  Atlantic City-
As with most of the lists I do, #1 shouldn’t come as a shock.  There’s not much to say about it, just listen for yourself.  It’s one of Bruce’s best songs, no matter which version you listen to.  Even the completely different version he did with Seeger Sessions Band, is pretty great too.   The fact that Bruce plays this song so regularly to this day, in any version, is a testament to what a great song it is.  There‘s one story that exemplifies what an incredible song “Atlantic City” is and what emotions it can bring out in you.  One time when fellow-blogger Rory and were driving down to Atlantic City, NJ we were listening to Bruce the whole way down.  When we hit that last mile of the Atlantic City Expressway, we played the E Street version of  “Atlantic City“.  We couldn’t help but get excited especially when we heard the song kick in with the full band, with the smell of the ocean air, and the bright lights of the casinos.  We were high-fiving each other and singing along in anticipation of a great night in AC.  The next day, on the drive home, we played the depressing original acoustic version to commiserate with our hungover, poorer selves as opposed to the night before.  Now that’s a powerful song.

Bruce Going Acoustic!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love E Street Radio on SiriusXM?  One of the infinite reasons I do is because of their daily Bruce concerts.  One way Bruce has always been able to stay fresh is by constantly staying fresh and reinventing himself.  You can really see the evolution of Bruce as a performer when you listen to him.  And I really love when E Street Radio play shows from the Devils & Dust tour, as well as The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour, which opened my ears to so many acoustic versions of Springsteen songs that I’ve come to know and love.  This week I will be taking a look at my favorite songs that Bruce has redone acoustically. either by guitar or piano.  My only rule to make this list is that the songs must be Springsteen originals, no covers.  So without any further delay, my top 5:

Honorable mention goes to: Promised Land and Spirit In The Night .  They’re good but just missed the cut.  Definitely give them a chance though when you get a chance!



5.  Adam Raised A Cain-
I’m not really a fan of the original version.  I don’t hate it, but I usually skip it when it comes on my iPod.  But this version though is a lot more gritty, down and dirty.  I can totally get into it.  Bruce performed this on both The Ghost of Tom Joad and Devils & Dust tours.  Unfortunately that’s been the limit, and Bruce performs the regular electric version with The E Street Band today.  I wish he would switch it up and play this version instead.



4.  Born to Run -
Bruce performed this version pretty regularly on the Tunnel of Love tour, but I don‘t believe on either of the acoustic tours.  I absolutely prefer the full electric version, but there’s something special about this version.  Instead of being the loud anthem of escape and rebellion that we have all known it to be, this slower version makes the character in the song sound much less optimistic about the opportunities.  He still wants to get out and be on his own, but he’s not so sure it will be all that much better then his current situation.



3.  Darkness on the Edge of Town-
How do you take one of Bruce’s most powerful and passionate songs and make it even more so?   Strip away everything else, and leave Bruce alone with just a guitar.  Again, it’s not as good as the original but it’s just something different and  takes the song to a different place.  The climax of this song (“Cause tonight, I’ll be on that hill…”) just comes of so full of energy that I absolutely love.  Bruce played it regularly on both acoustic tours, and has occasionally busted it out at other performances.  “Darkness” is one of my favorite Bruce songs and I would love to hear any version of it when I see Bruce in concert.



2.  Be True-
I heard this song while listening to this concert was on E Street Radio and was floored.  I always thought “Be True” was a good song, but nothing great.  But this version was just beautiful.  I was so happy to see that YouTube had this as well.  To my knowledge, this is the only time Bruce performed “Be True” on a piano.  A few years ago, this song would have been heard only by those lucky enough to be at this concert and maybe a few others who were able to make copies of this recording.  Then it would have been lost forever.  Now through the magic of the internet anyone can listen to it anytime they want.  Thanks YouTube.



1.  Incident on 57th Street-
Are you surprised?  Well you shouldn’t be.  I’ve stated in previous posts that this is my favorite Springsteen song and this stripped down piano version was played a few times on The Rising tour, and only then, as far as I know.  The song seems so much more romantic and passionate played on the piano that I think I might prefer it to the original version.  But that can change at the drop of a hat.  You can’t go wrong with either one.

Well that’s it for this week  Join me next week when I will be counting down my favorite acoustic songs that Bruce has performed with the E Street Band!  Also, if you know of any great acoustic versions of Bruce songs please let us know!