Bruce Springsteen covers the Eagles' "Take It Easy"

Continuing what has been an already sad year for music fans, Glenn Frey died this past Monday.  The next night, Bruce honored the Eagles singer-songwriter with a slowed-down, acoustic version of their free-wheeling hit "Take It Easy".  While it is fascinating as a Bruce fan to see his take on these classic songs (he did Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" during the first show), hopefully we'll be able to see Springsteen do a cover for a less somber occasion.

Bruce Springsteen covers David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel"

The highly anticipated River Tour started last night in Pittsburgh, and, of course, Bruce gave his fans a special surprise.  At the start of the encore, Bruce came out with a short story about meeting David Bowie, and kicked off his rendition of "Rebel Rebel".  Bruce had a lot of fun with live covers during the High Hopes tour, so here's hoping this tour continues the trend.  You can check out the entire killer setlist here.

Cover Spotlight - "Anytime At All" by the Weeklings, featuring Max Weinberg

Usually, around this time of year, Christmas music starts to subliminally weaves it way back into the public consciousness via car commercials, speaker systems at Starbucks, and the like.  However, while Springsteen has a couple of famous Christmas song performances in his catalog, we at Legends of Springsteen have already covered them extensively in our past.  Rather than rehash the same old tunes again, I'd encourage you to go back and check out our archives:

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Merry Christmas Baby

All Alone On Christmas

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

But, what video are you going to watch today?  Why, a cover of the Beatles' "Anytime At All" by the Weeklings, featuring E Street's own Max Weinberg on drums.  Why this song?  Well, this is from a concert in July, and the performance has a perfect "summer" feel to me.  In the midst of all this winter music, it's good to take a break from all the ho ho hos and holly jolliness.  Did this video help you feel a bit warmer?  No?  Well, I tried.

Thanks for your continued readership!

(And, if you are still in the holiday spirit, check out the Springsteen Holiday Gift Guide we posted last week!)

Cover Spotlight - "I Want You"

Today, let's spotlight this wonderful, high-quality recording from 40 years ago.  It's one of the most unique Springsteen covers I've heard, as he takes Dylan's "I Want You" and completely re-arranges it.  Owing a lot of its flavor to Springsteen's own "For You", this version's marked by a haunting violin and various tempo changes, giving it an ethereal feel.  It is a new front-runner for one of my favorite songs covered by Springsteen.

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.

Album Review - Dead Man’s Town: A Tribute to Born in the U.S.A.

In connection with the 30th anniversary of Born in the U.S.A., independent record label Lightning Rod Records created Dead Man’s Town: A Tribute to Born in the U.S.A. The album – in which 12 bands cover one of the 12 tracks from Born in the U.S.A. – is a somber, minimalist interpretation designed to cut to the emotional core of the songs, stripping away all pop affectations.

The artists featured include Jason Isbell & Amanda Shire, Low, Trampled by Turtles, and Justin Townes Earle. Each artist puts their own spin on their respective track. Some sound like you’d expect a slower cover to sound, and some sound very different. For example, Holly Williams’ version of “No Surrender” won’t sound that striking to anyone who has heard one of Bruce’s acoustic renditions, but Apache Relay’s eerie take on “Cover Me” feels very foreign indeed (and somewhat reminiscent of an Arcade Fire song). I also really liked Joe Pug’s musical arrangement on “Downbound Train” and it’s always fun for me to hear personal favorite “I’m Goin’ Down” in any variation.

I’m always curious to hear covers of Springsteen songs because they can reveal new sides of the lyrics, reframe the story, reposition the tone, and frankly, they’re just often easier to understand than the originals. As such, I leapt at the chance to listen to Dead Man's Town, especially on the heels of spending so much time with Born in the U.S.A. this summer. I wasn’t familiar with any of the bands featured on the album before listening, and I can’t say I’ll be seeking out any of them further, but they all mesh together very nicely here. It doesn’t feel jarring at all to switch between artists at every track.

The record company has done a nice job creating a cohesive album here – one that’s perfectly suited to accompany moments of contemplative soul searching while staring out a rainy window. I can’t say you'll find any of these tracks on a best Springsteen covers list, but the album certainly captures an overall mood and feel very effectively.

Johnny Cash - "Further On (Up The Road)"

With the 12th anniversary of The Rising fresh in our minds, today we spotlight Johnny Cash's cover of "Further On (Up The Road)".  This is not the Man in Black's first Bruce cover, as we've thoroughly discussed his other covers in the past.  It is probably one of the more unexpected covers I've come across since the Pet Shop Boys' "Last To Die".  I was a fan of his previous Springsteen covers, and this one is no exception.  While I could do without the piano embellishments, the cover is stark and moody, and would sound perfect playing over the end credits of a "Breaking Bad" episode or any other Western drama.

Bruce Covers Lorde's "Royals"

Another day, another out-of-nowhere cover from Springsteen.  He's already covered metal, 80s pop, and disco, so why not move on to indie hits?  Going from Australia to New Zealand, he opens the show with a cover of the latest (only?) New Zealand pop star, Lorde, and the result is fantastic.  I do hope the "covering bands from the region he's playing" trend continues, just to see what song he picks when he finally arrives in New Jersey.

Bruce Covers.... THE BEE GEES!?!?!

Yep, you read that right.  In keeping up with his streak of "Holy crap, I can't believe Bruce covered that song!" covers,  Bruce paid tribute the other night to another legendary Aussie group, The Bee Gees. For the third week in a row, I'm posting about Bruce pulling a cover song totally out of left field.

At first when I saw this clip, I wasn't too impressed, but after giving it a little more time, I'm kinda getting into it.  The slow beginning, then the whole band kicks in, and, even if it's not one of the best Bruce covers I've ever heard, I'm sure this was an absolute blast to hear live.  I really loved the fact that no one knew what song it was by the intro but as soon as Bruce says "Well you can tell..." the entire crowd started getting into "Staying Alive".

Even though I despise disco, I have to admit this song is very dear to me.  In addition to being covered by Bruce, it was covered by another one of my favorite artists Ozzy Osbourne, was parodied in my favorite TV show "The Simpsons", and wasused in a great scene in one of the all-time funniest comedies, "Airplane!"  Truly, this song is the greatest contribution man has made to the arts.

Bruce Covers INXS!

So earlier this week Bruce continued his streak of awesome covers in Australia.  I'm not nearly as big as an INXS fan as I am of AC/DC, but "Don't Change" is hands down my favorite INXS song, so again I'm very happy about this.

I've got to think this is Tom Morello's influence in the band, and if he keeps up with this then I take back every bad thing I've said about him.  Seeing Bruce tackle new material is always a plus, especially with such great songs!  I am loving seeing Bruce expand out of his comfort zone of his usual cover songs.

Not much else to say about this, so enjoy the video and I can't wait to see what Bruce and the band cover next!

Bruce covers AC/DC in Australia!

Ok so maybe it is not one of the metal songs I wished Bruce had covered, but it's close enough. 

As a massive AC/DC fan, I can't even begin to say how much I love this. First and foremost, it's Bruce playing a song he has never played live before. Secondly, not only is he covering one of my all-time favorite groups, but Bruce is branching out and trying something new. Third, it's just awesome. Seriously,  covering AC/DC in Australia might sound cheesey, and if another artist did it, it might come off that way.  But this is just pure kick ass rock and roll. Here's to hoping this is just the first of many surprises on this tour. 

Entire Bruce Springsteen setlist: February 8th, 2014. Perth, Australia.

Johnny Cash's "Johnny 99" and "Highway Patrolman"

Last month, I spotlighted Johnny Cash's cover of "I'm On Fire", and emphasized how it encouraged me to check out more music from the Man In Black.  Little do I know that it was not Cash's first foray into Springsteen music.  In 1983, Cash released an album called Johnny 99, including covers of both the title track and "Highway Patrolman".  Johnny takes Bruce's stark, bleak tunes and gives them a country flair.



While the Nebraska album was divisive among Springsteen fans at the time, but its influence on other musicians is clear, as it has been cited as an influence for musicians ranging from Steve Earle to Kelly Clarkson.  There are various covers of nearly every song from Nebraska - too many to list in this post.  So, let us know in the comments: do you have a favorite Nebraska cover?

Johnny Cash - "I'm On Fire"

For this Friday, I am spotlighting Johnny Cash's cover of "I'm On Fire".  Referenced in an earlier post, it is a song that is covered frequently.  However, too often artists don't quite own it, and it clearly sounds like they are not singing one of their songs.  Here, in this simple version, the Man in Black makes it his own, with his trademark walking bass line and low, emotional voice.  On a personal note, it is this song that inspired me to listen to more of Johnny Cash's music, showing the importance of cover songs that cross genres.

Pet Shop Boys - "The Last To Die"

Last month, I was needlessly whiny about the lack of diversity in Springsteen covers, opining for musicians to look deeper into the Boss's song catalog for inspiration.  Well, there I was, listening to the latest Pet Shop Boys album (which is the wonderful Electric), and I came across a song titled "The Last To Die".  I surely thought that the similarities between this song and Bruce's song would end at just the title; I mean, "Last To Die" isn't nearly as iconic as "I'm On Fire" or "Born To Run".  But, lo and behold, after an 80s synth opening that exemplifies the Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant begins to sing "We took the highway 'til the road went black..."  Gadzooks!  The song ends up playing out similar to a New Order song, with heavy-bass drops and catchy beats that will have you dancing along to melancholy story.  Going back to my point last month, it is interesting to see that an older band is the one more comfortable with taking on Springsteen's newer songs, while the younger bands usually stick to Springsteen's classics.  It's their experience in the industry that allows them to be more comfortable taking risks, and produces a fun interpretation of a nearly forgotten song.

Video Spotlight: Twin Shadow Covers "I'm On Fire"

It seems like every month, there's a new cover of a Springsteen song by one of the younger, hipper musicians on the scene.  This month, Twin Shadow makes his contribution with an even slower, more ethereal version of "I'm On Fire".  While it is a solid cover, I just wish that these newer acts would choose some different Springsteen songs.  It seems like every indie band now has a Springsteen song ready to burst out, which is a good thing.  Unfortunately, that Springsteen song is almost inevitably either "I'm On Fire", "I'm Goin' Down", or "Atlantic City".  Somehow, these three became the holy triumvirate of Springsteen songs to cover.  Come on fellas, let's take some chances - when everyone else zigs, you got to zag!  This is why I loved the Hanging Out On E Street series, because we were treated to Springsteen songs that are rarely covered, such as "You're Own Worst Enemy" and "Factory".  Personally, I think "All I'm Thinking About Is You" is ripe for an artist to re-interpret and make it their own.  Anyway, Twin Shadow's cover is fine, but at this point, there are plenty of "I'm On Fire"s that this one does not particularly stand out.  My favorite "I'm On Fire" cover is by Johnny Cash, but that may be the subject of a future post.

Springsteen performing "Blowin' In The Wind"

I've noticed that we've been a little off-center here at Legends of Springsteen.  In the past month, we've spotlighted various movies, reviewed books, highlighted multiple comedy acts based around Springsteen, and even have discussed children's television.  So, today, let's go back to basics with a classic Bruce performance.

While, in the past we've spotlighted Dylan covering Springsteen, here we have Bruce taking on the Bob Dylan classic "Blowin' In The Wind" (which I unfortunately could not find video for).  Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind" has been covered by hundreds of artists that it is a cliché at this point.  However, given the powerful message of the song, you knew the Boss had to have a version of it out there somewhere.  His performance is solid but offers no surprises - it is textbook Springsteen through-and-through: the "hows" are growled out, his voice getting sadder and angrier with each chorus, and culminating in an audience sing-along.  Even without the video, you can see him shutting his eyes and shaking his head during the guitar bridges between the verses.  Again, it is difficult cover to judge given the history of the song (and the history of Bruce's great cover songs), but it is definitely worth a couple listens for any Springsteen or Dylan fan.

Video Spotlight: Florence and the Machine Covers "I'm Goin' Down"

Back in April, Blogness on the Edge of Town ran a great series of posts featuring their favorite covers of Springsteen songs. While they highlighted a lot of great songs, I really like this one cover of "I'm Goin' Down" by Florence and the Machine - and not just because "I'm Goin' Down" is one of my favorite songs.

I really like this version because it sounds to me like the kind of song you might hear in a quirky romantic comedy during a montage at the end of the second act right after the two lovers have had their first major fight. I like to listen to this version and stare wistfully into the distance, as if I'm contemplating some difficult life decision.

Video Spotlight: "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (Tom Morello, Anne Preven, Boston Pops)

Tom Morello is no stranger to E Street fans.  He even filled in for Stevie Van Zandt during Bruce’s most recent Australian tour.  Anne Preven on the other hand is not terribly well known.  I only know one song by her, “Torn”, and I only came to know that song because it was covered and became a massive hit for Natalie Imbruliga in the late 90’s.  However, while I was never a fan of Imbruliga’s cover, the first time I heard Anne Preven doing the original song,  acoustically on The Howard Stern Show, I became a HUGE fan of the song.  Seriously give it a listen and you will thank me.

It was actually while looking for that performance of “Torn” that I stumbled across this video on YouTube.  While not professionally filmed, the quality is still good and it’s just such an interesting combination.  A rock guitar icon, an angry feminist songwriter, and the Boston Pops covering a Springsteen song.  And it works!  Notice that they stayed close to the original Springsteen arrangement of the song and did not go with Morello’s cover version that he did with Rage Against The Machine.  Smart call there, as I hate the Rage version of this song.

They all sound great here.  Preven's voice is great, Morello's guitar playing is amazing as always, and the Boston Pops adds a certain haunting element to the song that really fits in and seems natural.  It's one of the best performances of this song that I've heard.

Video Spotlight - Diarrhea Planet covering "Born To Run"

Here, the appetizingly named Diarrhea Planet and Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus perform a punked-out cover of "Born To Run", which may offend some hardcore fans but I thoroughly enjoyed.  While on the surface Bruce and punk music seem like strange bedfellows, the two have been intertwined for decades, going back to Bruce penning "Because the Night" for Patti Smith and originally writing "Hungry Heart" for the Ramones (one of my favorite factoids that I hope to one day use at a trivia night in a bar).  Bruce still affects the world of punk rock today, as many young punk bands (such as those in the video, as well as the Gaslight Anthem and Against Me!) cite Bruce as a huge influence on their music.  What is the cause of this relationship?  It is tough to tell, but I believe that Bruce's music, especially early in his career, was about a certain sense of alienation in a tough world, and a fight to find freedom.  Like the Sex Pistols or The Clash, he was singing for the outcasts in society, but with an American point-of-view.  While musically different (I haven't found many punk songs with saxophone solos), lyrically his songs speak to the same audience that would listen to punk rock, influencing future generations of musicians.