Cover Spotlight - "Dancing in the Dark" by Hot Chip

As with Nathaniel Rateliff, here we have another one of my personal favorite musicians covering one of my all-time favorite musicians.  I'm not sure whether that means Springsteen is highly influential across multiple genres and generations, or that I don't have a very diverse musical taste.  Either way, enjoy a version of "Dancing in the Dark" that sounds even more 80s than the original 80s version (and stick around towards the end for a surprise song change).

The 30 Day Song Challenge, Day 9

Day number 9 brings us an interesting question: what Bruce song can you dance to?  Well, there are plenty, but I'll tackle it as: what song can you dance to WELL?  Sure, you can hit the dance floor during many Bruce songs, but most of the time you'll look like a drunk wearing his shoes on the wrong feet.  So, how can you look impressive with Springsteen blaring through the speakers?  Bruce, fortunately, provided an easy answer:

Sure, it's corny, but it's a set of moves.  Everyone knows the "Dancing in the Dark" dance, and there's not much of a gap between the best "Dancing in the Dark" dancer in the world and the worst "Dancing in the Dark" dancer in the world.  Given the overwhelming Caucasian-ness of Springsteen fandom, this song is a welcome relief to those without rhythm and/or flow.

What are your favorite Springsteen songs to dance to?  Or, what are your go-to dance moves when Springsteen is on?

Counting On A Package Deal, Part 7 - Dancing In The Dark Single

After over a year away, the Counting On A Package Deal series has returned.  For those not in the know, this is a series of posts that I went through in 2015, where I dissected the packaging of Springsteen's discography.  While seemingly discontinued after my Born In The U.S.A. post, I was fortunate enough to receive the following gift:

Yes, that leaping lothario is the Boss, posing for his "Dancing In The Dark" single cover.  This particular record is an unusual 12" single, featuring a dance club "Blaster Mix" version of the song.  But, I'm not here to break down the music, I'm just judging the aesthetics of the package.  This cover is easily Springsteen's most active.  Most albums just show his face, and on the rare moments of below-neck Springsteen shots, he's just leaning on cars (Tunnel of Love), walls (back of Wild, Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle), or bandmates (Born To Run).  Here, Springsteen is getting some serious air.  And the moves don't just stop on the front cover.

On the back, Springsteen gets right up on his tip-toes.  Perhaps a challenge to the King of Pop himself, who was also huge in the mid-80s?  He also tops off the move with a straightening of the jacket.  Nice work, Bruce.

Finally, the record itself varies in no way, shape, or form from all of Springsteen's other Columbia records.  I wore out this schtick in the previous six entries.

So, that'll do it for this installment of Counting On A Package Deal.  Hopefully, I can receive more random gifts like this one!

Want to start your own record collection?  Buy it on Amazon!

Past installments: 
Greetings from Asbury Park
The Wild The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle
Born To Run
Darkness on the Edge of Town
The River
Born In The U.S.A.

Prince Talks Bruce Springsteen

In this short clip, the late great Prince talks about how Springsteen inspired him as a band leader, talking about how he rehearsed and trained his band to improvise while in concert.  It also should be noted that Springsteen has often talked about Prince, too, telling the story of how "When Doves Cry" kept "Dancing In The Dark" out of the top spot on the chart, denying Bruce his only chance at a number one song.  It is not a bitter story, and you can tell that both musicians respected and inspired each other.  I would not be surprised if Bruce had a tribute to Prince in his live show tonight.

I am not personally a huge Prince fan (not that I dislike his stuff, I just never really listened to his songs outside of the major hits), but he was an amazing performer.  While 2016 seems to be sparing no celebrity, this was a bit more shocking, as he did not appear old or slowing down in anyway.  My condolences go out to his family and his fans.

Song Spotlight - "Dancing In The Dark"

Key Live Performance



While there was certainly no shortage of live performances to choose from, it's been a staple of every live show since 1984, I was strongly tempted to just pick the music video.  It's not only Bruce's most iconic music video, it's one of the most iconic music videos ever.  But in the end I decided to pick a live performance because really no other shows how fun a Bruce concert can be.  All the house lights come up, and the crowd dances while singing along with every word.

Key Lyrics

"They say ya gotta stay hungry.  Hey baby, I'm just about starving tonight!"

When I wrote about John Legend's cover of this song, I pointed out how changing it from a synthesized pop song to a piano ballad put the attention on the lyrics.  And the lyrics to this song, aren't as happy as the music would have you believe.  They speak of a sad, and desperate man.  That said, no matter what version of the song is played, the lyrics are the strongest part of the song.

Overall

Much like the other six singles from this album, "Dancing In The Dark", is a staple of 80's pop and rock music.  It's Bruce's biggest single, and probably his most recognizable song.  Instinct says to go with "Born To Run" or "Born In The USA", but that music video might just nudge this song ahead.  His dance with Courtney Cox is what turned Bruce Springsteen from rock star into cross-over, pop culture icon.  Thank God he went with that version of the song instead of the original version of the video.

The Promise of Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Look Back at Born in the U.S.A.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Born in the U.S.A., Legends of Springsteen will be looking back at this landmark album, dissecting it track by track all month. But first, a few thoughts on the album as a whole.

Marc Dolan’s 2011 Bruce Springsteen biography boasts the fantastic title “Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. I must confess that I haven’t actually read the book, but I’ve admired the title ever since I heard it. To me, the album Born in the U.S.A. exemplifies what the promise of rock ‘n’ roll truly means: the power to connect billions of people through music, and in doing so, create something that can question society, inspire with words of hope, and rock out like no one is watching.

Critics would likely point to Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town as the superior albums artistically, but Born in the U.S.A. operates in the upper echelon of commercial success, unrivaled by any of Springsteen’s other work. The album’s popularity (it’s one of the biggest albums in the entire history of music) makes it hard not to consider this his most important work. After all, this is the album that cemented his legacy as a music icon, ensured that his past albums would be revisited and paved the way for 30 years of more music. It also gave eternal fodder to the smaller group of naysayers who might dismiss his songs as “roller rink music.”

Listening to the album 30 years later, even a diehard Springsteen fan can see both sides of the coin: why it was popular, and why it might come to be derided. As someone who favors the former side, the one complaint that I would concede to is that the music and lyrics don’t always mesh together. On most occasions, the music is far more upbeat and buoyant than the gritty, sobering lyrics. I think it’s fair to cite a tonal dissonance on tracks like “Born in the U.S.A.”, “Dancing in the Dark” and, perhaps most flagrantly, “I’m Goin’ Down”. Is this representative of an artist who can’t fully calculate his feelings? Or an artist who isn’t talented enough to reconcile both sides of the song writing process?

On the other hand, doesn’t this album represent the pinnacle of what pop music can achieve? A blend of art and commerce. Yes, the songs disguise jagged commentary in top 40 friendly sounds. But isn’t that a good thing? Infiltrating the populous to tell stories about the spoils of war or the folly of lingering on one’s youth, isn’t that the definition of pop music in its most excellent form? Born in the U.S.A. is equal parts confectionary and commentary. Like The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and Kanye West’s Yeezus, Born in the U.S.A. feels equally at home at the top of the charts as it does in a scholarly journal.

The fact that Born in the U.S.A. is perceived as Springsteen’s most pop-friendly album is an amazing feat in itself when you consider the dense, lyric-heavy songs like “Working on the Highway” and “Darlington County”, the sobering recollections of “My Hometown” or – famously – the political outrage of “Born in the U.S.A.”

Despite Bruce’s best efforts to make sure the album’s titular song didn’t define him, “Born in the U.S.A.” still packs a wallop. Listening to the song afresh in the context of the album, from the second you hear the fury of Max Weinberg’s drums, you realize that time hasn’t dulled its immediacy and that this banner track retains its indelible, raw power.

Bruce has seemed more comfortable extending the popularity of “Dancing in the Dark” by turning it into an encore staple, but it’s received its fair amount of derision as well. Often the song is dismissed as too poppy, but for my money it has some of the best lyrics Springsteen has ever written, delivered in a vehicle for mass consumption.

The fact that the songs on this album have been so misunderstood and misappropriated seems at least partly by design when you contrast the album version of “Born in the U.S.A.” with the Nebraska version eventually released on Tracks. You can’t blame the American public for missing the mark on some of these tracks. I concede that it took me years – if not decades – to fully grasp some of these tracks. Like all good art, there’s room for misinterpretation here. But the album is not just an effort in theoretical inquiry. It’s also a hard rocking album ripe for blasting at full volume. Born in the U.S.A. may have been made for mass consumption, but it wasn’t made for the lowest common denominator.

Best Bruce Springsteen Songs for New Parents

Last month my wife and I were blessed with the gift of a baby boy. It's an unbelievable experience and we couldn’t be happier. But it’s also a lot of work! As much as you read or observe beforehand, nothing prepares you for the 24/7 commitment of raising a newborn. So, like everything in life, a good Bruce Springsteen playlist can get you through the scary parts, amplify the happy parts and preserve your sanity when you're at your wits' end.

This is a happy playlist to celebrate the joys of bringing a baby into the world, so I've left off downers like “The River” for obvious reasons. The songs included in the playlist are not necessarily songs written about babies or the parenting process, but they are songs that can take on a new connotation when you become a parent. Some of these songs are good for singing to your baby, some are good for singing to yourself when you don’t know what else to do…

“Dancing in the Dark” – Born in the U.S.A.

In the early months, you'll find yourself working through many a sleepless night. And while you're trying everything you can to sooth your crying baby, you'll often find yourself dancing in the dark beside the baby's crib. It doesn't always work but sometimes it's just what a baby needs to get to sleep. You have to be persistent though. After all, you can't start a fire without a spark.



“Working on a Dream” – Working on a Dream

“The nights are long, the days are lonely.” These lyrics give you an idea of what caring for a newborn can feel like, especially if you aren't blessed with an extended support network of family and friends. My wife and I are very fortunate in this regard, but we can still find ourselves counting down the seconds from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and then sitting around bleary-eyed staring at the ceiling during the daytime while the baby finally sleeps and the bright sunlight streams through the curtains. But in these moments, you have to remember that raising a baby is like working on a dream.



“Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)” – The Rising

Medical practitioners will tell you the great benefits of going skin to skin with your baby. This means putting the baby's bare body (with diaper on of course) on your bare chest for periods of time. This helps regulate baby’s breathing, provides comfort and gives parents an additional connection point, especially for fathers. And it's even more fun if you sing the song to your baby while you prepare. The song's repeated lyric "Don't know when this chance might come again, good things got a way of coming to an end" is also a good reminder of the fleeting process of caring for a newborn. Babies grow up in the blink of an eye and you have to take advantage of it while you can.



“When You Need Me” – Tracks

“When you need me, call my name.” It will be a while before your baby can call your name, but you’ll feel this way immediately. And with good reason since a baby is 100% dependent on you. But one day your baby will grow up and won't be as dependent on you, but you’ll still feel this way.



“Man's Job” – Human Touch

The song is clearly about lust and love between adults, but you can appropriate some of these lyrics for caring for a newborn: “Loving you is a man's job.” Everything inside you tells you that you should automatically love your child, and hopefully you will. But that doesn't mean it's easy. Fatherhood is hard. It’s not for boys, you need to be a man to do the job right.



“Restless Nights” – Tracks

“My baby, she has restless nights.” This one speaks for itself.



“Take ‘Em as They Come” – Tracks

Each day is different, and try as you might to create a schedule or routine, there's no rhyme or reason to what works and what doesn't. You just have to take each day as it comes, and learn to appreciate the sleepless nights as much as the restful ones. The song itself is very dark, but Bruce’s singing is so hard to understand that you can just focus on the chorus and sing along emphatically for reassurance when you’re dealing with an open-air diaper incident or pacing around at 3:00 in the morning.



“The Wish” – Tracks & “Walk Like a Man” – Tunnel of Love

These songs are the more forward-looking entries in the playlist. While it's hard to imagine in your current state, one day your baby will be all grown up, and you can only hope you earn the respect and love expressed for a mother and father in this pair of songs.





In addition to listening to the above songs, I also strongly recommend picking up a copy of the Sleepytime Players Lullaby Tribute to Bruce Springsteen so that you can rock your baby to sleep with a combination of Springsteen melody, dulcet lullaby tones and your own off-key singing.

Why I Don't Sing Springsteen Songs At Karaoke Bars

A couple months ago, Steve spotlighted a Springsteen-cinema moment in The Promised Land.  In the scene, John Krasinski fulfills the fantasy of many Springsteen fans: he leads the entire bar in a rousing sing-along to "Dancing In The Dark".  It's a dream all karaoke-ers have had: that, for one shining moment, you will be a rock star in front of a bunch of pleasant drunks.  Sure, you are reading the lyrics off a screen flashing images of scenic mountains, and the microphone can only be heard by those within 15 feet of you, but you are now a hero, creating a memorable moment those patrons will be telling their grandchildren.  Now, like the rest of you, I have had my highs and my lows throughout my karaoke career, but there is one thing I have learned:

Do.  Not.  Sing.  Springsteen.

This statement should raise some eyebrows.  "But Rory, you are a huge Springsteen fan!  Why wouldn't you want to channel your inner E Street (or, perhaps more accurately, your B Street)?  Wouldn't you be able to scoff at the lyrics on the screen, and sing the songs with all your heart?"  Excellent questions, good sir.  Believe me, I've tried forays into Springsteen karaoke, and have never succeeded.  I've had years to dissect these shortcomings, and I've put together my top five reasons why I do not karaoke to Springsteen:

5. Subject Matter: Even the happiest sounding Springsteen songs are often riddled with dark imagery.  On "Thunder Road", there are ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you've sent away; on "Born To Run", you end up singing about death traps and suicide raps.  While Springsteen's choruses can often get people singing along, many songs will contain a couple unexpected lyrics that will have your audience staring somberly into their pint glass, questioning the decisions they've made that have led them to the point in their lives where they are listening to some dope sing Springsteen.

4. He's Not Universally Loved: You might think "I'm Going Down" or "Badlands" will bring the house down, but you will probably end up with blank looks from several bar patrons.  Believe it or not, not everyone loves Springsteen, and even those ambivalent to the Boss might not know songs outside of "Born In The U.S.A.".

3. Long Songs: My rule of thumb is to try to pick karaoke songs under three minutes.  That way, a poor performance is over quickly, and a good performance leaves your audience wanting more.  This is why my usual karaoke go-tos are "Blister In The Sun", "Laid", and "Why Don't You Get A Job".  Unless you can air-saxophone like a champion, "Jungleland" is definitely out of the picture.  The only Springsteen staple that would fit that mold is "I'm On Fire", which is quite the downer.

2. Convoluted Lyrics: I call this the "Baby Got Back" syndrome.  You may think you know all the words, but after the first 30 seconds, it can turn into a giant mess.  I think they only list "Blinded By The Light" in karaoke songbooks to weed out the masochists.

1. YOU ARE NOT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: This cannot be emphasized enough.  There's only one Bruce Springsteen: his name is Bruce Springsteen, he looks like Bruce Springsteen, and, most importantly, he is Bruce Springsteen.  Singing one of his songs will not magically give you his on-stage charisma.  You attempts at mugging to the crowd and drunken power slides will be met by looks of confusion.  It's like watching Michael Jordan dunk: you can see how he dunks, and you understand the physical mechanics behind it, but it is nearly impossible to replicate.

That being said, should you venture into the world Springsteen karaoke, I would recommend sticking with "Dancing In The Dark" or "Glory Days": these are fairly positive songs, that are well known by most people, are not too long, and have fairly simple lyrics.  (Another pro-tip: in "Glory Days", instead of singing "Think I’m going down to the well tonight", try singing "Think I’m going down to [insert bar name] tonight"; it worked for OB!)  You still won't be Bruce Springsteen, but I won't hold that against you.

Bruce Performing At "Stand Up For Heroes", November 6th, 2013

Today, we're treating you to a longer video, so pull up a chair and relax for 20 minutes.  Earlier this month, Bruce performed with other musicians and comedians at Stand Up For Heroes, a charity event focused on raising money to support troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.  Here, Bruce performs a stripped down set, featuring an acoustic "Dancing In The Dark", Patti Scialfa assisting him on "If I Should Fall Behind", and "Dream Baby Dream", which seems to be getting heavy promotion recently.  However, rather than the touching, personal stories we are used to from Bruce, each song is introduced by a "dirty" joke.  And, boy, are they groaners - Bruce becomes the proverbial drunk uncle of the party, and you feel forced to laugh if only to not make the situation any more awkward.  At the end of the set, Bruce quips he should have been a stand up comedian.  After seeing this, it is safe to say he made the right choice.

However, in some sense, it is a wistful insight into Bruce's off-stage persona.  In Clarence Clemons' autobiography, he claims that he was the king of dirty jokes.  It is easy to imagine Clarence telling all these jokes to Bruce in a dilapidated bus going to their next gig, and Bruce cracking up like a madman.  So, if you factor in that unsubstantiated sentimental notion into the video, it could make it more enjoyable.  But, you should probably just stick to listening to the songs.

Great Moments in Springsteen Cinema History: Promised Land

Okay, so this isn’t a great moment but it’s a pretty good one. In the movie Promised Land, Matt Damon plays a natural gas representative who goes up against an anti-fracking environmentalist played by John Krasinski. The movie came and went with very little fanfare at the end of 2012 but it’s worth a viewing for its engaging performances and unexpected subject matter that doesn’t become as politically didactic as you might think – even if the plotting is a bit formulaic.

But we’re really here to talk about the Springsteen moment of course. Now, despite the film’s title, the song featured is not “The Promised Land.” Nor does the film feature Springsteen’s original music. Instead, it features Krasinski singing an (intentionally) off-key rendition of “Dancing in the Dark” at an open mic. The scene is classic Springsteen in nature. It begins with Krasinski alienating the crowd with his firm anti-natural gas beliefs before winning them over by singing Springsteen. His fellow bar patrons quickly join in and start singing with him on stage – the unifying nature of Springsteen incarnate.

In an interview with The Guardian, Damon expressed his appreciation for Springsteen and even said he feels that Promised Land is (coincidentally) a film version of Wrecking Ball. And he’s not off-base, there are strong thematic similarities to several of the songs on the album, particularly “Easy Money,” “Jack of all Trades,” and “Wrecking Ball.”

Guardian Excerpt:

Is Damon, I ask him in Berlin, a fan of Springsteen? It turns out to be a lucky guess, made only because his new film is called Promised Land – the name of a track from the 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town – and by the fact there is a memorable scene in the movie where Damon's co-star John Krasinski sings a karaoke version of the song "Dancing in the Dark".

"Uh-huh, huge," says Damon. "Springsteen's a god in my eyes." There then follows a few minutes where Damon picks his way excitedly through Springsteen's recent oeuvre: The Rising ("a masterpiece"), Magic ("such an intelligent takedown of the Bush administration"), and culminating with last year's Wrecking Ball, which reached number one in both the UK and the US. It is an intensely political record that shines a harsh light on the American dream, with music inspired by the Civil War and the Dust Bowl. "It doesn't feel like an act," Damon muses. "It doesn't feel like he's trying to pretend that he still has the common touch. I think he believes what he believes, and that's very real."

He continues: "I do view this movie, Promised Land, as the visual expression of his last album. It's actually eerily similar. I hadn't heard the album before we wrote the script, but John Krasinski and I went to hear him in Madison Square Garden at the first show that he did of Wrecking Ball and he played the album and I went: 'Fuck! That's the movie!' I went back to see him afterwards and he asked: 'What are you working on?' And I said: 'It's like the movie version of your new album.' And he goes: 'What the fuck does that mean?' And I said: 'I don't know, man! But you've got to see this thing when it comes out. I'm telling you, it's the movie version of your album.'"

Sadly, I couldn't find a clip of the open mic scene from Promised Land online so instead I'll include this video of John Krasinski and Jason Segal singing "I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends" at a karaoke bar in Michigan.

John Legend - "Dancing In The Dark"

There was a time when I was a huge Howard Stern fan, but due to the fact that he rarely does live shows anymore, and he's nearly 60 years old (he's gone from being a cutting edge and controversial to just a dirty old man), I've kind of soured on him.  However there are times when I'm reminded of his brilliance in his interviews.  Stern was famous for being able to get his guests to drop their guard and be able to get them to be themselves, thus creating some great radio.  And a late night search of classic Stern clips on YouTube led me to this great cover.

This is an example of that.  I'm not really a big John Legend, which is to say I'm not at all.  Not that I don't think he's talented, he's a phenomenal singer and great musician.  Just not my cup of tea.  I'm not sure if "Dancing in the Dark" is a regular in his setlist, but going by the context of the Stern interview, it sounds like more of a rarity.  It's a great cover, that really concentrates on the lyrics.  When you take away the synthesizers and 80's sound of the Bruce original, you're left with just the lyrics that speak of a desperate man.  And Legend isn't alone in covering this song this interpretation.  A quick search on YouTube, shows a number of great artists doing stripped down covers of this song.

Springsteen Remix - Girl Talk: "Steady Shock"

(Note: the Springsteen sample starts around the one minute mark)



For those who are completely unfamiliar with Girl Talk, that is the professional name of Gregg Gillis, a DJ specializing in creating dance music for people with ADD.  Mixing current hip-hop with classic rock staples, he creates unexpected and surprising music that will get anyone dancing.  If you don't like the current mash-up, just wait a minute, and it will change to something you love.

In this excerpt, Girl Talk mixes Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark" with N.E.R.D.'s Everyone Nose.  I'm sure it will rub some Springsteen fan's the wrong way, but I encourage you to keep an open mind.  It is interesting to hear a riff you've heard thousands of times in a completely new context - after a couple listens, you may find yourself singing "All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom" to that familiar tune.  Mixes like these benefit both artists, as fans of N.E.R.D. may check out Springsteen and vice versa.

Girl Talk makes all of his music available for free, as 1) he has no way of secure the copyrights from all of these artists to make the music legally and 2) he makes his money from touring.  You can download his work at Illegal Art - the album that this mix is from is his most recent work All Day.

Bob Dylan Covers "Dancing In The Dark"

I'd love to call this a "Video Spotlight", but unfortunately all we have is audio.  Taken from a concert in 1990, here Bob Dylan applies his folky drawl to Springsteen's poppiest tune.  While it has become a standard for nearly every musician to have a Dylan song cover in their repertoire, this is one of the rare times that Dylan turns the tables.  It is bizarre to say the least - and Dylan gives the tune his own unmistakable spin, adding a new verse towards the end (which is difficult to understand - and that's not a knock on the quality of the audio).  This is a great find, but the real drawback here is that, without the video, we will never know if Dylan danced with a fan at the end.

Hold Tight To Your Anger - Why People Hate Springsteen

Inspired by the discussion over at Reddit, it is time for us to take a short aside from our normal Springsteen lovefest and enter the dark world of the Springsteen haters.  When running into someone who doesn't like the Boss, the editors here at Legends of Springsteen react like Jerry Seinfeld's mother: "He's a wonderful, wondeful man!  How could anyone not like him?"  However, I feel it is important to understand why they dislike Springsteen, as it could help us understand our own fandom more.  I've assembled the five most common critiques I've heard of Springsteen, and ranked them by how important I personally see them in affecting someone's opinion of a musical artist.  That being said, let's start with a doozy:

5. His Politics: Many people may argue that this should be higher on the list, perhaps even number one.  From his ardent support of Obama and Kerry, to "41 Shots", to the "phoniness" of a millionaire making millions while singing about the poor and downtrodden, there's a lot there to angry up the blood of conservatives (just sit down for a beer or two with our contributor OB and you'll hear all about it).  However, I've ranked this fifth for a multitude of reasons.

First, the process of become a fan of a musician doesn't start usually with finding out their political identity.  You hear some songs, then you hear some albums, then you find out more about their life, then you create a fawning internet blog about them, etc.  There's many bands I listen to now where I couldn't name a single member of the group, let alone know their political leanings.  There are some outliers where you can know their politics before even listening to their music (i.e. Lady Gaga), but that is generally not the case.

Second, aside from a few tracks in Wrecking Ball, Bruce's political causes were positive, promoting empathy rather than assigning blame.  "Born In The U.S.A." and "41 Shots" were not calls to condemn those who sent our troops to Vietnam or the New York Police Department, but rather songs to shed a light and sympathize with the struggles of the returning veterans and the poor of the inner city.

Finally, whether you agree with his politics or not, I think you have to show him some respect for being honest with his opinions in today's heated political age.  Many celebrities choose not to make any bold statements, because, as Michael Jordan once said, "Republicans buy sneakers, too."  While I don't think anybody has an obligation to use their celebrity to promote a cause, I find it more respectable than dodging the issues and remaining a blank slate.

As someone who is fairly liberal, I am a fan of many artists and performers who lean to the right, such as Adam Carolla, Frank Miller, and Norm MacDonald.  I've been able to enjoy their work while not letting their specific opinion cloud my judgement (especially if the work has nothing to do with their politics).  I also think it is interesting to listen to someone with a different world view than mine - the world would be pretty boring looked as something the same way.  Just be sure your music is catchy, or I won't give you the time of day.

4. He's An Old White Guy: This applies more for those "kids today", but perhaps can be applied to multiple generations.  Bruce's act is all no-nonsense - he gets up there, and blasts out his music.  There aren't any props, no explosions, no wacky outfits, etc.  And, because of that, he seems "lame".

Mind you, this isn't to criticize other musicians who rely on an image - that's been a staple of pop music forever.  However, they own the "cool" factor today, just as Bruce and his leather jacket did in the 70s.

I assume those Bruce-haters that use this excuse are on the younger side, so there's still hope for them.  On a personal note, I'll share with you a dark secret that I"ve kept hidden in my past: in high school, I hated the Beatles.  It was just old, campy garbage to me.  Slowly, I started to like their later, more experiment stuff, but still didn't like their early pop songs until I was perhaps 19 or 20.  It will take everyone time to develop their true musical taste, where they aren't concerned with how liking a particular musician will make you seem to your peers.  Which segues nicely into reason number 3.....

3. Springsteen Fans: Imagine going to a Justin Bieber show, and being surrounded by thousands of screaming preteen girls.  Now, I have nothing against preteen girls, but it sounds like a scene I want no part of.  Now, instead of teenage girls, you are surrounded by middle-aged white dudes.  And then imagine that those middle-aged white dudes have the exact same amount of unbridled enthusiasm when Bruce comes on stage as those little girls have for Bieber.  While it might sound great for you, as a Springsteen fan, it may sound like a nightmare scenario for others.

It's a tough stereotype to battle.  Every time I go to a concert, I feel like I can count the number of black people with one hand - and those are mostly the ones in the band.  So, I don't disagree with the fact that middle-aged white guys have built Springsteen's mansion.  However, judging an artist by the people who enjoy them relates strongly to my previous point, and is a fairly immature attitude to have.  If you enjoy a certain type of music, who cares who else does?  It is also a self-fulfilling prophecy: you aren't enjoying Springsteen because you don't see people like you enjoying Springsteen.

2. His Pop Songs: When I think of musicians I don't really care for, it is only because of the limited amount of songs I've heard.  I'm not going to scour through all their albums and judge their entire body of work.  And, frankly, who has time for that?

In regards to Springsteen haters, it is probably because they have only heard a few of Springsteen's biggest hit songs.  "Glory Days" and "Dancing In The Dark" aren't in the top 60 of Springsteen songs as chosen by the fans, yet they are probably two of Springsteen's most widely known songs in the general populace.  It is not unreasonable to assume that these type of songs turned someone off from the Boss.  If you hate Springsteen based on limited knowledge, I'd implore you to explore this blog: I guarantee you will find something you like.

1. His Voice: Well, we've come to the part of the post that I really can't defend.  The previous four excuses I've chalked up to immaturity, lack of knowledge, and general uptightness.  But Bruce's voice clearly has people who will hate it no matter what.  As one comedian said, "Springsteen has the voice that everyone uses when they call in sick for work."  It's a funny line, and absolutely right.  This is just a matter of taste, and if someone has gotten past his politics, his fans, and his pop songs, and STILL hates Springsteen, you just have to shrug your shoulders and move on.  Not everyone has to love Springsteen; it is their loss, not ours.  To quote Wayne's World: "Led Zeppelin didn't write tunes everybody liked. They left that to the Bee Gees."

Book Review - Glory Days by Dave Marsh

Dave Marsh's two Bruce Springsteen biographies – Born to Run and Glory Days – are widely considered the definitive books about The Boss. With unparalleled access to Bruce and his camp, it would be hard for them not to be. If anything, Marsh has been criticized for hero worship. But you won't find any such criticisms on a blog called Legends of Springsteen. Hero worship or not, Marsh’s detailed, engaging and affectionate writing deserves credit on its own merit.

Glory Days picks up where Born to Run leaves off and covers Bruce's career from The River through the release of Live: 1975-1985. One of the highlights here is a finely detailed account of Springsteen creating the Nebraska album. The picture of Bruce alone in his New Jersey home writing and recording the solo album may seem like familiar territory in Bruce folklore. However, the level of insight to the album's production and the marketing approach offers an engrossing account of the album’s unorthodox production.

Another section I found particularly enlightening was the post-Born in the U.S.A. success. Marsh gives a grand account that represents the sheer enormity of the album's popularity. I was intrigued to learn about the radio / dance remixes of "Born in the U.S.A." and "Dancing in the Dark" by Arthur Baker. I didn't even know these versions existed before. It's interesting to listen to them now - although both are unremarkable apart from their novelty.



The book concludes with a great promotional effort for the Live: 1975-85 album. I had never given the album much thought before, figuring that I have so many live songs already but after reading about the considerable work that Bruce and record producer Jon Landau put into the track selection and order, I'm very eager to pick up a copy. Marsh includes a quote from Landau about the project that we should all envy: "It was an enormous amount of work and it was easy as hell."

Glory Days is full of beguiling anecdotes that will have Bruce fans enraptured for page upon page. My personal favorite involves Bruce going to see a movie by himself in Denver and ending up meeting a teenage fan who invites him back to his house for dinner with his parents. It's tempting to suspect such stories to be apocryphal but it's much more fun to believe that Bruce really is that down to earth.

Returning to the hero worship claim, there isn't much critical here beyond a harsh ribbing of "Downbound Train". Throughout the book, you kind of keep waiting for some sort of failure to creep in but it's really all about success. I would be fascinated to read Marsh's take on 1987 through 1996 in contrast. In 2003 Marsh released Two Hearts, the Story which combined abridged versions of Born to Run and Glory Days and included a new addendum on The Rising. I haven’t had the opportunity to read it myself but from what I understand it doesn’t delve into the less revered period of Bruce’s career.

I picked up my second hand copy of Glory Days for $2.00 at a Housing Works in New York City. What a steal! Every Springsteen fan should read this book. If you aren't lucky enough to find a copy in a secondhand store, it's still worth the money on Amazon Market Place. Just be sure that you have your iPod within reach while you're reading.

Springsteen Video of the Week - The ORIGINAL "Dancing In The Dark" Video

Here, we see the original concept for Bruce's "Dancing In The Dark" music video.  Good.  Lord.  I cringe in vicarious embarrassment for Bruce every time I watched this - it is a difficult four minutes to sit through.  His dancing here can best be described as a cross between Carlton Banks and Elaine Benes.  However, stick around towards the end - Clarence makes a surprising, and very creepy, appearance.  While the final video is now more famous as being a corny time capsule, it is more impressive when you see how much they improved it from its original design. 

Springsteen Links - The New Yorker

David Remnick's profile of Bruce Springsteen in The New Yorker is a must read. It could take about an hour to get through it but it's well worth the time.

The piece offers a more frank description of Bruce's relationship with his father, Doug Springsteen, than we're used to reading and this aspect of the piece has grabbed a lot of headlines - along with Bruce's battles with depression.

But there's a lot more to the piece, including candid insights to the band's dynamic (Max Weinberg refers to himself and the band members as 'employees' and Patti Scialfa says her place in the band is more figurative than musical) as well as a transcendental description of Bruce's stage performances that brings you about as close to the real thing as possible. There's also the less told story of original drummer Vini Lopez along with more familiar tales of Bruce's original manager Mike Appel and Bruce writing "Dancing in the Dark."

I was happy to see that the piece bolsters two of my long standing suspicions: that Bruce has had cosmetic surgery and that he's never done drugs. But more than anything, Remnick articulates my appreciation for Bruce in a way that I've never been able to...

Thousands of fans, many of whom had been waiting outside since morning, were allowed to enter the stadium grounds at six o’clock for a show that would not begin until ten. I noticed a few young Spaniards carrying a sign, in English, reading, “Bruce, Thanks for Making Our Lives Better.” I tried to imagine a sign like that for—whom? Lou Reed? AC/DC? Bon Jovi? (“Richie Sambora, Thanks for making our lives better.” Doubtful.) The ultra-sincere interchange between Springsteen and his fans, which looks treacly to the uninitiated and the uninterested, is what distinguishes him and his performances.

Video: Bruce Dances with his Daughter on Stage

As Blogness on the Edge of Town put it, Bruce broke the Internet this past week with a video of him bringing his daughter, Jessica Springsteen, on stage for the signature “Dancing in the Dark” routine during his second Paris concert on July 5th. The video is appearing on everything from Rolling Stone to The Celebrity Café. Upon first reading I wondered what could make it so special to gain this kind of attention. Then I watched it and my heart instantly melted. The conspiracy theorist in me thought, "how does everyone know it's his daughter?" suspecting the video was carefully seeded to the media from his publicist. Then I saw Bruce introducer her as his daughter on stange in the kind of endearingly goofy way that Bruce does so well.

Springsteen Links - Dancing in the Dark Analysis

Thanks to a faithful reader for passing on this link from Grantland analyzing the "Dancing in the Dark" music video; one in a series of close analyses of popular music videos from the 1980s on the website.

"Dancing in the Dark" is regarded as Bruce's most pop music friendly song which can be a burden. It's easy to dismiss it as pop 40 froth but that's a disservice to the rich lyrics -- some of his best in my opinion. Fortunately, Bruce has embraced the song's popularity and turned it into a signature closer at his live performances that is even better than the studio version but still satisfying in its familiarity.

The music video is often maligned, parodied or dismissed as a 1980s curio. This Grantland writer does all of the above while simultaneously praising the video. Even though much of it is tongue-in-cheek, there is some genuine affection for what Bruce accomplishes in the video. Giving close attention to the way Bruce rolls his sleeves to the way Courtney Cox fixes her hair, this is a very entertaining read:

Grantland: Rembert Explains the 80's: Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark' Video

Springsteen Video of the Week - Girls in their Summer Clothes Music Video

Remember watching MTV and VH1 for hours on end waiting for the three minutes of bliss when you could see the music video you loved? The iTunes generation and beyond may never appreciate this pastime. And I can’t blame them. Hours of watching TRL and Morning Buzz could be maddening. You might come across a song you’ve never heard before but in return you’d have the lyrics to “The Thong Song” seared into your memory for all eternity.

The downside of living in an era of instant gratification and music video channels that refuse to play music videos is that we don’t experience the visual impact of pop music anymore. With the release of the “Rocky Ground” music video the other week, I realized that I couldn’t recall that many Bruce Springsteen music videos that vividly. Of course there are the iconic “Dancing in the Dark” and “I’m on Fire” videos but neither were in heavy rotation when I was doing the majority of my music video watching. The only music video I remember seeing on heavy rotation was “The Rising” – and that was a concert video from the MTV Music Video Awards. There was also the “Secret Garden” music video which I saw a few times but more prevalent than that video was the radio version of the song that Z100 used to play with dialogue from Jerry Maguire interspersed through the instrumental sections.

Should an artist with Bruce’s popularity even bother making music videos anymore? Is anyone discovering his music through this format? I’m not certain, but sparked by “Rocky Ground” I started looking through his VEVO channel on YouTube and found this beautiful video for “Girls in their Summer Clothes.” This video could have easily been a parade of bikini-clad supermodels to appeal to teenage boys but instead it’s something much more emotional and lyrical, with girls young and old accompanied by heartfelt imagery. While most fans would have been aware of this song already, seeing the visuals does add another layer for interpretation. In this case, it reiterates the melancholy of the lyrics and suggests that ‘summer clothes’ could be more of an emotional state than a physical appearance.