Video Spotlight: Merry Christmas, Baby (Conan O'Brien 2002)

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town is Bruce's famous Christmas song but for my money, "Merry Christmas, Baby" is his best Holiday tune. This song has the groove and immediate passion that you expect from a Springsteen song, Holiday themed or not.

This video is extra fun with Conan O’Brien playing back-up guitar and The Max Weinberg 7 all in for the fun, too, some with Santa hats. Bruce is really having a great time too, grooving and slinking all around the stage. Could there be anything better than seeing Bruce walking up to you in the audience of the Conan O’Brien show during Christmas time? This is what the Holidays are all about.

Springsteen Video of the Week - I'm Goin' Down

There isn't anything particularly unique about this fan-video but there's something about the variety of the photos and the simplicity of the transitions that I think fit so nicely with the song. "I'm Goin' Down" is one of my favorite songs and it has to be a contender for one of the happiest sounding sad songs of all time. The pictures in the video enhance the upbeat vibe so for once, I'd suggest you ignore Bruce's lyrics and just enjoy the music.

Springsteen Video of the Week (Thanksgiving Edition) – This Land is Your Land

Today is Thanksgiving and you may remember singing this song in Elementary School around this time of year. Bruce introduces his cover of Woody Guthrie’s tune by suggesting it is the greatest song ever written about America. He played this near the end of his Born in the U.S.A. tour and has been credited with raising awareness for the true meaning of the song. Whether he did or not, the passion (and sweat) of this performance is a good reminder to be thankful for everything we have and remember the less fortunate.

Springsteen Video of the Week - "Broken Radio" with Jesse Malin

You ever have a moment of "unexpected Springsteen" in your life?  When Springsteen enters your life at a seemingly random moment?  Well, this happened to me a couple years ago.  I went to a Gaslight Anthem concert at Terminal 5 in the fall of 2009 (OK, so with Gaslight Anthem, I should have expected something Springsteen-y).  One of their openers was the young man in the video above, Jesse Malin.  I was fairly impressed with his stuff, even though it sounds nothing much like Gaslight.  So, I go home and search for his songs, and lo and behold - this man had a duet with Springsteen!  Honestly, I have no idea how this happened - Malin's career seems solid but unspectacular, and I'm not sure how he and the Boss collaborated.  But, an endorsement from Springsteen is golden, so Jesse Malin is OK in my book.  Does anyone else know of any random Springsteen duets with lesser known artists?  Let me know in the comments!

Springsteen Video of the Week - Springsteen Stumping for Kerry, 2004

Politics - you can't avoid it now, even on your favorite Springsteen fanblog.  Last week, we looked at Springsteen's silly pro-Obama song.  There, in Ohio, Bruce seemed more candid and laid-back.  This week, we'll take you back eight years, where Springsteen is performing for John Kerry in Wisconsin.  In this fantastic performance, we are treated to an angry and passionate Bruce.  When Bruce has an axe to grind politically, we get Bruce's most creative content - just compare Working on a Dream to Wrecking Ball.  In fact, I'd say his albums written when Republicans are in office are on average better than his albums written when Democrats are in power.  In this video, his acoustic performance of "No Surrender" (written during the Reagan years) is absolutely breathtaking - the song makes for such a great political anthem that it is a shame it was wasted on the forgettable Kerry.

Springsteen Video of the Week - Forward

Well, it's another presidential election, and another round of Bruce trying to woo the voters of Ohio.  What is funny is that this song elicits numerous different reactions, primarily based on people's personal politics.  While the Democrats in the audience laugh and cheer throughout the video, the conservatives on Youtube have let their opinion been know with a variety of scathing comments (although I'm not sure what to make of the comment: "I can say with pride I have spent a dime to purchase one of his albums").  As of the time I'm writing this, the video has 60 likes and 36 dislikes - the opinion on this video is as split as the current polls.  Personally, I think Bruce isn't as fired up for the election as he was in 2008 (or even 2004 with Kerry), unimpressed with both candidates, and basically phoned in this little ditty - but that may be me projecting my own feelings as well.

Springsteen Video Of The Week: Bruce On Letterman 1995

Sorry to our faithful readers for this not being up earlier today  But better late than never, right?  To make up for it here's a double video for this week.



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This was a great performance for so many reasons.  First and foremost, it's Bruce Springsteen.  That can never be a bad thing as far as I'm concerned.  Secondly, after the whole "Tonight Show" debacle after Johnny Carson retired, and a war broke out between Jay Leno and David Letterman over who got to host, which Letterman lost and had to take his talent over to CBS to have a rival show, Letterman seemed kind of bitter towards show business.  But not that night, Letterman is having a blast, riffing with his band, Bruce and The E Street Band, and the audience.  He's off the cuff, and truly enjoying himself.  Dave has always been a Bruce fan, and treated him well.  Something Bruce has shown his appreciation by, by never doing "The Tonight Show" and staying loyal to Letterman.  Very admirable.  Thirdly, this was the reunion for the E Street Band after Bruce had broken away in the late 1980's.  This was Stevie Van Zandnt's first performance in I believe 10 years with the E Street Band.  And finally... It's just a damn good performance.  Bruce and the band were on that night, and the fans in the Ed Sullivan theater got a great performance out of it.  It would take another 4 years before the band would fully reunite and tour together, but this definitely laid the groundwork, and shown them that the world had not forgotten the legendary E Street Band.

Springsteen Video Of The Week: "Take 'Em As They Come"

NOTE:  Bruce drops a few "F-bombs" in the intro to this video.  So if'you're at work, or got kids around, you might want to hold off on this one

I found this video on YouTube last week when I did my lyrics of the week of the this same song.  This is video might show the most accurate depiction of Bruce and his fans.  It's almost as if Bruce knew he would be at multiple shows, and held off waiting till the time was right.  And this fan, never gave up hope, never thought that Bruce would disappoint him.  And Bruce rewards that faith with his "ask and you shall receive" mentality.  When Steve and I went to show at Wrigley Field this summer, Steve had mentioned that Bruce had started off by testing the fans a little bit.  Almost to see if we would abandon Bruce (of course we never did), and when he was sure of it, BAM!  That's when Bruce comes out swinging and ready to partyAnd this fan, and his family with him, are just about the happiest people I've ever seen at a Bruce concert.

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Springsteen Video Of The Week: "Stand On It"

Sorry to our fans: I'm going to phone it in this week. It's a 3 day weekend and I'm enjoying it by reuniting with my old college roomates. So I picked this video soley based on the fact that there's a line about Columbus discovering America and I found it fitting for Columbus Day. But hey it's a pretty cool performance of a good song. So enjoy!

Springsteen Video of the Week: Bruce Being Funny

When I stumbled upon the above video on YouTube, I assumed that it would be either a parody or a mockery of Bruce Springsteen. For as strong as the bond is between Bruce and his fans, there's still a tendency to playfully make fun of him even as you idolize him. Ben Stiller has proclaimed his adoration for Bruce Springsteen but he still slyly mocks his persona in the Legends of Springsteen segments on The Ben Stiller Show. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the above video was in sincere praise of Bruce's sense of humor and his ability to make us laugh.

Springsteen Video Of The Week: Jole Blon

Like Steve said, Saturday's show at MetLife Stadium was nothing short of stellar.  Truly a "something for everyone" type show.  Unfortunately at one point during the show I wasn't feeling too hot and went to the back to get a bottle of water and escape the madness of the floor.  Even more unfortunate was that I missed this great song.  I shouldn't say "missed", as I was able to hear the song perfectly, but couldn't see it.

Gary U.S. Bonds is someone that I am becoming a huge fan of the more I listen to him.  Especially his 80s material where he collaborates with Springsteen and you can really see how they mutually benefited from this relationship.  Bonds' hit "Quarter To Three" was a staple of the Born To Run Tour and is still a favorite when Bruce plays it now.  And Bonds was able to enjoy a resurgence in popularity when he started working with Bruce.

"Jole Blon" is an old traditional Cajun song that had been popular for decades when Bonds put it on his 1981 album Dedication.  Bruce also recorded his own version that was rumored to be put on The River but instead he decided not to release it and re-recorded it with Bonds for the aforementioned Dedication.  

Even though I didn't get to fully experience this song on the floor, I loved being able to hear it and this great video shows just how much the crowd was getting into it.  But perhaps the two people enjoying it the most are Bruce and Gary Bonds himself.  Two old friends, getting up on stage and singing a song they both love.  It doesn't matter if there are 55,000 or 5 people there.  They would've put the same amount of energy and soul into this.  Their fans know and love them for that very reason

Springsteen Video of the Week - MLB 2012 Postseason Commercial

Springsteen....in a commercial?  Is this new ground?  Frankly, I'm uncomfortable with this move.  While it can introduce more people to Springsteen's music, he's already extremely well known, and young people hate baseball anyway.  As an avid viewer of TNT's basketball coverage, I know that the TNT/TBS networks have zero qualms about replaying the same commercials over and over again until you become physically repulsed at the opening notes.  This video is also dripping in America-sauce, once again trying to turn another one of Springsteen's songs into a patriotic anthem (and conveniently leaving out the greatest line of the song involving whores and gamblers).  But, with Bruce on tour and a presidential election around the corner, you had to figure he would not shy away from staying front-and-center and grabbing people's attention.

Springsteen Video of the Week: "My City Of Ruins"

With tomorrow being the 11 year anniversary of the September 11th terrorism attacks on our nation, we here at Legends Of Springsteen wish to take a moment to reflect. 

Originally written in November of 2000 as a song for the struggling city of Asbury Park, NJ, "My City Of Ruins" took on an entire new meaning when Bruce played it in the video above. On September 21st, 2001 FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS all aired America: A Tribute To Heroes, a telethon to raise money for the victims of 9/11, in particular the families of the police and firemen who perished. 

When Bruce came on with just a guitar and harmonica (and some familiar background singers), and sang this virtually unknown song, it didn't matter if he was singing about NYC or Asbury Park or any other city for that matter. It didnt matter if he was singing about a city that had been crippled by terrorism or a poor economy.  All that mattered was that he was singing about people in need. And most importantly "with these hands" we will pray and rebuild that city, so that it may "rise up".  

Springsteen Video Of The Week- Atlantic City

I had never seen this video before, but I'm really liking it.  It doesn't hurt that this is also one my top five Bruce songs.  But having just got back from AC, and taken an absolutely brutal beating at the tables, I can tell you Bruce's bleak depiction of "The World's Most Famous Playground," is fairly accurate.  Atlantic City is such a strange city.  It's on the water, it has the boardwalk, the casinos, the nightclubs, the comedy clubs, the music venues. It attracts the poorest of bums to the swankiest of high rollers, and everything in between.  And yet in the end, it's just really a dumpy little town that's the definition of corruption.  But people keep coming to it, year round.  When Bruce sings "Everything dies baby, that's a fact but maybe everything that dies someday comes back", he is very much singing about the city itself and its inhabitants.

Springsteen Video of the Week - Thundercrack at Fenway Park (8/15)

The Boss is back in the U.S.A and his first shows back at Fenway quickly became legendary in the Springsteen community with the second night (8/15) boasting a killer set list.

100.7 WZLX Classic Rock posted a series of videos from the shows highlighting some of the top songs. I would have loved to have been there for "Thundercrack" and while the above video isn't great quality, I love listening to Bruce's introduction describing their experience opening for other bands when they were first getting started. Bruce says they had to make convoluted songs in order for them to stand out with the crowd (explains a lot) and that "Thundercrack was their first showstopper." I would have loved to see "Thundercrack" performed back then and would love to see it played now. He's played it five times on the Wrecking Ball tour - twice in Boston. Here's to hoping for a few more performances before the tour wraps up!

We'll be attending Wrigley Field on September 7 and MetLife on September 22. We won't hold out breath for "Thundercrack" on either night, but we will be reporting back on the shows!

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 Video of the Week: "Incident on 57th Street"

Sorry faithful LOS readers, I wish I had more to say but I've been pretty terribly sick the past few days and just can't do a full post. So enjoy my favorite performance of my favorite song.  

Springsteen Video of the Week: Better Man

In 2004 many big names in music came together for the "Vote for Change" tour.  Although officially non-partisan, nearly every performer encouraged concert goers to vote for Democratic candidate John Kerry, instead of the Republican incumbent George W. Bush.  The shows were held in swing states, and even though they drew big crowds and raised money, the tour's effect on the election was negligible.  None of the states that featured shows on the tour went differently than predicted in pre-election polls.   But hey at least we got some great music out of it.

Case in point, Bruce Springsteen performing with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.  Vedder is a huge Springsteen fan, and has covered him numerous times in the past.  And although Eddie and Bruce did jam along to some E Street classics, Bruce paid respect to Pearl Jam when they played this song.  It's kinda hard not to laugh at Bruce at this performance as he clearly doesn't know the song that well and sings it like a bad karaoke song. But oh well, it's fun anyways.  Enjoy!

Springsteen Video of the Week - Walk Like a Man (Cincinnati, 2005)

Last week’s article in The New Yorker has given renewed interest to Bruce’s troubled relationship with his father, Doug Springsteen. The article notes how the two had a very difficult time talking with each other and presents songs like “Independence Day” and “Adam Raised a Cain” as Bruce’s attempts to address their strained relationship in place of direct communication. If these songs were Bruce’s attempts to reach out to a distant father, then “Walk Like a Man” can be seen as a peace offering.

When I first heard this song on the Tunnel of Love album, I focused mainly on the wedding lyrics and thought the song was about a nervous groom praying for the courage to be a good husband. It wasn’t until I heard the solo piano version from this live performance in 2005, that I realized the song was about a son trying to live up to the example set by his father.

This ode to the positive influence of fathers is in stark contrast to the other songs mentioned above and all the more poignant in light of last week’s article.

For this and more of Bruce’s songs about fathers, The New Yorker has a great collection of videos online.

Springsteen Video of the Week - Hyde Park with Paul McCartney

There has been plenty of media brouhaha over the past week regarding the infamous microphone cut-off during the Paul McCartney finale of the Hyde Park concert in London. While it was definitely a bureaucratic affront and somewhat humiliating to leave Bruce screaming into a dead mic (even though he's done much sillier things on stage before), these stories do gloss over the fact that we still got 13 glorious minutes of Bruce and McCartney singing "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Twist and Shout" (with a sampling of "La Bamba"). The above video is pretty shaky but it gives a flavor of what it would have been like for the lucky crowd in London.