Blinded by the Light - Now on Blu-ray

It’s nothing short of a miracle that this movie exists. Blinded by the Light is unashamedly in complete reverence of the music of Bruce Springsteen. If I wasn’t a zealot myself, I’d probably call it propaganda. But as one of the indoctrinated, I look at this film and find immense comfort by this big budget illustration that so many people feel the same way about Springsteen as I do.

“Bruce is the direct line to all that is true in this sh**** world,” says a character early in the film. And man does this film believe it. This is the kind of film with such earnest conviction that the lyrics of “The Promised Land” bring salvation to a listless teen, the lyrics of “Prove it all Night” explain young love and the lyrics of “Badlands” can back down a bully. Oh, what a world to be inside for the two blissful hours of Blinded by the Light’s running time.

Springsteen fans of all ages and walks of live owe it to themselves to watch Blinded by the Light and surrender to its optimism. The next best thing to seeing it in the movie theater with the surround sound and communal audience experience is this pristine Blu-ray transfer. And, for the diehards, the glimpses at behind-the-scenes filmmaking and three extended scenes in the Special Features will be a delight.

I look at this film’s production value and its wide release and marvel that so many people would come together for this labor of love. It instills hope in the promise of cinema as a unifying medium.

Great Moments in Springsteen Cinema History: Ready Player One

If you haven’t heard, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ready Player One is chock full of 1980s pop culture. This includes a host of instantly recognizable Top 40 pop songs from the decade. But then suddenly, surprisingly, amidst the traditional tunes, appears none other than Bruce Springsteen’s “Stand On It” – a lesser known b-side to "Glory Days" that was apparently released on the soundtrack to the Danny Devito comedy Ruthless People before also appearing on Tracks.

How did Spielberg choose this song – of all Springsteen songs, of all '80s songs – to feature in the movie? There’s plenty of evidence of Spielberg’s appreciation for the Boss. Whether it’s red carpet photo bombing, opening night seats at Springsteen on Broadway or vacations in Naples, Italy (with Daniel Day-Lewis in tow – imagine the conversations the three of them were having!). I like to imagine this was Spielberg’s first chance after decades of admiration to fit a Springsteen song into one of his movies, and he decided to use it as an opportunity to bring more attention to one of his personal favorites. Perhaps “Hungry Heart” or “Glory Days” would have felt too obvious for a Springsteen fanboy.

This is the beauty of the Bruce Springsteen catalogue. Beside the iconic pop hits, there’s a treasure trove of decade-specific songs just waiting to be rediscovered. I’d wager that the majority of Ready Player One audience members this past weekend were likely to hear “Stand On It” and recognize it as something distinctly created in the '80s without even noticing it’s Springsteen. Maybe you'd recognize his voice, but it sounds pretty different than his big hits. I like to think a contingent of that audience scrolled through the soundtrack listings and with pleasant surprise, developed a new appreciation for Springsteen.

Meeting Bruce: The Day I Never Thought Would Happen

Never in my life did I anticipate that I would shake hands, pose for a picture and be greeted by name by Bruce Springsteen. But that's exactly what happened today thanks to his appearance at Books-a-Million in Chicago.

Bruce: Hi, there
Me: Hi, I'm Steve. Nice to meet you
*Pose for picture*
Me: We played "Happy" as our first dance at our wedding
Bruce: Ah, thank you Steve

I waited in line just over 3 1/2 hours for that fleeting exchange. It was well worth it. Many waited longer than me, and in the cold.

In classic Legends of Springsteen fashion, he showed up 30 minutes earlier than advertised and got right to work shaking hands and giving hugs to his fans.

It was a very civilized group, many who had traveled from out of state (Indiana, Michigan and beyond) and embarked in the wee hours of the morning, I heard 4 a.m. departures referenced a few times.

The feeling itself was surreal. I felt compelled to go buy gum before I got to the store. I was envious of the families there together, hopeful that one day my children would be old enough and interested enough to experience something similar with me.

I kept my guard up that at any moment something might go wrong. Perhaps I was tricked by a scam ticket? What if my cell phone suddenly malfunctions? What if I accidentally step out of line or engage in any other general buffoonery? In the end, it was over before I knew it. I stood speechless with my signed book in hand and my photo on my phone, trying to process what had transpired.

It may have been over in the blink of an eye, but I wish every fan could be lucky enough to receive this experience.

And it only happened because of my wife. If she hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known about it. If she hadn't encouraged me, I wouldn't have gone.

Merry Christmas, Baby

It wouldn't be the Christmas season if we didn't take the opportunity to highlight Bruce's rendition of "Merry Christmas, Baby" performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2002.

While the song feels distinctly Bruce, it is an R&B Christmas standard written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore and originally recorded in 1947 by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers. It has been covered by everyone from Chuck Berry to Elvis Presley to Hanson.

Song Spotlight - "Meeting Across the River"

Key Live Performance



Born to Run has a bleak narrative trajectory. It begins in a town full of losers and ends in Jungleland where the heroes wind up "wounded, not even dead."

“Meeting Across the River” – a song you will never hear requested at a bar – is the album's lynchpin. It is the subtle prelude that sets the scene for the 9 1/2 minute, operatic conclusion in “Jungleland”.

I chose the video above not just because I was at the MetLife leg of the Wrecking Ball tour but because it perfectly preserves that segue between the two final tracks of Born to Run.

Key Lyrics
“And the word's been passed this is our last chance”

At every turn, Bruce makes it crystal clear where this story ends.

Overall

Even while being the “smallest” song on the album, “Meeting Across the River” heightens everything around it, serving as the turning point where petty hijinks evolve to hard crime and youthful malaise evolves to Greek tragedy. The song is a masterful ballet of trumpet, piano, bass and vocals with each of the four instruments working together to create a vivid cityscape.

Song Spotlight - "Backstreets"

Key Live Performance



This gut-wrenching rendition from Toronto during the 1984 Born in the U.S.A. tour begins with a two minute intro heavy on ambient piano and wailing before leading into the familiar opening notes. Just one look at Bruce’s ripped jean jacket and you know he means business. From the defiant guitar solo to the sweat soaked bandana, the energy is palpable.

Key Lyrics

“When the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say but I hated him and I hated you when you went away”

While I’m partial to the so-close-you-can-feel-it description of “getting wasted in the heat,” I can’t stray from this raw admission of hatred made all the more painful by the disappointment with which it is laced.

Demos and lyric drafts have shown that early versions of “Backstreets” explicitly cast the character of Terry as a female. But I prefer to stick to the song text which leaves the gender ambiguous. Perhaps because Bruce’s career is full of heterosexual love gone sour, “Backstreets” feels all the more exceptional when read as a tragic tale of love between two men – regardless of whether it’s a homosexual or platonic love.

Overall

I often think of “Backstreets” as the ultimate summer song. It effortlessly evokes both the initial optimism and inevitable disappointment that define every summer season in our teenage years. As one of the few Born to Run songs that doesn’t feature heavily in Bruce’s recent concert rotations, “Backstreets” packs a powerful punch when you are fortunate enough to hear it. It’s easy to overlook but hard to forget.

Song Spotlight - "Thunder Road"

Key Live Performance



Bruce chose to open his set at the 2012 Hard Rock Calling festival in London’s Hyde Park with a barebones version of “Thunder Road” accompanied only by Roy Bittan on piano. With his arms frequently folded behind his back, Bruce croons the lyrics to “Thunder Road” with the wistful restraint of a man who has been singing this song for 30+ years but hasn’t forgotten how important it was to him the day he wrote it. One of my favorite parts of this video is at the 0:28 second mark where a young couple cheer and kiss when they realize what song Bruce is playing. It makes me think of the joy my wife and I experienced the first time we both heard him play Rosalita live.

Key Lyrics

“It's town full of losers
And I'm pulling out of here to win”

“Thunder Road” is chock full of indelible lyrics but it’s this final exultation that serves as the rally cry for not only the Born to Run album but in many ways, Bruce’s entire career.

Overall

For many years I resisted this song because I had trouble embracing the instrumental conclusion. On the one hand I appreciate it as a lovely piece of music. But on the other, I can’t help not imagining it as what would be played if there was ever a commercial for a cheesy Springsteen-themed Broadway musical. You know, something between the real ads for Movin’ Out and this Ben Stiller parody of a Tom Cruise one-man show.

I’m pleased to say though that I’ve finally grown past this and come to embrace it with all my heart. “Show a little faith there's magic in the night”; “I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk”; “The door's open but the ride ain't free”… It’s not just some of Bruce’s finest writing, it’s some of the best pop music writing in history.

Under the Influence of Springsteen: Third Eye Blind

If you wanna see me
You know I'm easily found
Just climb the stairs where we used to live
Wrap your fist 'round my heart
Yeah, you know how it pound, pound, pound
- “Everything is Easy”, Third Eye Blind

Okay, so this one is a bit if a stretch. In fact, I didn't even notice it myself. The AbsolutePunk review had to alert me to this slight “Darkness on the Edge of Town” reference. But it's an excuse to talk about one of my other favorite bands, Third Eye Blind.

Third Eye Blind’s fifth album Dopamine was just released last month, nearly 20 years after their debut album. So they certainly don’t share Bruce’s prolific level of output. But there are two distinct similarities: their sense of location and their propensity to tell sad stories set to a snappy beat.

In terms of location, their hometown of San Francisco penetrates many of their songs, even when it’s about its absence and the feeling of being an outsider in locations like New York City ("Motorcycle Drive By"), Los Angeles ("Forget Myself"), or London ("London").

Third Eye Blind has gone through several band member rotations and it’s clear that Stephan Jenkins is the heart and soul of the band while the rest are “salaried employees” (to quote Max Weinberg talking about The E Street Band).

Lyrical complexity is one of Third Eye Blind’s strongest traits (the music speaks for itself and Jenkins has stated its importance to him in interviews). Like Springsteen, this complexity can lead to frequently misunderstood songs. But Third Eye Blind’s music gets misconstrued in a way different to Springsteen’s. Bruce’s stories are usually straightforward with clear characters that have clear - if misguided - motivations. Jenkins' lyrics on the other hand often need a Lit major and/or a pervert to decode them. For example: “But the light, it falls on my castle walls; And my basketballs pelt me with bricks in my dreams” – An Ode to Maybe

What these two bands have most in common though is that they so effectively set downbeat stories to upbeat tempos. Songs like “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Blinded,” and now “Everything is Easy” are dirtier, angst-ridden variations of the classic Springsteen "happy/sad" song we dance our hearts out to like “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Livin’ in the Future,” or “Bobby Jean.”

What do you think? Is Third Eye Blind truly under the influence of Springsteen? Or are these passing coincidences?

Bruce Alert: Ricki and the Flash

Attention, attention. This August 7th you can see Meryl Streep cover a Bruce Springsteen song. It's part of the upcoming movie Ricki and the Flash in which Streep plays a cover band lead singer reconnecting with her estranged family. Entertainment Weekly reports the film will feature a variety of covers that also includes sounds by Tom Petty and Lady Gaga. The Bruce song is "My Love Will Not Let You Down," which is an interesting choice since it's a lesser known song off the Tracks album (although according to Greasy Lakes it's been played live more than any other Tracks song).

Will Streep perform it as a rockin' proclamation to a lover or a poignant appeal for reconciliation to her family? We'll have to wait and find out on August 7. The film is directed by Jonathan Demme - who filmed great musical scenes in Stop Making Sense and Rachel Getting Married - and the "Streep Summer Movie" is always good counter programming from Hollywood, so consider us interested!

Clarence Clemons on The Weird Al Show

As previewed in the recent Strand of Oaks article, the Legends of Springsteen editors are still coming down from the high of seeing Weird Al Yankovic perform at the Governor's Ball in NYC. Anyone who has had the fortune of seeing The Weird One perform live knows that he has a showmanship and unstoppable energy akin to our beloved Springsteen.

While we'll still have to wait for a Weird Al / Bruce duet, we can at least enjoy an appearance by Clarence Clemons on The Weird Al Show from back in 1997. The entire episode is available to watch on YouTube. Taking a look at it now, it's amazing to think this show even exists. Keep an eye out for Michael McKean, too.

Many thanks to the Backstreets archive for bringing this to our attention!

Monday Motivation: Springsteen Songs to Save a Bad Week

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

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



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



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



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



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




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

One Year Later: High Hopes

It's been a little over a year since Bruce Springsteen released High Hopes, his 18th studio album. So, how is it holding up? Are people calling it a classic? Are people still listening to it? Do people even remember it came out?

Based on its limited cultural impact (it opened number one but fell quickly), I think it's safe to say it's largely faded from public consciousness. If anyone is still listening to it or talking about it, it's the super fans. But has it even had an impact there? E Street Radio seems pretty unmotivated to play its tracks.

When I wrote about my first impression of the album, I described it as… “A collection of covers, cuts, and remakes, the album is a curio in Springsteen’s oeuvre. I doubt that it will ever be treasured by anyone as one of his best. And I wouldn’t argue with the detractors who feel that the album is overproduced, but I would say that there are a couple of gems here and a lot of fun to be had.”

After recently listening to the album in its entirety for the first time in months, I'd say my initial assessment largely holds. Here are a few new observations that have come with the passing of time:

• “Just Like Fire Would” still brings an instant smile to my face.
• “Frankie Fell in Love” seems to be the one song that comes on randomly on my iPod the most. Maybe its just because it feels overplayed to me but its initial allure has started to wear.
• “Dream Baby Dream” – my initial critique has softened and the song has grown on me a good deal. At first I couldn't get over how overproduced it felt, but now I feel like I can look past it and embrace the reassuring simplicity of its lyrics.
• “High Hopes” feels like a strong rocker that gets my feet tapping, but it’s not a song I'd seek out.
• American Skin (41 Shots) - It took me some time to get used to the initial shock of hearing the song performed this way. But now that has settled, I can recognize it’s one of my favorite Bruce songs, no matter what version it takes.
• “The Wall” is the song that has stuck with me the most. It’s the one track that I've proactively listened to the most over the past year. I often find myself quietly singing my favorite lyric, “Well I’m sorry I missed you last year, I couldn't find no one to drive me.”

I don’t think anyone expected High Hopes to be a classic – not even Bruce himself – but is it just me or does it feel all but forgotten a mere 13 months after its release? If so, it’s a shame because I laud Bruce for experimenting with covers, remaking his past songs and bringing Tom Morello into the fold so prominently.

We'll see how the album continues to age over the years. Again, I can't downplay my appreciation that Bruce still finds ways to surprise us. Before last year, I don't think I ever would have imagined Bruce would release a song with the lyrics, “You don't fuck with Harry's money, you don't fuck Harry's girls; These are the rules, this is the world.”

What does everyone else think? Any staunch defenders? Any harsh detractors? Votes of neutrality?

Ed Norton Interviews Bruce Springsteen (Fresh Air, 2010)

Having recently seen and loved Edward Norton’s performance in Birdman (I found the movie itself a bit wearing half-way through), I was eager to listen to Norton’s interview on Fresh Air. A quick Google search and I was there, but to my great surprise “Edward Norton Fresh Air interview” yielded a second, fascinating link: Ed Norton Interviews Bruce Springsteen On 'Darkness'.

Somehow, I missed this back in 2010 – I’ll chalk it up to podcasts being less prevalent. Since we’ve recently been looking back at The Promise here on the site, I thought this would be a perfect time to resurface the interview between this unexpected pairing. The Fresh Air interview is an extract from an in-person interview conducted at the Toronto Film Festival. For those who don’t want to sit through the 40-minute interview (and if you don’t, why are you reading this blog?), the website has a few topline excerpts. But I encourage you to listen to it to hear these two performers who take their craft very seriously alternating between light-hearted jabs and serious musings on the art form.

Springsteen Holiday Gift Guide 2014

Trying to find the perfect present for that special Springsteen fan in your life? Look no further! Just because there isn't another new album, that doesn't mean there isn't something Springsteen-related that you should wrap up with a bow this holiday season.

For the Springsteen Fan Who is Just Getting Started:

The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973-1984 ($75)

Chances are strong that younger Springsteen fans don’t have the full early Springsteen catalogue – and if they do, not in physical form. As recently chronicled, there’s still something special about having physical copies of your favorite music, even if we live in a digital world. The beauty of this set is that it really hits home the weight and importance of Springsteen’s place in history and the longevity of his career. The eight-disc box set features Greetings from Asbury Park, The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A.

For the Springsteen Fan with Young Children:

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen and Frank Caruso ($13)

Reading to your children is incredibly important. But sometimes it’s just as much about finding ways to keep yourself entertained as it is to find stories that engage your audience. What better way to do that than a Springsteen-inspired picture book?

For the Springsteen Fan Eager to Climb the Company Ladder:

“Leading the Life You Want: Skills for Integrating Work and Life” by Stewart Friedman ($17)

A Harvard Business Review book featuring a profile of Bruce Springsteen? Yes, it exists. And it’s excellent. “Leading the Life You Want” by Stewart Friedman is part action guide, part inspiration source as it tackles the issue of work/life balance by illustrating six public figures who have achieved great success in this area. Of course, you have to know the recipient well enough to ensure this won’t be misconstrued as an insult (“You don’t spend enough time at home!”). More in our review.

For the Springsteen Fan who Has Been Kind of Emo Lately:

Dead Man’s Town: A Tribute to Born in the U.S.A. ($11)

For fans who are open to hearing the iconic Born in the U.S.A. album from a different perspective, Lightning Rod Records’ tribute album offers a cover of each track from the original album by 12 different indie bands. These tributes are slow and contemplative, perfect for moments of quiet reflection upon a snowy landscape. More in our review.

For the Springsteen Fan who Has Everything:

Nils Lofgren: Face the Music ($120)

Nils Lofgren may be the most undervalued member of the E Street Band. An exceptional guitarist and songwriter in his own right, this 10-disc box set is a crash course on his non-E Street career including early work from his band Grin (which he founded when he was 17). While you’re waiting for the next Springsteen album, these 169 tracks will keep you more than busy – and may get you thinking that Lofgren is just as prolific as The Boss himself.


Happy Holidays from Legends of Springsteen!

Book Review - "Leading the Life You Want" by Stewart Friedman

Bruce Springsteen makes an unlikely appearance on bookshelves this week: in the pages of a business book where he’s heralded as an individual who masters the intersection of work and home. The book is from Harvard Business Review Press and is entitled “Leading the Life You Want: Skills for Integrating Work and Life.” It’s written by Stewart Friedman, a professor at the prestigious Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life.”

The book is designed to help readers achieve success in what Friedman describes as the four central domains: work, home, community, and the private self. He argues against the metaphor of “work/life balance” and in favor of creating a harmonious intersection of these four elements by applying principles and skills such as focusing on results, building support networks and clarifying expectations.

“Leading the Life You Want” is an action-oriented book that encourages the reader to take notes, complete self-assessment tests and skip around from section to section in whatever order works best for the individual. The book is split into two sections. The first offers profiles of individuals who have achieved success and the second goes in-depth on how to implement the specific skills illustrated. If you’re reading the book without an explicit purpose (e.g. improving your prioritization) and looking more for general enlightenment, the six profiles will prove the most engaging.

Each profile reads like a mini biography by giving you such precise detail and a concisely structured character arc that you walk away with an efficient understanding of these diverse personalities. The section begins with two tales you might expect, tales of business in the more traditional sense, illustrated by Tom Tierney (Former CEO of Bain & Company) and Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook). It then transitions into individuals you will be more surprised to see in a business text: Eric Greitens (US Navy Seal), Michelle Obama (US First Lady), Julie Foudy (soccer champion-turned-broadcaster) and, of course, Bruce Springsteen.

The ‘pick and choose’ approach Friedman recommends benefits the reader. By and large, I didn't relate to the Greitens section but still would have been able to find great value from the book if I had skipped it. However, I could see how a reader with a different background might read just this one section and find the book extremely valuable.

So what about the Bruce section? It doesn’t disappoint. Like the other sections, it provides a comprehensive overview of his life and clearly connects his success to the mastery of certain skills such as truly embodying one’s values and practicing self-reflection. Springsteen fans will be familiar with the ground covered here, but may find themselves surprised by the analysis applied. For example, this is the first time I recognized that Bruce’s least prolific years from a music standpoint (late 80s to early 90s) coincide with those crucial early years of forming a family and becoming a parent (his first child was born in 1990). This isn’t presented as a hindrance to his career, but an essential step toward Bruce achieving satisfaction in all four quadrants: work, home, community and the private self.

There is a recurring undercurrent throughout the book: nobody’s perfect. And we make it extra hard on ourselves because we live in a society of heightened self-scrutiny. The profiles in the book are just celebratory enough to inspire you and just realistic enough to prevent you from simply envying their success.

It’s peculiar to say, but I frequently feel proud of Bruce Springsteen. This is an odd emotion to feel for a rich and famous artist that you’ve never met. But it’s true. I can’t help but feel proud of all that Bruce Springsteen has accomplished, and all that he’s given to this world. In a funny way, seeing Bruce profiled here as the only artist represented (from any medium), my pride feels justified.

Whether or not you are a Springsteen fan, this is a useful book to read. The way it’s written makes it a good resource that you can turn to time and again for inspiration when you find yourself stuck. Whatever your profession may be, you’d be well suited to keep a copy of “Leading the Life You Want” on your office desk or your bedside table.

Coming Soon: Springsteen Profiled in HBR's "Leading the Life You Want"

Bruce Alert: Harvard Business Review Press has a new book coming out next month which profiles The Boss as an example of how to be successful at both work and life. As someone who looks to Bruce for inspiration about all aspects of life, I couldn't agree more with his inclusion here!

"Leading the Life You Want: Skills for Integrating Work and Life" by Stewart Friedman hits shelves on October 7, but you can preorder it from Amazon here.

From the publisher:

LEADING THE LIFE YOU WANT: Skills for Integrating Work and Life by Stewart Friedman (Available October 2014).
The book looks at succeeding in multiple quadrants of your life—work, life, family etc.—without having to sacrifice one for the other. Friedman, a professor at Wharton (University of Pennsylvania), profiles six individuals in the book who are successful because of this.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the six profiled in the book, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, U.S. Navy Seal Eric Greitens, Tom Tierney of Bridgespan, Olympic athlete Julie Foudy.

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.

Song Spotlight: “Old Haunts” by The Gaslight Anthem

When a band name checks Bruce Springsteen twice in one song (“Meet Me by the River’s Edge”), it’s no secret that they are heavily under the influence of The Boss. So it won’t come as a surprise to anyone with a passing interest in the The Gaslight Anthem to see them featured on a Springsteen blog.

In comparison to Bruce, I’d say these NJ-based rockers are more interested in capturing a mood and emotion than they are in telling vivid stories with characters and plot turns (especially their two most recent albums).

While you can probably pick out any one of their songs and find a connection to Springsteen – not a bad thing! – I wanted to shine a spotlight on the song “Old Haunts” from their 2010 album American Slang. I see this song as their rendition on “Glory Days.”

So don't sing me your songs about the good times
Those days are gone and you should just let them go
And god help the man who says "If you'd have known me when..."
Old haunts are for forgotten ghosts

Much like “Glory Days”, this song is about looking to the past when you should be looking to the future. While “Glory Days” is a bit more wistful, “Old Haunts” cuts to the bone.

Great Springsteen References in Music - “1985”

"And nothing has been alright since Bruce Springsteen…"
- “1985”, Bowling for Soup / SR-71

Bowling for Soup may not be the most musically accomplished pop band, but when “1985” came on the radio the other day, I was taken aback by the emotional depth of its story of a middle-aged woman struggling with the reality of her present day life. The character is married with kids but feels a malaise and loneliness from a life she was rushed into through marriage. A life that isn't as glamorous as she once envisioned. Unable to connect with her present state, she retreats to the pop culture of her youth. In the song’s list of 80s pop culture references Springsteen receives repeated mention in the chorus. It’s great to see Springsteen referenced so prominently in a pop song. And its true, how often do we think to ourselves, nothing’s been all right since Springsteen?

I hadn’t heard the song in a few years, and its emotional depth wasn’t the only thing that caught me off guard. First off, I can’t believe the song is a decade old now (it was a chart topper in 2004). Second, Bowling for Soup wasn’t the first band to perform the song. It’s technically a cover by the largely forgotten band SR-71. SR-71 had a big hit with “Right Now” but faded quickly and their third album (featuring “1985”) didn’t receive a U.S. release and ended up only getting distribution in Japan. Thanks to the glory of YouTube, you can hear both versions below. I think it’s clear that Bowling for Soup performs a better version, but it’s not surprising to learn the depth of storytelling should be attributed elsewhere.

"Hunter of Invisible Game" - Short Film / Music Video

After just remarking a few weeks ago that the music video for “I’m on Fire” contained the closest thing to acting that we’ll ever get from Bruce Springsteen, The Boss goes ahead and creates this short film / music video for “Hunter of Invisible Game.”

Seemingly inspired by the films of Terrence Malick and Beasts of the Southern Wild (and perhaps even Sony PlayStation’s The Last of Us), this 10-minute short depicts a future where the world has been ravaged by an undisclosed calamity. As expected, Bruce takes center stage in this lyrical, expressionistic video that also includes a heavy focus on nature and wilderness. The second half of the video is a more traditional music video. I think it would have been more powerful if it had eschewed lip-syncing like they did with “I’m on Fire” but it’s definitely worth a watch for some great location shooting and Bruce’s solemn expressions. Gotta give credit to Bruce for constantly experimenting like this.