and it'll take you straight to Amazon to purchase it. We here at Legends of Springsteen will probably be listening to this album non-stop this week, and will have our thoughts posted shortly. The initial reviews seem mixed, with the general consensus being that it's more of a B-Sides collection than an actual album, but I will wait until I actually get a chance to listen to it. So keep an eye out for more in-depth coverage of High Hopes later this week!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Happy High Hopes Day!
Hello, readers! I hope you've gotten your hands on Springsteen's latest by now, but if not, feel free to click on this link and it'll take you straight to Amazon to purchase it. We here at Legends of Springsteen will probably be listening to this album non-stop this week, and will have our thoughts posted shortly. The initial reviews seem mixed, with the general consensus being that it's more of a B-Sides collection than an actual album, but I will wait until I actually get a chance to listen to it. So keep an eye out for more in-depth coverage of High Hopes later this week!
and it'll take you straight to Amazon to purchase it. We here at Legends of Springsteen will probably be listening to this album non-stop this week, and will have our thoughts posted shortly. The initial reviews seem mixed, with the general consensus being that it's more of a B-Sides collection than an actual album, but I will wait until I actually get a chance to listen to it. So keep an eye out for more in-depth coverage of High Hopes later this week!
Monday, January 13, 2014
Springsteen on Fallon Tomorrow Night
Tune in tomorrow night for Bruce Springsteen's latest appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Surely Bruce will play "High Hopes" and the two will have a witty repartee, but the big question is, what pop culture song will the two parody? Jimmy Fallon has exceeded everyone's expectations as a late night host in large part due to his musical prowess and appreciation. On past appearances, Jimmy and Bruce have performed phenomenal duets covering Willow Smith's "Whip Your Hair" and LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It". In both cases, Fallon's interpretations are inspired and musically accomplished. In fact, they improve upon the songs they parody. Who will they target this time? Personally, I'd love to see what they do with a Kesha song. "Die Young" just begs for a melancholy Neil Young rendition and I can just hear Bruce's gruff voice bellowing "I'm yelling timber!" The only way they could disappointment is if they don't continue the tradition. Here's a look back at their rendition of "Whip My Hair".
Friday, January 10, 2014
Sleepytime Tunes: Bruce Springsteen Lullaby Tribute
A few weeks ago, my expecting wife told me that she had been trying to listen to more Springsteen lately now that the baby’s hearing is developing. It’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.
Similarly, I was overjoyed when my wife gave me an amazing surprise present for Christmas… Sleepytime Tunes: Bruce Springsteen Lullaby Tribute.
Contained on the CD are ten tracks of melodic Springsteen covers that will have you quietly rocking out while your baby (hopefully) drifts off to sleep.
I'm impressed with the variety of Springsteen’s catalogue that is represented on the album. I commend The Lullaby Players for choosing recent tracks off Magic and Working on a Dream, rather than just leaning on established classics.
Each track sounds like it could be in the trailer for the latest animated feature from Nickelodeon. In that regard, my favorite is “Radio Nowhere”, which sounds like the theme song to a really awesome adventure across time and space.
Another highlight is “Secret Garden”, whose melody lends itself naturally to a lullaby (but let’s hope the baby doesn't accidentally learn the lyrics). To me, the most puzzling entry is “Pink Cadillac”. I’m not sure how it was chosen, as I imagine it’s less recognizable to most, but I guess it does have a distinct melody. Either way, it’s another track where I hope the baby doesn't learn the lyrics (depending on your analysis of its double entendre).
All in all, this CD is a must have for any Springsteen fans who are expecting. Stay tuned to find out if the baby enjoys it as much as the parent.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
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.
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.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Clarence Clemons Day is Next Saturday (1/11)
The 11th was Clarence's birthday, and in conjunction with the first ever Clarence Clemons day, Backstreets.com writer Shawn Poole launched a petition to get Clarence Clemons on a stamp. The petition ends on January 10, and they are looking to collect 50,000 signatures. If you would like to support the petition, head over to the following website to sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/469/114/550/petition-to-honor-clarence-big-man-clemons-with-a-us-postage-stamp/
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Tune In to The Good Wife on Jan 12 for New Springsteen Music
This reminds me of when another CBS drama, Cold Case, aired an episode entitled "8 Years" featuring nine different Springsteen songs. I didn't saw the episode, and sadly it isn't available for easy streaming online. I've never seen an episode of The Good Wife before, but definitely plan to tune in to see how the new songs are integrated. Bravo CBS!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Happy New Year's from Legends of Springsteen!
The above video is from New Year's eve 1980 at the Nassau Colosseum in Uniondale, NY. The concert went well over midnight, par for the course for 80's Springsteen, and Bruce was rocking on a cover of Wilson Picket's "In The Midnight Hour" in the minutes leading up to midnight followed promptly by the traditional classic "Auld Lang Syne". I've seen Bruce play "In The Midnight Hour" at Metlife Stadium and he definitely brings the goods so I can definitely imagine that the Long Island crowd was getting into that New Year's eve.
A concert never really seems like a good way to spend New Year's Eve to me. I have friends who go see Phish every year at MSG (which sounds like Hell to me, I hate Phish!), and one of my friends was trying to get me to go see Billy Joel in Brooklyn this year for New Year's. But as fun as this concert looked, and even the old technology and shaky handling can't hide the fact that sharing champagne with Bruce at midnight would be amazing, I love New Year's Eve too much to spend it at a concert. The booze, the countdown with friends, the fact that it's completely acceptable to kiss random women at midnight (don't even attempt this on any other night, and practice caution even on New Year's) all make for one of my favorite nights of the year. However, if I was alive in 1980 and looking for New Year's plans, spending it with Bruce wouldn't be the worst way to do it. So enjoy and a happy 2014 from your friends at Legends of Springsteen!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Great Moments in Springsteen TV History: WWF Wrestling Superstars
This isn't the first time I've written about "Born In The USA" as an entrance theme. Nor is it the first time I've written about professional wrestling on this blog. But back in the early to mid to eighties, when pro wrestling was gaining incredible popularity nationwide, as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now World Wrestling Entertainment) continued to expand nationwide, it wasn't uncommon for wrestlers to enter the ring songs by popular rock stars of the day. But as cable TV became more and more prevalent, and musicians started to realize that they weren't getting any royalties, that was the ended of using copyrighted music without permission.
However before that time came, there was a popular tag team named the US Express, made up of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo. Two brothers-in-law, represented as "All-American" athletes, but not NCAA "All-American" athletes. They represented hard work, dedication, and teamwork. What better entrance theme for them then Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The USA"? As with a lot of people in the 1980's, including President Ronald Reagan, the actual lyrics and meaning of the song were overlooked due to it's catchy chorus and anthem-like introduction. In the above match, watch how many fans are singing along with the music as they take to the ring. Even moreso, after the match, when the US Express is celebrating winning the coveted WWF Tag Team titles, the music fits the atmosphere perfectly. Unfortunately now, when WWE re-releases old US Express matches on DVD sets, "Born In The USA" is dubbed over with a generic knockoff to avoid paying for the rights to use it, as seen here. It just doesn't seem the same without Bruce.
Interesting trivia fact: When WWF stopped using copyrighted music they replaced "Born In The USA" with a song that was written by a songwriter they hired to create new entrance music for everyone. The song he wrote for The US Express was "I Am A Real American", but Barry Windham quit WWF a few weeks later and "I Am A Real American" was given to wrestling phenomenon Hulk Hogan. The song would become a major part in Hogan's identity and help propel him from beyond just pro wrestling fame and into a pop culture superstar. However if you are not a fan of wrestling or Bruce Springsteen, this is not interesting trivia at all. I apologize.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)