Posted on 11/27/2005 1:32:49 PM PST by Chi-townChief
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, "BORN TO RUN: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION" (COLUMBIA) ****
A couple of months ago Bruce Springsteen stood on stage at the United Center and joked about how he used to try and cram so many words into a lyric. The "Born to Run: 30th Anniversary Edition" box set (Columbia) celebrates Springsteen's maturation as a songwriter, arranger and bandleader.
The box set consists of the complete, remastered "Born to Run" album, as well as the DVD "Hammersmith Odeon, London '75" concert film of Springsteen and the E Street Band. It's cool to see Springsteen rock again ("Detroit Medley," etc.) in his rawest form, instead of the slick arena showboat he's become in the last several years.
But most compelling is the 90-minute DVD documentary "Wing for Wheels: The Making of 'Born to Run.'" Springsteen had released two albums before "Born to Run." His career was at the crossroads. He was writing with Jack Kerouac fury, and the documentary uses "Blinded by the Light" as an example of the Boss's pre-"Born to Run" energy. Now 30 years later, Springsteen's voice has become so appointed that last week Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate shot down an attempt by New Jersey's two Democratic senators to honor Springsteen for the 30th anniversary of "Born to Run." The GOP apparently is still upset that Springsteen campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
It's a good idea to watch the documentary before revisiting the CD. Springsteen still cares deeply about "Born to Run" and his recollections are passionate and insightful. He places the project in context, explaining how he began looking outward. The "Born to Run" characters were in his words, "trying to get out ... break free ... somebody's out ... somebody's left behind." Manager Jon Landau peppered Springsteen's muse by feeding him film noir influences such as Robert Mitchum's "Thunder Road" (just as Landau later informed Springsteen of John Steinbeck for "Ghost of Tom Joad").
Springsteen composed all the "Born to Run" songs on piano, and he breaks down material like "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out." He also gives props to E Street Band pianist Roy Bittan, noting how Bittan's piano "defined the sound of that record."
Some 30 years later the individualistic spirit and freedom of "Born to Run" remains emblematic of the runaway American dream. I wonder if that's the reason Washington's Republicans still want to shut it down.
In college we used to tease Bruuuuuuuuuuuce fans by playing his LPs at 45 rpm. They'd always come up and say "hey, isn't that the Boss? Why are you playing him at the wrong speed?" We'd respond, "two reasons: first, you can understand the lyrics better, second, the songs get over quicker".
We learned that some people just don't have a sense of humor. Which made it all the more amusing.
FMCDH(BITS)
I spent years as a huge Springsteen fan. Now I wouldn't go see him if he was playing for free in my neighbor's front yard.
I have been a Springsteen fan since the mid seventies. Born to Run, in my opinion is his best album. Sadly, ever since Bruce let his "Looney Left Wing" leanings be known, I'm not much of a fan any more.
Born to run, run, run, run, runaway...
...screaming.
Just remember that BOSS is SSOB spelled backwards (you get to pick what the extra S in front stands for).
great music to cut your throat by...all he sings about is how horrible everything is...him and his "phony working man" persona
the many other hypocrites just like them.
yeahm, rolled up sleeves and all. Well, there are those out there who believe him. Not the rest of us though.
What does this even mean? As for Springsteen...he made his name articulating teenage angst with melodic hooks and a hard working band. I don't know what's more amusing, Springsteen or the journalists who think he has ever been anything more.
When I went to college, everyone was singing Born in the USA and I just sort of sighed.
It was in college when I became a Reagan Democrat. It's been painful in my adult years to listen to Bruce's running commentary about politics and thus I try to tune it out. I often wish he would write a song about making it out of the north Monmouth County working man towns and into Rumson instead of drivel like 41 shots.
I'll give it up to him for putting a good part of his money where his mouth is when it comes to charity. I find this redeeming.
Ah well, he can't go back and change those songs. I have them on CD and MP3. Though when he reunited with the E Street Band about 6 years ago, I went to the Meadowlands with my wife who is NOT a Jersey Girl. She became a fan after Born in the USA and all they played that night was from the first four albums.
She was happy that at least he played Racing in the Streets just for me! :-)
You have the by-line wrong: this is Jim DeRogatis, the Robert Scheer of pop.
I was always amazed that he never discovered this stuff by himself. I guess he was never the cultural sponge Bob Dylan is. (And Bob Dylan is not the parrot Springsteen is.)
BORN TO CUT AND RUN
His great-grandkids must be proud.
I was there too and brought my two kids (huzzy, not a fan, stayed home, though a NJ native). I just love Clarence and his sax! Takes me back to the "good ole days"!
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