When I was in high school and the Boss was in his Born in the U.S.A. heyday, I hated Bruce Springsteen. Part of it was due to the fact that I liked Black Flag and Iron Maiden at the time, part of it was due to the fact that Springsteen and "Bahhnnn in da USA" was sort of omnipresent, and part of it was due to the fact that my friends hated Bruce 'Springfield'. Ha! Evidently the joke is on me. For the past couple of years, much as I have done with Bob Dylan, I have come to 'get' Springsteen. And while I still believe that some of the 'workin' man' stuff is a little overbearing, I've gotten past that to the point that the beauty of songs like 'Atlantic City', 'Racing in the Streets', 'The River', 'Wreck on the Highway', 'Badlands', 'Prove it all Night', and even the ubiquitous 'My Hometown' have become clear to me.
This hasn't been a quick conversion for me like it was with Dylan. I bought the Nebraska album over ten years ago, feeling justified because it was his stark, daring album. I decided to pick up The Essential Bruce Springsteen a couple years ago, as well as The Rising. Then, it was just as with Dylan. It was like a lightbulb went off and I suddenly realized I was a Springsteen fan. Plain and simple. Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Greetings from Asbury Park and Born to Run all followed in quick succession.
Yesterday I sealed the deal. I bought Born in the U.S.A. And you know what? I like it.
5 comments:
Fuckin' a, brother. I love the man. I've been a fan for a long time, but really went nuts when I heard Tom Joad. I even like the first record (Greetings - especially 'Lost in the Flood').
I get a little tired of the bombast sometimes, but stuff like 'Racing in the Street' or 'The River' I could listen to over and over again. What I really liked about 'Born in the USA' was that it was so subversive. Everyone thought it was this gung-ho patriotic song, but it's really dark -- 'you end up like a dog that's been beat too much/till you spend half your life just covering up.' That said, it's probably my least favorite album. Probably more from overexposure than anything else.
Another one that you don't hear much about anymore is 'Tunnel of Love'. Man, that's got some heartbreakers on it.
And that's not even mentioning 'Because the Night'
Bruuuuuuuuce!
Hmmm ... Maybe in another couple of years, when I'm middle-aged, I'll like him.
Okay, dammit. What's a good primer again?
By the way, today's Google (image) search cutie is "Felicity Fey."
Try Darkness on the Edge of Town or The River first. You'll get it someday young 'un.
P.S. Felicity Fey has large breasts.
I concur on 'Darkness' and the large breasts.
You guys say that like it's a BAD thing.
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