Bruce Springsteen- Badlands (REACTION//DISCUSSION)

[@stephenpesta1550]

Darkness is my favorite album that Springsteen ever put out. Prog fan boys often dislike him but there is genius in this music and his cultural impact is unquestionably immense, often serving as the voice of the common man. Experiencing BRUUUUUUUCE and the band live has always has a greater impact than the feel of what he you get from their studio output. I’m a proud member of the Church of Bruce!

[@brumleyhall]

The thing you need to know about Bruce Springsteen is that he has been the best live performer Rock n' Roll has produced. From one of the greatest bands in existence to his sprawling 3-4 hour shows, to his total commitment to every minute of his performances, no one has made more impact as a live performer in the last 50 years. There are numerous concert videos available on KZbin. I would suggest "Rosalita" from 1978 or "Jungleland" from 1980.

[@delorangeade]

The film, Badlands by Terence Malick is well worth watching. It's kind of depressing if those are the most popular Springsteen songs on Spotify. This is rousing enough, but I much prefer the writing musicianship and singing on his first three albums to anything he produced later. I'll take the wide-eyed melodramatic soul influences over the fist-clenched blue collar anthems. Jungleland, Spirits in the Night, For You, 4th July, Asbury Park (Sandy).

[@Cynthorrpg1]

I'm an oddball, I think Nebraska was his best album by far and most folks don't even mention it.

[@WTFungus]

You can't go wrong with anything off Bruce's first 2 albums. As a prog fan, I am particularly fond of "New York City Serenade" from "The Wild. the Innocent, and the East Street Shuffle", for its great classical/blues piano intro and great story telling.

[@pema22]

Best albums for me are "Born to Run", "The River", "Darkness on the edge of town". (fav ordered) "Nebraska" is good for closing your eyes and relax. mostly slower songs with fewer instrumentation Springsteen is a similar story to Genesis: best before radio-friendly

[@sidecardog5244]

The dogs on the street howl cause they understand….Promised Land. Ps, Early Springsteen prior to the pop stuff is the best. Recommend Born to Run, Kitty’s Back, Rosilita…

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Jungle land is a good one too. His other “land” song. First four albums have the goods that made him famous. David Sancious plays on the first album.

[@bendancar]

The whole album, please! The songwriting/lyrics are so great. While I quibble with the production choices on a few tracks, there is not a dud on the entire album. If you're prepared to keep going through the lyrics, this will be well worth the time. And, knowing that you have a taste for jazz/blues infused music, you might try the earlier The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. Born to Run is his most famous and celebrated album, which is great too.

[@KWBennet]

I’d try the song “Born to Run” next - It’s his most iconic. His first three albums were much more bluesy- try the song “Kittys Back” for some of that.

[@RayRay-ot5xd]

My Jersey wife is a DIEHARD Bruce fan and his music is played everyday in my household. I’ve grown to enjoy him. His first two albums are at his most experimental for his type of music with a more jazzy collection of musicians, (drums and keyboards). My all time favorite is ‘Kitty’s Back’. So unlike his later stuff. My wife will be thrilled to hear you’re listening to him.

[@foxandscout]

Kitty’s Back. Seeing him sing that at a small club (Bottom Line) in 1976 is still one of my favorite experiences (well, the whole night) and I’ve been to hundreds of concerts. A supper club with long tables in the front and small tables in the rest: he ran around on the tabletops looking for Kitty. His long story about meeting Clarence (which has changed from telling to telling) was wonderful. Badlands is a great song but so are so many others. And his first album is still my favorite.

[@thegardenfix]

Bruce definitely has a lot of poetry and was the voice of the hard-working Blue Collar man of the past. This is a great album. Some other beautiful songs with Incredible lyrics are Thunder Road, and the River.

[@-davidolivares]

RIP Big Man, Clarence Clemons. Found his album Peacemaker, some nice sax stuff there.

[@jimbricker4982]

A perfect entry point, Bruce at his best. "Conviction" is a great way to describe this approach - he called this his "samurai" album, everything to prove, everything to lose. Like Elton John, these comments will be filled to the brim with other tracks to check out. Not sure if the Sampler approach to Bruce is the best way to go, but it sure ain't bad. To hear Bruce at his absolute best, check out disc 1 of Live 1975-85 (yeah, it's live I know, but...), where his legendary performances are best (if incompletely) documented. There is nothing like Bruce from the 78 Darkness tour - trust me.

[@BrianR.]

The whole album is a treasure, not a bad song.

[@Silber7]

He is one of these individual characters that don't happen often. I'm not really a fan of his songs (besides some anthemic big hits) but - my uncle said it for decades and after he invited me to a concert I can wholeheartedly agree - his persona and live performance are incredible. His charisma alone had a 70.000 stadium's attention for 3h straight. They never even turned down the houselights. When he counts his trusted E-Street-Band in with one two three, you follow every word and don't doubt a second he is passionate about what he sings (even if you don't even follow the lyrics. For Americans, espessially from NJ or so, it must be even more relatable.)

[@1nelsondj]

Re: Bruce Springsteen I hadn't heard of him either until I was living in Boston and one day I saw a long line of people waiting outside a record store. Springsteen had just released his first live album, a 5 LP set and his fans were waiting to scoop it up. He'd been making albums since 1973 but went unnoticed by me, I was into English bands. He's like the everyday man, working man, truck drivin', union man. Reminds me of Bob Seger or Billy Joel or the Eagles, very Americana, just not my bag. In 1978 he co-wrote 'Because the Night' with Patti Smith which became a hit for her (you should hear her cover of Van Morrison's 'Gloria' first). I don't have a lot of Springsteen's music, his Greatest Hits, the 2 disc set "The Promise" and a collection of essential songs I made myself. Yes I'm far more into Elton John and Bob Dylan's music, in fact "Blood on the Tracks" from 1975 has been my #1 album since I first heard it in 1977. No bad songs at all and the live versions of some of them on "Hard Rain" are even better. The live version of 'Idiot Wind' is the best thing I've ever heard, suggested it on your new page.

[@maraboo72]

The first time I heard about Springsteen was a video of "The River" that was shown in a break during a Rockpalast show while the stage was prepared for the next band. I had and have not seen many performances that were so intense. The man who was responsable for the show - Peter Rüchel - was obviously a huge fan of his because in following Rockpalast shows there were other videos and Nils Lofgren and Little Steven - who played solo guitar on some of his albums - were invited to perform at a Rockplpalast night. So at some point we thought that if there would be someone would was responsable for tuning Springsteen's guitar picks Rüchel would invite him. Those videos showed what an incredible performer Springsteen is and why he got so famous. I think Manfred Mann had an impact on his career by covering some of his songs like "Blinded by The Light", "For You" and "Spirits In The Night". One of his most famous songs that did not make it on an album was "Because The Night" what was a huge success for Patty Smith. "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" is my favorite album because of the energy on it. The solo guitar on the next song "Adam Raised A Cain" is how a solo guitar has to sound and "Candy's Room" is one of my alltime favorites when it comes to music that is just straight forward. And he is someone who writes great lyrics that are more than just a media to let the voice shine. A great artist and from what I heard about him so far he is a great person, too.

[@TheCornishCockney]

The River. Sherry Darlin and Cadillac Ranch are bangers from that LP but Born remains my favourite Boss album.

[@suzannesellers7383]

I believe this is my favorite Bruce song because a working person can relate to it . This is for people who work always searching for something better and a rejection of shallow relationships. He says the things that people feel but can’t say out loud.

[@davelafferty5728]

For me, his first four albums were the best and the next two were decent, but after that I basically stopped listening to him. All the requests for Bruce are his songs that got the most radio time, but I would suggest checking out Lost In the Flood or It's Hard to be a Saint in the City from Greetings from Asbury Park or Kitty's Back from The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle. By the way, the drummer is Max Weinberg who became the band leader for Conan O'Brien's late night talk shows and he is the father of Joey Weinberg, the drummer for Slipknot.

[@SebGeddy]

Thank you Justin for reacting to one of my favorite artists ever. You can't go wrong with his 70s albums, then "The River" is really great (but it's a double LP with a few fillers IMHO), "Nebraska" is a great acoustic intimate album, "Born in the USA" suffers from the typical 80s production (synths, drums drenched in reverb) but contains good songs, and the list goes on... Even if Bruce's lyrics began to be more "simple" (and less Dylanesque) after "Born to Run", they still are meaningful and evocative. It has been said in other comments already but I testify on his (and the E Street Band) devotion and generosity : their shows are 3-4 hours long and still you want more 🤘🙃. May i suggest you to listen to "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (the electric version with Tom Morello), mind-blowing 🎸🔥

[@jeffschielka7845]

Hey Justin! Just noticed you are closing in on 20K subscribers. Maybe by Thanksgiving. Congratulations!🥳😎

[@daniellevin4174]

Bruce is a hero of the working class. One of my favorite Springsteen songs laments the decline of manufacturing in America and the economic toll it has taken on working class families - “Youngstown”. I would greatly appreciate your take on that haunting song.

[@woutertemolder1107]

so much great song by bruce springsteen enjoy discovering them

[@michaelanthony8392]

Bruce while not the greatest singer but he emotes pure raw emotion. His music moves you just by its feel!

[@ronjm945]

Bruce Springsteen was part of the soundtrack of my teens and twenties! A iconic artist who still creates great music but the best part of his catalog was his first seven albums imho. Please continue to explore his music, you will be glad you did…

[@Richarddraper]

I think Darkness is probably his best album and Badlands is a great opener to set the table for what is to come. Probably the best song on this album is "The Promised Land". I also think "Adam Raised a Cain" and "Racing in the Street" are well worth checking out.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Bruce and his band are from Asbury Park New Jersey and that is the context for his early albums. Maybe try his song “Spirits in the Night” from the first album “Greetings...” great reaction. Didn’t expect Springsteen but you are full of surprises.

[@cfraase]

Your lyrics discussion without knowing anything about him were remarkably astute. Bruce is all about the lyrics, so I hope you dig into his vast catalog more. He is much more than his greatest hits and for his biggest fans, the deeper cuts are the best. So please don't stick to only his top 10 hits. He's still putting out great music to this day in a variety of genres. You might want to try 'Racing in the Street' from this album and the title track to 'The River'.

[@JustJP]

Ty :)

[@AugieDoggyDoo]

OMG, Racing in the streets. Brings tears to my eyes each and every time that I hear it since 1979 and I was only 13 years old. His lyrics call to me, especially being from NJ.

[@citizenghosttown]

Great reaction. As a long-time Springsteen fan, it's great to watch the uninitiated experience these songs for the first time. And you're right -- this song was a good introduction because it captures the essence of his music better than most: A fist-pumping anthem with great lyrics, capturing a struggle that is both personal and universal -- the desire to rise above your circumstances. Most fans will name "Born to Run" as his best album, and it is a masterpiece. This one is close behind -- it represents a maturation in his songwriting. Previously he wrote a lot about escape and tried to imitate the colorful wordplay of Bob Dylan. This is the album where he truly finds his own voice and creates characters with stories that occupy the space between reality and what we think of as the American Dream. Keep up the good work.

[@riccardobanelli4940]

Welcome to Bruce Springsteen world!! I wanna say you that this man is one of the best performer live of all time and one of the best american songwriter ever! He's simplicity the Boss! 🔝

[@CaryOn11]

Good job on this JP. Thanks for doing this artist. There is a wealth of good music to explore from him. When you mentioned that you liked his voice because of his conviction in it I think that is an accurate perception. I know several people who say his voice is the reason they don't like his music. i think his voice fits his music perfectly because he is a fantastic writer and he uses his voice to express the emotion behind some extremely intelligent lyrics. He is one of the best musical storytellers ever. His music is a blend of rock, r&b, soul. His live shows are legendary for their energetic performance, intense band interplay, long duration and just making everyone feel good. Simply put the E street is tight and just kicks @ss! I have seen him a few times and the shows are memorable. If you want to get a taste of that live experience I would recommend the show from 1975 at the Hammersmith in London. The whole show is here on YT. They don't call him "the boss" for nothin!

[@dturasky19]

A staple of Bruce concerts with huge crowd singalong !

[@docgonzales]

His second album is amazing, 8 months after a Dylanesque debut his sophomore effort is the most musically adventurous of his or most people’s career. Kitty’s back would resonate on this channel

[@paulcarroll7061]

Four chords and the truth: That's all you need! The song is fun, and the message is true. Keep pushing till it's understood!

[@johnramsell8078]

Also, Springsteen live is where his legend was built. Check out “Rosalita” live video version from ‘78, incredible band and performance! It starts to make sense after seeing and hearing that.

[@AugieDoggyDoo]

OMG, there are so many more. You could go for weeks reacting to his songs. He is an amazing lyricist, which is one of my favorite parts of music because they call to me, especially being from NJ. Since 1979, he has played a huge part in my life musically.

[@michaellaporte4951]

It took seeing his Madison Square Garden performance on the TV for me to really get Springsteen, it was an incredible show and he and the band were some of the most charasmatic performances I'd seen, and I still think he's at his best in front of an audience, though I quickly grew a love for his lyricism too. But album-wise, I think his best stuff tends to be the longer, more exploratory tracks than the more pop-forward ones - really consider checking out "Jungleland", "New York City Serenade", or "Indicent On 57th Street".

[@paulschirf9259]

You WILL do Bruce's Jungleland and be blown away.

[@davidmaholchic6146]

A good place to start with Springsteen maybe his best album my favorite also love the first one greetings and born to run his big commercial break Through lots of good 70s tracks Hope you enjoy it love you

[@HunterofInvisibleGame]

Springsteen's lyrics touch your soul then pulls it out of your body

[@kben036]

Bruce Springsteen = New Jersey. He puts on one helluva concert.

[@toddnicholas4056]

This is a great song...one of Bruce's best...saw him live 3 times in 1985...he is a spectacular performer...he and Billy Joel were the most entertaining performers I've ever seen (recommendation for "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by him)...by the way, more Carpenters...I love seeing your fanboy eyes hearing Karen! "Hurting Each Other" "Rainy Days and Mondays", etc....

[@bjwnashe5589]

Nice reaction. This song is so-so on its own, but it's a great opener to a brilliant album filled with deep emotions. A dark album full of dark, gritty material, all the while seeking some kind of redemption through Americana rock music.

[@thelatenightbar]

two things I learned when I was like 11 years old, listening to the 8-track of "Darkness". 1. Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, king ain't satisfied until he rules everything.. 2. ain't no sin to be glad you're alive. no not midwest, not California, the Great State of New Jersey :)

[@jeremyb5640]

Glad to see you listening to Springsteen and this classic album in particular. I describe this as rock ‘n’ soul with a sprinkling of Americana rooted in blue collar New Jersey. You’re right that Springsteen sings with conviction and is a brilliant lyricist. His early life and albums are informed by watching his father’s physical and mental health deteriorate after doing heavy labour in a factory. A lot of his songs talk about breaking free from that life and following your dreams. His autobiography is a brilliant read particularly about those early years in New Jersey and the working families he grew up around. It's that passion, that everyman who's made it big but understands the struggle that speaks to so many. No discussion about Bruce is complete without mentioning the mighty E Street Band who played on so many of his classic albums. That’s the late great Clarence Clemons on sax. The E Street Band features so many great musicians including Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren. Check out a Bruce & the E Street Band live show on DVD or KZbin sometime. They’re epic concerts, routinely three to four hours long. The energy is electric.

[@markspooner1224]

G'day Bruce.

[@sgtBelson]

She’s a good sheila, Bruce, and not at all stuck-up.

[@markspooner1224]

@@sgtBelson It's hot enough to boil a monkey's bum, You Majesty.

[@Habichiwoowoo]

He's in charge of the sheepdip...

[@eluv9660]

Definitely do more of Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen. A few interesting tidbits, his wife Patti Scalf is also a member of the E Street Band and they have been married for decades. Clarence "The Big Fella" Clemons is that wonderful sax player you heard. He passed away a few years ago. Stevie VanZant was a guitar player and added vocals. He also became an actor and is best known as his stint on The Sopranos. Overall I would say The River is my favorite LP of his, but I like all of them. He has a great range of different kinds of songs, but his lyrics are usually top notch. Known for marathon concerts and explosive energy onstage. After you test out a few of his songs, try The Ballad of Tom Joad (main character from The Grapes of Wrath) and use the live version where he is joined by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine. One of the most unique songs of his entire catalog. Haunting.

[@scottdettmar]

Yes, more Bruce ! Live ! Try "Thunder Road".

[@piershollott339]

Roy Bittan, who plays keyboards and piano in the E Street Band, also played on Peter Gabriel's second album ("Scratch"). I'm not sure, but I suspect that Peter wanted to pick up on some of Bruce's storytelling vibe, while continuing the "Mozo" storyline from his first album. I'd love to hear what Bruce Springsteen would do with a song like "Here Comes The Flood". They can both draw on a level of gravelly voice that approaches Tom Waits.

[@jamiegagnon6390]

Yep that New Jersey accent is definitely Mid-Western.... Always pay attention to the lyrics of Springsteen's songs. Some of his anthems like Born on the 4th of July are taken by people who don't listen as being celebratory of the US when they are actually highly critical.

[@eluv9660]

Yep. Back when Born in the USA was first released, I remember all the old veterans at the American Legion loved that song. None of us youngsters spoiled it for them.

[@Habichiwoowoo]

I was out of the country (and worldly pursuits) for two years ('78 & '79), and even though Springsteen started putting out albums in 1973, the only thing I knew about him (without knowing that I knew 'cause I didn't know it was a cover) was the Manfred Mann cover of Blinded By the Light. But when I got home in February of '80, Hungry Heart from, The River, was all over the airwaves and my friends were all agog over this guy. I thought it was a nice song (I might think Minnie Driver's 2004 sultry cover is better), but it didn't wow me at all. Finally, a friend convinced me to buy an album, but I wasn't going to fork out fifteen bucks for a double record set if there was a chance I'd hate it, so I backed up a bit and chose one of his earlier albums. I think I picked Darkness on the Edge of Town simply because I liked the title and because he looks totally wasted on the cover; that amused me. I had never heard rock-and-roll like this before. I was expecting heavy metal power chords like Bad Company or Grand Funk Railroad, but Springsteen's arrangements were almost...delicate. Yes, there were electric guitars, but, did I detect a glockenspiel setting on the organ? It didn't grab me right away (well, Adam Raised a Cain did 'cause it had a screaming guitar and a driving bass) but it did grow on me. I came to appreciate that the music, its style, and the lyrical tone all grew out of a culture about which I knew very little. Deep down, thouvh, there's an anthropologist in me and I found I really enjoyed discovering a new culture. And on an artistic level, I loved making discoveries like the deep irony in the paradox of Racing In the Street, with a musclely lyric like "Tonight, tonight the strip's just right, I wanna blow 'em off in my first heat. Summer's here and the time is right for racin' in the street," that was sung almost like a dirge. I love the whole thing now. And as I've added others to my library, I've loved them all to a greater or lesser degree (Darkness On the Edge of Town, the greatest; Greetings From Asbury Park, the least). Nebraska has its own unique place outside the Springsteen Spectrum for me. When that album came out I was a theatre major at BYU. I was reading a lot of Sam Shepard at the same time I was listening to Nebraska a lot. Plays like Buried Child, Curse of the Starving Class, True West, and Fool For Love are permanantly linked to the haunting musical landscapes of Nebraska. I wholeheartedly endorse this rabbit hole, Justin. Carry on! #IAlsoEndorseTheCityBoyTheDayTheEarthCaughtFireRabbitHole

[@davetramdaks6193]

Bruce can be an acquired taste. I was 15 when born in the USA came out and hated him. Couldn’t avoid him. Took me years (decades) finally get it. See him live. Don’t listen to the haters. He’s gonna tour with the E Street Band next year, don’t miss it, probably the last one. BTW, studio version of Badlands doesn’t hold a candle to the live one. Check out Kiitys Back from the E Street induction to the RnR Hall of Fame ceremony.

[@lightingprotogo]

Live video version of Rosalita circa 1978 is a must

[@steveconnor746]

There's good songs, great songs and then there's songs which become part of your life. That's Springsteen.

[@whiskytalkauspetersschrank]

Darkness on the Edge of town is a great record - pretty depressing and angry in parts - this one is one of the more upbeat sounding songs - maybe my favorit springsteen album to just listen start to finish - not the big hits you heard 1000 time but enough you knwo good enought to humm along

[@StreetSceneLive]

That raw bare bones vibe you get from Bruce is the New Jersey sound pal. 👍😎

[@michaelwalker7991]

An American folk-singing genius of our time. Right, I said 'folk'. It's great R&R, but if his stuff isn't folk, I don't know what is. If you listen more, please mine the cuts from his 1985 3-CD collection of LIVE performances. Unbelievable, really. Thunder Road; The River; Racing in the Streets; Backstreets; Independence Day.

[@hastobe303]

Badlands is a good song by Springsteen, a great band from the 80s/90s as well as a fantastic movie from the early 70's. I recommend them all.

[@-davidolivares]

Yeah, that’s my favorite Springsteen album! Working factory songs, car racing songs, love and fading love songs, really great songs. It is a great opener, keep going. Peace and brooose Music

[@JustJP]

Glad you enjoyed :)

[@sgtBelson]

Bruce is definitely ‘blue collar’ rock, especially the early years, thus the midwest association, I would think. I’ll cast a vote for Thunder Road as a follow-up, with Jungleland and The River as alternates, but you won’t be disappointed with much of his early catalog.

[@derekmeade6350]

Pretty big rabbit hole if you’re starting a Bruce Springsteen journey! Good song to start with: highly recommended the album Born To Run too!

[@richardnanian6075]

When Springsteen was inducted into the Kennedy Center Honors, Jon Stewart introduced him with a joke about how he was the illegitimate son of Bob Dylan and James Brown. Springsteen laughed but in a way that acknowledged that it was insightful. You're right to hear Americana - folk music, in other words - in him. However, the other key influence is soul, which essentially came from gospel. Springsteen's concerts, which always run 3 hours plus and sometimes 4, are the closest thing imaginable to a religious revival meeting, minus the religion. (U2's shows are that way too, except with U2, actual religion is involved.) He's an incredibly passionate performer, and his band - especially Roy Bittan on piano, Nils Lofgren on guitar, the now-deceased Clarence "Big Man" Clemons on sax, and Max Weinberg on drums - has always been great. I see some comments hear contrasting Springsteen with prog-rockers. Don't buy into that too much. Like prog-rockers, Springsteen was an absolute perfectionist in the studio. His recording sessions are legendary for his obsessive attention to detail and his insistence on dozens and dozens of takes. He's not a great guitarist, but he knows what he wants to hear, and the rest of the band, as I noted above, is excellent. Roy Bittan especially has an encyclopedic knowledge of music; his nickname, like Neil Peart's, is "the professor." If you can find it, look up the video of Springsteen when he was on Elvis Costello's show "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with . . ." It's a double-length episode and a great conversation, supplemented by them performing together. In fact, every episode of that TV series is worth watching.

[@Drummingvulture]

Nothing less than superb albums, from his first one, 'Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.', all the way through 'Tunnel Of Love'. My personal favorite is 'Born To Run', but a case can be made for almost any of these albums as being his "best". After 'Tunnel Of Love', his musical quality takes a sharp downturn. At least in my opinion it does. But man, those first fifteen years or so were just amazing albums, one after the other.

[@famat161]

Conviction? You want conviction? Check "The Promised Land" from a concert in Tempe, Arizona 1980 (The River Tour). The concert was videoed and the audio was patched from the sound board. It just sounds great. You like a little harmonica? Here, Bruce has lungs enough for two. He bends the notes. He adds something like vibrato. You like a lot of saxophone? Here is Clarence Clemmons [the big man] playing the sax with a microphone mounted just outside the bell. You like an audience going nuts? You want to be transported to Rattlesnake Speedway in the Utah desert? I like how he's singing his heart out at the end of a rousing, repeating section, he shouts, "NOW YOU." and he points the microphone out towards the audience. Everyone's lovin' it. Then the female fan rushes the stage and gives him a hug. They are each hold the other's gaze as the security guys walk her off stage. This video packs quite a wallop in measly 5:45. kzbin.info/www/bejne/joPHf6p-orqcn7M

[@jimhardiman3836]

Bruce was a big influence on Peter Gabriel's early solo career.

[@jamespaivapaiva4460]

"And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. Hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone. But ain't no sunshine when she's gone". Off to The Badlands of Belmar New Jersey. ( fun fact- you've already played the only original band member to live on E street- David Sancious!) Peace from Bovine Street- moo.

[@-davidolivares]

Big D.

[@maruad7577]

Channeling greatness there. Have you ever listened to "Soul Shadows" by the Crusaders featuring himself on vocals?

[@jamespaivapaiva4460]

@@maruad7577 No but I will now- thanks.

[@palantir135]

Immediately recognized the three snippets of songs you played at the start but my knowledge of Springsteen ends about there.

[@carlosjavierregidoriglesia3847]

Welcome to Bruce Springsteen, a great storyteller and lyricist. You can listen to Thunder Road, The River or Born to Run next.

[@calguy3838]

Bruce has TONS of great songs, but every top rock band has one song that the fans would feel absolutely cheated if they to went to a concert and it wasn't performed. For Bruce Springsteen that song is "Born to Run."

[@seworley1]

currently ... Bruce has a production on Broadway .... where he tells stories and plays acoustic guitar .... I think it is on Netflix

[@seworley1]

yes, it is called Bruce Springsteen on Broadway

[@markgatica12]

Interesting place to start. I was a huge fan in the 70s. This was my favorite track on my favorite album. He was famous for his high energy, marathon shows. I saw a show in 1978 where he took the stage at 8:30 and didn't leave until 1:00 am. Two full sets and three encores. Unfortunately, we had bad break up three years later. Now, we just ignore each other. If one of us sees the other walking down the street, that person crosses to the other side looks away.

[@colecomatt]

Bruuuuuce!!!!! Darkness on the edge...best album..along with Born to run. Happy listening. He is awesome live. 3.5 hour concerts average.

[@ydoesgooglesuck1960]

"lost in the flood" or "does this bus stop...".

[@mikkomfi8643]

I bought this album in 1978 and it was important to me then. I like and even love some of Bruce's music. The previous album "Born to Run" also has some truly great songs. The most I loved his 2nd album from 1973 "The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Huffle". Bruce is a guy and a musician to respect, although his later music did not inspire me that much, like the 3 top ones you played there in the beginning.

[@maruad7577]

Throw in "Blinded by the light" and you will have covered all the Springsteen tunes I know. Solid song. It is music you would listen to while using the back hoe to dig a trench for the new water line. Now I want to listen to Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" (a bit low key for this channel I suspect, though not as low key as the Cowboy Junkies cover of "Sweet Jane"). Bruce Cockburn's "Badlands Flashback" is lighter, more complex (eventually) and more satisfying (for me).

[@avanoosterhout8397]

Springsteen... where to start? Maybe here: The Springsteen dish is best served live. I've been to a few of his concerts over the decades (no, not nearly as much as some others), starting in 1985. I hardly ever will put on a Springsteen record at home, unless it's a live one. Maybe with the exception of his debut "Greetings From Asbury Park N.J." and "Nebraska". Most of the songs on his albums are well written, no complaint there. But they truly shine when he's performing them live.

[@johncagnettajr344]

Listen to his early stuff first. Great story teller. Find the song Rosalita (Come out tonight) .

[@steveobrien9937]

Born to Run is a must....

[@HippoYnYGlaw]

“Hey Rand, I’m tired.. Why don’t u be theBoss for a while? “ “Well... yeah.” Randy 1 Brucey 0 for me I’m afraid But the Tunnel of Love LP i enjoyed.....very much (1990?) This (is better than The Boomtown Rats) but left me cold back in the day for numerous reasons which are too tedious to mention here. My American heroes of 1978 were the Toxic Twins. “Sick as a Dog” & all that. There we are then. Thanks for lettin me hear this. Interesting reflections which made me warm to the song in the end! Diolch

[@jpirard]

you NEED to listen to Kitty's back, or Jungleland. Rosalita, 10th Avenue Freezeout

[@jeffschielka7845]

The Boss! Like him or hate him, Bruce is one hell of a performer. He used to do 5 hour concerts. His band full of excellent musicians. BRUCE!!!!!

[@barneyonmovies5672]

Great reaction and dissection! Bruce visits these themes a lot; in his own words charting "the distance between the american dream and the american reality." Would recommend born to run or jungleland next!

[@JustJP]

Ty Barney!

[@RandyHall324]

I've been a fan of your channel for ages, and can hardly believe you've never heard any Springsteen. I first saw him while in college way back in '77, and have seen him over a dozen times over the years. His live shows are legendary - usually 3.5 hours or more of high energy and brilliant musicianship. Bruce himself sits in every section of the venue during sound checks to ensure everything's right. Badlands is a favorite of mine, but there are literally dozens of songs worth checking out. For someone who's new to his catalog, I'd recommend Born To Run, The River, Kitty's Back, Thunder Road, Rosalita, and Jungleland, an epic masterpiece. Yes, you should definitely check out more from him - his catalog is deep and worthwhile!

[@JustJP]

Thank you Randy, appreciate the suggestions (and for watching for so long!)

[@TheCornishCockney]

Fantastic live,and always does at least a 3 hour set. Being old,I am automatically a Boss fan.

[@rudymartin1253]

He’s always been a voice for the working class.

[@vdggmouse9512]

It's hard to say anything - when you have nothing good to say. So with respect to all you Springsteen fans - I won't.

[@daveking9393]

Well said or "not said"....

[@eluv9660]

Funny thing about Springsteen is that people either love him or are very indifferent. Some of that may be age-based or possibly the uniqueness of his voice. Like Bob Dylan, his voice isn't for everyone. I was kind of just a casual fan until I saw him live. Then I was all in. Not being critical of those that don't care for him because I have same opinion on another popular group, GNR. Axel Rose's voice just grates on me.

[@markmaxwell1013]

Haha, Ditto! I remember a year ago we were hoping JP would finish Still Life by Christmas. I hope playing these bands that got too much airplay in the 70s doesn't stop the chances of that happening by this Christmas. Springsteen has had enough publicity. Need to get underrated masters out there! Some of my favorite bands got tons of airplay back in the day. I would prefer the lesser known bands to get publicity now. It's only fair.

[@vdggmouse9512]

@@markmaxwell1013 Mark - I need your help! Go to JP's reaction to David Bowie Changes! Give it to them, Mark!

[@StreetSceneLive]

You gotta do "Incident on 57th Street" into "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" and "Meeting Across the River" into "Jungleland". You will NOT be sorry.

[@Yaktahbay]

A worthy candidate for a full album reaction, although I think his second is his best and his debut - so lyrically Dylanesque and musically unlike any of his others - might pleasantly surprise you.

[@O_Towne_Bear]

"Born In The USA" was solid but suffered from what I (and perhaps others) would call "E.P.S." or "Eighties Production Syndrome". This is what happened to many of the 60/70s performers in the 80s - it made their sound "thinner" than usual. Where as, "Darkness..." is an amazing album from start to finish.

[@gaiaeternal5131]

Hi Justin. Dave from The Smoke. This Is The Badman's Song! Like you, I don't know much Springsteen, but I do know most of his singles, including this one. Thunder Road and Born To Run (one of the great 1-2-3-4 songs!) are favourites. I've always seen Bruce as a working class hero, and I agree that he sings with real conviction. His voice is one of those rarities combining raucous with sweet - I would compare it with Chris Thompson of Manfred Mann's Earth Band, who ironically covered several of Bruce's songs including their big hit Blinded By The Light (sacrilege, some might say!). Fantastic musicians with him; I'll single out Clarence Clemons on the sax.

[@jimjames8660]

Jersey guy here... I only like the old Bruce like this. The 3 samples you tried are the newer ones. Since you did Telegraph Road already, how about Bruce's Jungleland? They give me a similar vibe. Thunder Road and Born to Run also. BTW, Born to Run is the official NJ state song

[@silgen]

"Thunder Road". Thank me later :)

[@mickcapewell6369]

Sorry, never ‘got’ Springsteen, ever. Not for want of trying...but i often thought that i’d rather be listening to Nils Lofgren instead 🤷‍♂️

[@stephaneethier]

Interestingly, Bruce Springsteen indicated that the "Badlands" riff is a direct quote of the main riff of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", by The Animals, who were a huge influence on him when he was a teenager... Check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j36no4eDo9Jkf6c

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

Well, Bruce has some recognition here in Portugal. Those you played on Spotify I recognized (Ahah) and he also got very popular with the "Philadelphia" OST. Never look too much to Bruce, maybe because his music doesn't appeal that much to me (it's a normal rock) but I recognize he sure has good things, work and songwriting. Maybe he's better with his acoustic tunes, I don't know. But what I wanted to say was... Doesn't his voice sound like Elvis??

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

Ah, by the way he was the writer of Patti Smith hit "Because the Night". Patti Smith, another one that is out of my interests. (ah, let me join Tom Petty, Joan Armtrading and the likes to the group) But thanks again, Justin. It's very open-eyeing when you analyse the lyrics. An last note: Bruce is on the right side, and I appreciate that.

[@grahamkemble3917]

Born to Run, Jungleland.

[@lawrencewestby9229]

Badlands is a staple at his concerts, a fan favorite, of the 30+ times I've seen him he's only not played it once. That said, I've always considered it one of the weaker songs on the album. Just continue on with the next song "Adam Raised a Cain" for a hard rocker. The one thing you've already seemed to have realized, though, is you need to pay attention to the lyrics.

[@daveking9393]

I've had the opportunity at least three times to go see him and each time I said no I never thought it was worth the price. He is known for very long and very energetic live shows. His back up band has some great artists. He has a HUGE following and VERY loyal fan base. I know he's got a great place in rock history and he's done an awful lot, but it all sounds the same to me and because of that I never owned a single Bruce Springsteen LP in my life... And I don't think I will.

[@salsonny]

His music was written around his poetic lyrics

[@johnramsell8078]

Bruce, I feel is an acquired taste for me. His biggest songs I liked right away, but for many of his albums, it took me a couple listens to “get him” completely. But once I did, I was hooked. Darkness is a great album, Born to Run might actually be a good next step (song and album) are both fantastic. My favorite Springsteen album is Nebraska, which is stark, ghostly , and acoustic, with some of the best songwriting I have ever heard

[@sarahzentexas]

Oh, my! I can’t imagine knowing nothing about Bruce! But sure, okay…you’re young. It’s a decent excuse. But his catalog is as big as the sky, with tons of sparkling stars. This is my personal favorite Bruce album, so 😃, and Candy’s Room is my favorite song on this album. Bruce is New Jersey through and through!