Your Friday Bruce Fix

Bruce Springsteen, Terry's Song

Yesterday afternoon, I was contemplating two distinctly different ideas for this week's fix.  Then I received an email that knocked me onto by butt for a few hours.  Today, I don't feel much better, but I do know what to do with this week's fix. 

My friend Kevin died in a terrible car accident Wednesday afternoon.  We worked together for a few years in the early 90s and kept in regular contact over the years, right up until last week's phone call.  He was in good spirits, as he generally was.  He loved life, life loved him back and he leaves a staggering number of people with a lot of fond memories.  A lot of my memories involve golf, beer, chicken wings and many laughs.

I've met a lot of people in my life, but there was only one Kevin.  So, this week's fix features Bruce Springsteen's tribute to his friend and personal assistant Terry Magovern who passed away on July 30, 2007.  On August 1st, Bruce wrote this song and performed it at Terry's memorial service the next day.

It seems Terry and Kevin may have been very much alike, at least in their uniqueness and in the force of their personalities.  I'm struggling to find words, so I'll let Bruce's lyrics carry the rest of this fix. 

We'll all miss you, bud.  When they built you, brother, they broke the mold.

Well they built the Titanic to be one of a kind
But many ships have ruled the seas
They built the Eiffel Tower to stand alone
But they could build another if they please
Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt
Are unique I suppose
But when they built you, brother
They broke the mold

Now the world is filled with many wonders
Under the passing sun
Sometimes something comes along
And you know it's for sure the only one
Mona Lisa, the David, the Sistine Chapel
Jesus, Mary and Joe
And when they built you, brother
They broke the mold

When they built you , brother
They turned us into gold
And when they built you, brother
They broke the mold

They say you can't take it with you
But I think that they're wrong
Cause all I know I woke up this morning
And something big was gone
Gone into that dark ether
Where you're still young and hard and cold
Just like when they built you, brother
They broke the mold

Now your death is upon us
And we'll return your ashes to the earth
And I know you'll take comfort in knowing
You been roundly blessed and cursed
But love is a power greater than death
Just like the songs and stories told
And when she built you, brother
She broke the mold

That attitude's a power stronger than death
Alive and burning when you're stone cold
And when they built you, brother

Bruce Springsteen, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, after all, it's Christmas morning and I've got presents to give out, and hopefully even a couple to receive.  I also have to prepare myself for all the overindulgences of the day that will surely follow last night's overindulgences.  It won't be easy, but I'm sure if I stay focused, I will somehow get through it all. 

So, here you go.  If Santa hasn't yet arrived, then maybe this will tide you over until he does.

If that wasn't enough, how about this from the Max Weinberg Seven, with support from key members of New Jersey rock royalty, including Bruce, Little Steven, Jon Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny, and Bobby Bandiera, with Nils Lofgren, Gary US Bonds and Willie Nile thrown in for good measure.

Merry Christmas and Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Halloween, Brilliant Disguise

Today's Friday Bruce Fix takes its inspiration from the fact that tomorrow is Halloween.  I am a little too old to get dressed up and go out trick or treating, although for the right party invitation I might just dust off my legendary Christmas tree costume.  Actually, tomorrow night I'll be home handing out, to the monsters that come to my front door, whichever chocolate treats I manage not to eat between now and then.  Kids, you better hurry but remember, no costume, no disguise, no candy.

This week's first clip revisits a difficult period in Bruce's life when his marriage to Julianne Phillips was falling apart.  Bruce has always done a nice job of keeping the juicy details of his personal life fairly private, yet all the while writing about the things going on in his life.  We didn't really know why his first marriage wasn't working out, yet we knew it was happening by listening to the songs on 'Tunnel of Love'. 

'Brilliant Disguise' was the first single off the album.  As usual, it is full of great lines such as:  "I want to know if it's you I don't trust, 'cause I damn sure don't trust myself" and "God have mercy on the man, who doubts what he's sure of".  I love the live vocal track and the very slow zoom that lasts through the whole song in the official video, with Bruce looking very much like a man who doubts what he's sure of.

If for some reason the above clip gets removed from YouTube, you can always link here to watch it:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx0E6EbpSn0

The second clip comes from a performance years later, in October of 2007 at New York's Madison Square Gardens, with Bruce a lot more sure of the relationship he's in, and with a lot of distance from the relationship that inspired the song.  Same song, different context, and here it seems to mean something different, that perhaps while there are always going to be challenges, this relationship is and will always be much better.

Happy Halloween, happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Angel Eyes, Jersey Girl, Tom Waits

In this week's Friday Bruce Fix, we mark the passing of "Il Padrone" (The Boss) Frank Sinatra almost exactly 11 years ago today, on May 14, 1998, at the age of 82.  Frank's last televised appearance took place November 19, 1995 at a star-studded 80th birthday tribute at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.  Bruce Springsteen, also "The Boss", was one of the many who performed for Frank that night.  Both men are of course from New Jersey, and years later both would be among the first 15 inductees into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. 

Yes, it's true, New Jersey does have a Hall of Fame.  Others inducted along with the two Bosses included Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Yogi Berra, Vince Lombardi, Meryl Streep and Malcolm Forbes.  The two Bosses are in good company.

I can't think of a way to work that other "Boss", Richard J. Daley, former Mayor of Chicago, into this week's fix (other than to say that I can't think of a way to do it...) although I will point out that if you ever happen to wander into "Boss Bar" next time you're in Chicago, don't expect to see a bunch of Springsteen or Sinatra memorabilia.  If you have to ask "Who's The Boss?" when you're in Chicago, then you don't know Chicago.

Our first clip features a brown eyed Jersey Boy singing 'Angel Eyes' to the blue eyed Jersey Boy celebrating his 80th birthday.  Ol' Blue Eyes made a pretty decent living singing this and other saloon songs like it.  Those other "Jersey Boys", Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, did not sing any saloon songs like this, to the best of my recollection.

Next, the brown eyed Jersey Boy gives us his best Tom Waits cover, 'Jersey Girl', which Bruce began performing on The River Tour.  It was first released as the B Side to 'Cover Me' in 1984, and was included in the Live 1975-1985 box set.

And to close the loop on Jersey Boys singing saloon songs, here's how it's done.

Take the rest of the day off. Happy Friday!

The Wrestler, On Boxing Day, with Mickey Rourke and Bruce Springsteen

'The Wrestler' is a new Darren Aronofsky film starring Mickey Rourke.  The official release date was December 17th, though only on a limited basis, with wider release following on Christmas Day.  Already there is considerable Oscar buzz around Mickey's performance, along with his best actor Golden Globe nomination.  There is also much buzz swirling around for that Springsteen guy who happens to have written a song called 'The Wrestler', which runs over the closing credits. To go with his Golden Globe nominatin for Best Original Song, perhaps Bruce will be in line for another Oscar when all is said and done.

Now, if you happen to be a songwriter who aspires to write for movies and are a more than a little miffed that Bruce seems to get a lot of choice assignments (like he needs the work) and you don't seem to get any, here's what you have to do:

1)  Befriend Mickey Rourke 20 years ago, ideally over drinks at the Stone Pony.

2)  Stay friends with Mickey.

3)  Get Mickey to send you a great screenplay to inspire you.

4)  Write a great song.

It's that easy.  Don't say I never did anything nice for you.

Now that we've got that out of the way, here's 'The Wrestler'.

And here's the trailer to the film.  Looks like it might be a good one.  I already know I'm going to love the closing credits.  Has anyone seen it yet?

And, just because I stumbled upon this, here's a silly little clip featuring what sounds like some backstage patter with a radio DJ at one of Bruce's shows at the Bottom Line in NYC in 1975.  This brief clip is called 'The Boxer'.  If I didn't I give you this clip today, we'd have to wait another six years for Boxing Day to fall on a Friday.  It seemed silly to wait.  Anyway, you may recall Mickey tried his hand at professional boxing, so it all hangs together, in a strange Friday Bruce Fix sort of way.

Happy Boxing Day!