Your Friday Bruce Fix

Bruce Springsteen, Darkness on the Edge of Town

As 2011 rolls into 2012, it is a time for reflecting on the year that was and the year to come. Every year presents its challenges and opportunities, and perhaps the trick is to see the opportunities in those challenges, and to fight for what you believe in. Whether you find yourself looking back on 2011 or forward to 2012, I think this holds true.

Music can be a source of inspiration for many of us, and if you're reading this blog, then maybe Bruce Springsteen's music inspires you. In the mid to late 1970's when I was getting into Bruce, some of my friends who didn't like Bruce used to comment that they thought his music was depressing, and they often cited 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' as an example. Despite my best efforts to convince them, they never really got it.

I've always felt that the power of this and many of Bruce's other great songs comes from their acknowledgement of the reality that life isn't always easy, and the need to face your challenges with faith, hope, the strength of your convictions and a belief in yourself and the people around you. I think 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' exemplifies this and can serve to inspire.

So, I leave you at the end of 2011 with a few choice lyrics and a few passionate performances over the years from Bruce to guide you as you take on 2012.

"Tonight I'll be on that hill 'cause I can't stop
I'll be on that hill with everything I got
Lives on the line where dreams are found and lost
I'll be there on time and I'll pay the cost
For wanting things that can only be found
In the darkness on the edge of town"

Happy Friday and Happy New Year!

Bruce Springsteen, Jingle Bell Rock, Blue Christmas

It's Friday, Dec 23rd and I would imagine that if you're at work this morning, you won't be there very long, as you've probably still got plenty to do before Christmas arrives.  If you don't happen to celebrate Christmas, then you can certainly pretend you do so you can get out of the office early.  Of course, if you're not already in the office today, don't go in there but then, you didn't need me to tell you that, did you?

Since you've got so much left to do, let's dive right in with a December 6, 2001 performance of 'Jingle Bell Rock' from one of five nights of Christmas Concerts at Asbury Park's Convention Hall.

With the news that Bruce and the E Street Band will tour again in 2012, their first tour without Clarence Clemons, it feels quite right to close off with the last song from the last time Clarence performed with Bruce and the band, almost exactly 9 years to the day later, on December 7, 2010.  This rendition of 'Blue Christmas' comes from a performance videotaped just a short walk south along the boardwalk from the Convention Hall, this time at the Carousel. Five songs from this show were later shown via webcast, and were also included as bonus material in 'The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town'.

How fitting, that Bruce sang the words  "I'll have a blue Christmas without you" his last time on stage with his pal Clarence Clemons.

Merry Christmas and Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, The E Street Band, Clarence Clemons, Growin' Up

This past week we got the news we've all been waiting for. Almost exactly two years to the day from the end of his last tour, Bruce Springsteen announced that he and The E Street Band will release an album of new music and start a new tour in mid-2012.

I wasn't quite sure what to do about that with this week's fix. The news has been well covered by all the usual great sources, including Blogness On The Edge Of Town, Greasy Lake, and Backstreets. If you want to keep an eye on tour dates as they're announced, and plan your life accordingly, you won't go wrong following these great sites for any Bruce lover.  Of course, you can always visit that Springsteen guy's web site, too.

As for me, I thought I'd pay a visit to where we last left off, Buffalo. Here's a performance from the last stop on the last tour, Nov 22, 2009. It might make you laugh, cry or both. I was smiling throughout as I watched this, yet I couldn't help but be sad at the same time. Maybe you'll have the same reaction.

Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark

After last night's extraordinary Game 6 of the World Series, I thought it would be appropriate to play Bruce Springsteen's 'Glory Days', to my recollection the only song in which he references baseball.  If I'm wrong about that, please let me know.  I just don't feel like reading every word of every song he ever wrote, so it is possible that I'm wrong.

In the official video for 'Glory Days' Bruce does a little acting, including firing a few speedballs of his own from the mound.  At the end of the video, we also get a brief long-distance glimpse of his first wife, Julianne Phillips, the other actor in that relationship, in one of her less demanding roles.

This video comes from Bruce's performance at the Glastonbury Festival on June 27, 2009, in the middle of the European leg of the 'Working On A Dream' tour.  'Glory Days' and 'Dancing In the Dark' were the final two songs of a 27 song set.  As always, impressive energy from a 60 year old man, who was doing his best to drain the last bit of energy out of an enthusiastic crowd.

Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, Jungleland

June 24, 2011, in the first Friday Bruce Fix following Clarence Clemons' death, I wrote about how difficult it would be for Bruce Springsteen to replace Clarence Clemons, particularly on stage.  I questioned whether Bruce would even try, and whether this might spell the end of the E Street Band. I wondered how Bruce could ever play 'Jungleland' again.

This past week, news surfaced that Bruce has called a meeting with his E Street band mates to discuss their future. Presumably, all options are on the table. I believe that the least likely outcome would be that this group of musicians will simply cease to be a band and never again hit the road together.

In the interest of being helpful and expedient, and saving Bruce and the band a whole lot of angst and difficult discussions, I'd like to give them the right solution to this quandary.

1. Keep the band together, keep on playing. It's who you are, it's what you do. The music must go on.
2. Do not attempt to replace Clarence with another sax player.  This is about much more than replacing an instrumentalist. Clarence is irreplaceable. No one else can stand in that spot on that stage, and fill those big shoes.
3. Replace Clarence with a horn section, probably 4 piece, trumpet, trombone, two saxes.
4. Play 'Jungleland'. When it comes time for the sax solo, play a video recording of Clarence playing that solo. The band keeps playing live, with The Big Man up on the big screen, bigger than life. I can imagine the crowd exploding with that first note, as Clarence appears on screen, and maybe a sustained roar throughout the solo. Bruce could lead the fist pumping. Would there be a dry eye in the house?

I'm not sure whether the video should be of one live performance, unedited, as was, or whether it should be a video collage of Clarence over the years playing that solo, but set to one continuous live, unedited performance.  The horn section can handle all the other sax parts.

I'd welcome other suggestions. Please post your comments. Let's help Bruce through this difficult decision. If you agree with my point of view, please spread the word via Twitter and in whatever other way suits you. Somehow, we have to get word to Bruce, as insurance against the unlikely event that he misses this week's Fix.

Oh, I almost forgot. Here's a rendition of 'Jungleland' to help you imagine the scenario I've described.

Happy Friday!

 

 

Bruce Springsteen, Bobby Jean

I'm not quite sure how this happened, but at around three months short of four years of doing Friday Bruce Fixes, and after roughly 450 songs, I've somehow managed not to play a song that I've loved from the very first time I heard it. Today, a horrible wrong is righted.

'Bobby Jean' was one of the last of the 50 or so songs that were played and recorded during the recording sessions for Bruce's 1984 monster hit album 'Born In The USA'. If I remember correctly, that album spawned seven top 10 singles: (In no particular order: Dancing in the Dark, Cover Me, Born in the USA, Glory Days, I'm On Fire, No Surrender, My Hometown.)

Since I thought Bobby Jean was such a great song, I was sure Bruce would see fit to release it as a single. As he released each new single, I kept thinking, "well, the next one will be Bobby Jean". I was really pulling for 'Bobby Jean' because I wanted that 8th top 10 single so he could surpass Michael Jackson's 7 top 10 singles from 'Thriller'.  But, of course that never happened.  Bruce didn't listen to me and missed his chance at immortality.

So, to make up for nearly 4 years of a 'Bobby Jean' free Friday Bruce Fix, here are 4 live renditions of, you guessed it, 'Bobby Jean'!  Always great to hear Clarence Clemons blow his horn, too.

Happy Friday!

 

Bruce Springsteen, Street Fighting Man, The Last Time, Satisfaction

The other night I stumbled upon Jonathan King's cover of the Rolling Stone's 'Satisfaction' and I recalled Bruce Springsteen's love of Rolling Stones tunes.  As a result, today's Friday Bruce Fix features a few Stones covers.

In the lead off slot is 'Street Fighting Man' which contains this great lyric "What can a poor boy do except sing for a rock 'n roll band".  That line alone is reason enough to sing this song.  This comes from July 4, 1985 at Wembley Stadium in London, which in a way ties in to the unfortunate rioting this past week on London streets.

Next, we fast way forward to October 9, 2009, the last of 5 consecutive shows at Giant Stadium in New Jersey, and in fact the last time Bruce would play there before the wrecking ball came to tear it down. Note in the introduction that Bruce claims the band had never played this song before. Well, he was wrong.  They played it on the last night of the Darkness tour in 1979.  Can't he remember every single song he's played since the mid 1960s?  I guess age will do that to you. (I wouldn't know anything about that!)

Finally, you must get some 'Satisfaction', so here you go, a clip from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on January 20, 1988, with Mick himself and a few other folks. This night was apparently the last time Bruce would be seen in public with his then wife Julianne Phillips. Perhaps a mutual lack of satisfaction was to blame.

Hey, why not let you hear Jonathan King's cover of 'Satisfaction'.  I'd call this more of an interpretation than a cover.  Have you heard this one before?  What do you think?

Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Jersey Girl, Tom Waits, The Piano Has Been Drinking, Tom Traubert's Blues

A few weeks back, on March 14th to be precise, Tom Waits was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  I should have marked the occasion at that time though a Friday Bruce Fix, but over the last three Fridays I allowed myself to be distracted by St. Patrick's Day, the word that Bruce's next release may be a solo album, followed by a little April Fools prank. :)

So, better late than never, let's pay a bit of a tribute to Tom Waits. The link between Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits for most people goes straight to Bruce's live covers of Tom's 'Jersey Girl'.  I have to confess that the first time I heard it, I think from a bootleg, I thought it was Bruce's song. He started playing it on the River tour and a recording from that tour from the Meadowlands in New Jersey in 1981 would eventually be released as the "B" side to 'Cover Me' in 1984, and then on the "Live 1975-1985" box set, in 1986.

Here's a more recent recording, through a pretty good quality video shot by someone standing down in the pit.  Bruce chose it as the final song at the final show at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, before they brought on that wrecking ball and knocked it down.

There's good news and bad news about this next version of 'Jersey Girl'.  The bad news is that there's no video.  The good news is that this one is a Bruce and Tom Waits duet!  I believe this is from Bruce’s August 24, 1981 appearance at the LA Sports Arena.  When Bruce introduced the song, he apparently said something like “when I first heard this song, I couldn’t believe I didn’t write it.”

Finally, I can't let this fix finish without a classic piece of video from the mid '70s when Tom Waits dropped by the set of 'Fernwood Tonight', hosted by Martin Mull and Fred Willard.

I decided I needed more of a Tom fix.  Here's his classic 'Tom Traubert's Blues'.

Congratulations, Tom and Happy Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Johnny 99

I'm not sure why, but this week I need a 'Johnny 99' fix.  Maybe I don't need a reason. Anyone who needs a 'Johnny 99' fix should be able to get it when they need it. 

This first rendition is pretty faithful to the original recording as released on 'Nebraska', although the vocal is little more raw and urgent, thanks in no small part to performing in front of a very large audience in Paris in the summer of 1985, at the height of Bruce Mania.

Separated by 24 years, a bandana and a few muscles, here's a rousing rendition from 2009, when the 'Working On A Dream' tour stopped in Dublin, an entirely appropriate location for this week's closing clip, considering St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner.  Great to hear Irish Stevie Van Zandt shredding on the back half of this clip.

Happy Irish Johnny Friday!

Bruce Springsteen, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

This being December 24th, I expect that most of you are in a hurry to get somewhere, or to get something done or get ready for Christmas, so I'll keep this short and sweet.

Today's clip is from Bruce Springsteen's last show on his last tour (for now) which ended in Buffalo, NY on November 22nd, 2009.  Being that close to Christmas, and his last show until Christmas, it was no surprise that Bruce chose to play this seasonal favourite.

Happy Friday and Merry Christmas to all!