" I saw Rock N Roll's future and his name is Bruce Springsteen"- Jon Landau
On August 25th, 1975 , Bruce Springsteen (The Boss) released Born To Run on Columbia records. Born To Run finally broke the mold for Springsteen and his life has since become a Cinderella Story. Bruce was born in Freehold, N.J. to Adele Springsteen and father Douglas Springsteen. Springsteen came from blue-collard working roots and his childhood was anything but ordinary which he goes into great /heartbreaking detail in his superb memoir . Prior to Born To Run, his two previous albums Greetings From Asbury Park N.J. and The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle already showcased Springsteen's sophisticated songwriting with classics such as Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) and It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City. However, critics were labeling him as "The Next Bob Dylan". Dylan was a major influence on Bruce, but he was itching to create his own mark on rock n roll. The first wise step was adding new members to the E Street Band like longtime childhood friend and guitarist Steve Van Zandt and drumming wizard Max Weinberg. With a new lineup at the forefront, Springsteen was able to create what we now know as The E Street sound. Born To Run is in the same class as timeless albums with the likes of Revolver and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as in their isn't a single song to skip and is like the finest aged whiskys and wines .
For starters, I can't think of any better opening track as Thunder Road. The minute you hear that opening harmonica line I'm instantly nostalgic for my childhood as my mother would sing me this song to help me fall asleep. Everything about Thunder Road is just euphoric . The opening piano line, Bruce's flowing lyrics , and the drumming of Max Weinberg is just incredible. Stand out lyric? "It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out here to win" what a powerful statement . Every single teenager/young adult can relate to those lyrics because they're sick of their hometown ; want to break free and to make something of their life. Truly inspiring.
Tenth-Avenue Freeze Out established the now legendary E Street Sound. Thanks to Steven Van Zandt and his arrangement, we now have that iconic horn intro backed up with James Brown style guitar technique.Of course the best part of the song musically is Clarence Clemons and his sax. The true bread and butter of the E Street Sound.
Jungleland is a 9 minute epic which I consider Bruce Springsteen at his lyrical best and is his rock n roll "Rhapsody In Blue" . Bruce paints a a lyrical landscape with iconic characters like "the barefoot girl drinking warm beer on the hood of a Dodge in the soft summer rain" to the West Side Story rumble being fought out in the alley . This is without a doubt his greatest achievement lyrically .
45 years on, and it still never gets old. Every time I play it either on my turntable or in my car, there's always something fresh and new to discover. I hope to see him live one day. Till then, tramps like myself maybe really are Born To Run.
