Bruce Springsteen’s thoughtful and melancholy take on love and loss is one of his best albums. Fresh from the stadium-packed success of Born in the USA, Bruce turned inward, reflecting on his past and his relationships. The entire E Street Band wasn’t used but Patty Scialfa, Clarence Clemons, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, and Danny Federici are used on multiple tracks, especially Weinberg - with Bruce paring down the songs to the basics, sometimes just an acoustic guitar. All the tracks are good, but below are the 5 best.
Tunnel of Love
The most “pop” song on the album. Bruce lays down great syncopated lyrics on top of the fast drums and steady organ. Love the triplet rhythms, back-up singing and frequent changes that kick in perfectly.
Favorite lyrics: It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough/Man meets woman and they fall in love/But the house is haunted and the ride gets rough/You’ve got to learn to live with what you can’t rise above
Brilliant Disguise
The very best song on the album, and one of his 2 or 3 best. The best struggling relationship song ever and one of my all-time favorite videos. So confident in the song, Bruce was OK to go black and white with a single slow push-in. No tricks necessary, the song is an unbeatable knockout. Live version here. Acoustic version here.
Favorite lyrics: Tonight our bed is cold/I’m lost in the darkness of our love/God have mercy on the man/Who doubts what he’s sure of
Tougher Than the Rest
A beautiful ballad where Bruce promises strength and security at the beginning of a relationship.
Favorite lyrics: The road is dark/And it’s a thin thin line/But I want you to know I’ll walk it for you any time
Walk Like A Man
A tribute to his father – and, in turn, all fathers whose sons have tried to emulate them. There’s vivid imagery in the great lyrics.
Favorite lyrics: Well so much has happened to me/That I don’t understand/ All I can think of is being 5 years old following behind you at the beach/Tracing your footprints in the sand/Trying to walk like a man
One Step Up
Great broken chords and running lyrics mesh perfectly. More vivid lyrics about a troubled relationship.
Favorite lyrics: When I look at myself I don’t see/The man I wanted to be/Somewhere along the line I slipped off track/One step up and two steps back
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Five by Springsteen - Tunnel of Love edition
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4 comments:
In reading "For You," at first it's hard to believe that one performer could possibly have touched this many people this deeply — lifted them from depression, kept them from suicide, helped them through divorce or the death of a parent, or worse, a child. But story after story reveals just how much Springsteen's music and his almost superhuman presence on the concert stage have penetrated people's lives and, in as much as it is possible for music to do so, made them whole.
Nice bolo tie. Do you have this one on CD, or is it still in the infamous "tape vault"?
nice reviews. i do love the boss. brilliant disguise if my favorite of these as well (although probably does not make my top two or three). nice reminders.
To me, Springsteen is only second to Bob Dylan, and better in many ways since he actually seems to give a damn about people. I'll have to check out the book.
Lawyer, I upgraded to the CD. I'd like to think the tie is part of a Halloween costume, but probably just bad fashion judgment in 1987. But, I'll take substance over style every single day of the year.
Priest, I guess I'll take Thunder Road, Brilliant Disguise, and Across the Border and be open to discussion on any of his other great songs.
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