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Just as important, hes exalted the the majesty, the mystery, the ministry of rock and roll!
It is my absolute delight to remain in service to update this list for the duration.)
Where multiple versions of a song exist, theyre addressed within the same listing when relevant.
I say probably because there were no notes provided or context given.
Why was this throwaway included in a deluxe box set?
Why was this even released?
339.Mary Queen of Arkansas,Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.This is a terrible song.
The music is maudlin, the lyrics overwritten.
This songs only saving grace is the introduction of the phrase hubcap heaven into the vernacular.
337.This Is Your Sword,High Hopes.More like This Is Your Cliche.
Its an attempt to make something out of nothing.
The music is saccharine and theres a tremulous quality to the vocals, which dont add anything.
336.Bishop Danced,Tracks.Early songs arent automatically assigned holy status.
335.Zero and Blind Terry,Tracks.Again, just because a song is old doesnt mean that it deserves worship.
Thats where this song belongs.
Its an interesting idea that feels complete, but isnt.
Not the worst offender on this grab bag of an album, but its close.
As originally written, American Land would fit comfortably alongside many of the songs onTom Joad.
It is direct, dark, and very bleak.
The music is Pogues lite.
(Irish Springsteen fans have described it as, This is what people think Irish music sounds like.)
The lyrics are impenetrable, as if he wanted them to feel like a poem.
A poem is not a song and vice versa.
Its St. Patricks Day for the non-Irish.
Its a slow, lugubrious ballad with a decent vocal delivery and a solid sax solo.
That, to me, is its righteous home.
Saying fucking in the last verse does not accomplish that.
Like much ofWorking on a Dream, there are too many Brian Wilson fantasies pursued here.
328.Lift Me Up,The Essential Bruce Springsteen.There are many vocal styles at which Bruce Springsteen excels.
Falsetto is not one of them.
327.Working on a Dream,Working on a Dream.Melodically, its reminiscent of Wichita Lineman.
He also whistles in two lines.
Springsteen has said that he was thinking of Dionne Warwick when he wrote the melody in the 90s.
Lets hope it stays there.
Whats most disappointing is that he chose to cash in that chip on this particular song.
324.Harrys Place,High Hopes.A leftover from theRisingera that sounds like it was recorded in the 90s.
Clarences sax solo is the only redeeming factor.
It would be perfect for an AARP commercial, which is less of a diss than it might seem.
The harmonies are great, but the rest of it is cringeworthy.
There are some very interesting textures and the languid tone definitely conveys a specific emotional detachment.
Sometimes that worked well (Roll of the Dice, Real World), sometimes it didnt.
317.Night Fire,The Ties That Bind.ThisRiver-era outtake feels like the worst of 70s rock radio.
Docked for the insipid guitar solo and the forced crooning on the vocals.
315.Whitetown,The Ties That Bind.Like Jackson Cage, its not entirely clear what Whitetown is about.
Is it a commentary on the racial divide in middle-America factory towns?
Is it an allegory about suburban life?
Plus, its set within a power-pop background that owes a couple of royalty points to the Raspberries.
That concept definitely has potential, but the final result feels too vague.
This time, its set over a breezy country melody.
Bruce wrote that about Born in the U.S.A. but it also describes the audiences reaction to Wrecking Ball.
308.Goin Cali,Tracks.The title is awful, but the idea held promise.
The song has some interesting passages, which Springsteen would later plunder for Living Proof.
Springsteen would borrow bits and bobs cars, characters, choices and employ them in better fashion elsewhere.
The music is pedestrian and the story is unconvincing.
Hes neither a hero nor an anti-hero.
Hes just a cartoon.
(Note: This song was only on the bonus special edition.)
299.Hurry Up Sundown,American Beauty EP.Its a Springsteenian take on Pleasant Valley Sunday.
298.Linda Let Me Be the One,Tracks.The E Street Band does their best Wrecking Crew imitation.
That isnt a bad thing, but an unremarkable melody cant lift this one up.
Though the song is certainly not memorable, Federicis performance remains unmistakable even after all these years.
296.Cross My Heart,Human Touch.A low-key, down-tempo, country-flavored track about commitment and betrayal.
Again, these themes are dealt with far better on the rest of the album.
292.Cynthia,Tracks.If the Sir Douglas Quintet overdosed on saccharine, Cynthia would be the result.
291.Paradise,The Rising.A haunting, ambitious attempt to portray multiple perspectives of the afterlife.
287.Mary Mary,American Beauty EP.As Springsteen tells it, Mary Mary came very close to makingHigh Hopes.
He doesnt make a strong case for either.
The instrumentation of the intro sounds like a medley of 80s alternative bands.
Nevertheless, Federici is utterly delightful in the last minute or so.
But he covers this subject extensively and more effectively on several other tracks onLetter to You.
Its just acoustic guitar, E Streets Charles Giordano on piano, and Marty Rifkin on pedal steel.
Its a sad little ballad about a Faustian bargain that backfires, as they all do eventually.
278.Nothing Man,The Rising.A worthy idea, but its accomplished more successfully on the rest of the album.
275.City of Night,The Promise.A Mr. Waits for you on line one, Bruce.
The songs lively pop melody would have been better used with a different set of lyrics.
Waiting on a Sunny Day comes next.
In this context, a light, fluffy number about hope and optimism is both crucial and welcome.
But lets be clear: Sunny Day is not a great song, nor an important or interesting one.
269.Stray Bullet,The Ties That Bind.The title is evocative, but the vocals feel unnecessarily overwrought.
Melodically, Bittan and Clarence Clemons bring their A game.
Absolutely majestic performances from both of them.
A heartbreaking song to listen to once, let alone multiple times.
267.Mary Lou,Tracks.A.k.a.
Be True with an interesting melody, but overwrought vocal delivery.
Probably shouldve made the cut forTunnel of Love.
Well, this ones for you.
263.When Youre Alone,Tunnel of Love.An unkind song told by a bitter, scorned man.
The tune seems much nicer than the story actually is.
It otherwise sounds almost exactly like Brilliant Disguise, but was written in the 90s.
Bonus points for the freak-out that ensues whenever homophobic fans discover it for the first time.
It is a lyrical departure for Springsteen, and it is fascinating.
259.The Line,The Ghost of Tom Joad.The narrator should have a drink with Joe Roberts from Highway Patrolman.
Its a poignant, heartbreaking story, but the synthesizer weighs everything down.
The title absolutely says it all.
254.Dry Lightning,The Ghost of Tom Joad.The electricity manifests, but doesnt quite connect.
The mariachi-inspired melody in the background is just enough to knock it up a few spots.
Theres no happy ending, though; the song ends with the same line that opens it.
Former E Streeter David Sancious gently graces the track with B3 organ.
In both theme and sound, Cautious Man would have fit well onNebraska.
248.Life Itself,Working on a Dream.One of the more genuinely interesting numbers on the record.
Its another reflection on mortality, arranged over pleasingly textured guitar layers.
247.I Wish I Were Blind,Human Touch.A milquetoast rumination on jealousy and heartbreak.
Springsteen covers the same themes more dynamically and with greater interest in other songs.
A sad tune, but ultimately successful.
Its a quiet, gently heartbreaking little number.
Two Mexican brothers come to the U.S. and find work in the orchards, doing the work thehueroswouldnt do.
241.Car Wash,Tracks.An utterly charming, unexpectedly specific story, told within two minutes.
Everyone turns his back on him, and the outcome is sadly predictable.
But on Moonlight Motel, it feels … healthier?
As if theres some genuine closure happening.
That absence renders the skillfulness of the arrangement (thanks to Jon Brion) hollow.
Springsteen should write more theme songs for movies.
This one has great atmosphere, along with tension and texture added by percussion and a wicked scratch-guitar riff.
By the end, its got a guitar solo, harmonica, and a haunting organ melody line.
If you used this for your wedding, just dont write in and complain.
231.Hey Blue Eyes,American Beauty EP.This is phenomenal political commentary.
He might as well have hid it under a rock.
And that giggle at the fadeout!
Its a more primal Ramrod and there probably wasnt room for both.
The only saving grace is Clarences rich and heartfelt sax solo.
It was inspired byInherit the Wind, although Springsteen took the story in an entirely different direction.
(The 88 live version is better.)
That said, something almost a touch too slick here takes away from the intended earnestness.
Springsteens longtime manager Jon Landau is actually on drums for this one.
220.The Big Payback,The Essential Bruce Springsteen.More rockabilly fun, recorded at home post-Nebraska.
It would be a great Nick Lowe song.
So, we got Factory.
Seems a bit extreme for just parole violation, if you ask me.
Its still definitely an outtake, though.
The idea doesnt feel sufficiently formed.
The instrumentation is also absolutely stellar.
Put on your headphones for this one.
(you might see footage of this process on theBlood BrothersDVD.)
210.Dollhouse,Tracks.Jangly and frenetic, this is a song you could dance to in the rec room.
Bruce brings the teen-idol stance right to the front, and its got great harmonies.
Plus, he successfully addresses the subject that dodged him for quite some time: healthy adult relationships.
He was ready to make music with another band, but didnt have anything pulled together just yet.
On tour, however, it transformed into a political statement about the L.A. riots.
Its deliberately meant to sound like it comes from another era.
Springsteen directly holds accountable those that sent them there.
204.Iceman,Tracks.This mournful and dramatic outtake has the dubious distinction of being a song that Springsteen completely forgot.
The modern rendition is missing the heat of Bruce circa 78, but he still manages to bring it.
It is absolutely all of those things a building, soaring, buoy-you-up tune.
The horn line alone is life-affirming.
199.Easy Money,Wrecking Ball.Remember the Bankers Hill party referenced in Shackled and Drawn?
This is that, but set to a properly countrified tale of actual evil villains.
197.Save My Love,The Promise.An affectionate, piano-drenched love letter to a distant love.
He opens the record with this problem statement: Despite everything that might follow, love still eludes him.
Its heartbreak wrapped up in a rockabilly overcoat.
Its not a linear story: Hes showing vignettes, faded Kodachrome images flashing one by one.
194.None But the Brave,The Essential Bruce Springsteen.A wistful, spirited remembrance of the Jersey Shore club scene.
Even the music is sarcastic, if thats possible.
How else would you describe this exaggerated, knee-slapping, electronic folk number?
Its also one of many elements of his songwriting that makes it consistently compelling.
On the other hand, the echo on the chorus is both out of context and jarring.
189.The Last Carnival,Working on a Dream.The Last Carnival was written for Federici, who died in 2008.
Hitch Hikin,WesternStars.
The guitar duel between Springsteen and Tom Morello is the most interesting part, to be honest.
The band rehearsal version was brutal, adjacent to the kind ofnoiratmosphere captured in Point Blank.
The 2019 version feels more like the old-timer telling a ghost story around the campfire.
184.Trouble River,18 Tracks.Its another soul shouter, a kissing cousin to Seven Angels.
Wait for that WOO!
at the three-minute mark and rejoice.
183.The New Timer,The Ghost of Tom Joad.The melody sounds like the rhythm of a freight train.
Its a story about the modern hobos, about a man who leaves his family in search of work.
New Timer was inspired byJourney to Nowhere, an amazing book by Dale Maharidge and Michael Williamson.
Like that book, the song shows rather than tells.
As Springsteen wrote in the books second printing, What would I do to take care of my family?
What wouldnt I do?
The equanimity of the vocals is the songs overarching strength.
Bonus points for not sounding overproduced or mechanical, like so many of the other songs on this record.
Later, Springsteen successfully cycled back through them with My Love Will Not Let You Down.
The Wayfarer,WesternStars.
Its about a lifetime spent searching for answers, but ultimately coming up empty-handed.
Its a gritty, evocative tribute that wholeheartedly supports the soldier while questioning the conflict.
174.The Man Who Got Away,The Ties That Bind.So much lost potential.
Springsteens cadence is on-point throughout, just so dialed in.
How did this get left behind?
Its an unsettling, powerful, thoroughly convincing song.
171.Rendezvous,Tracks.Listen to the studio version onThe Promiseand youll understand why it never made the record.
Compared to the bright verve of the live version, this just didnt cut it.
It works because he genuinely means it.
Sometimes you write a song to hear the audience sing it back at you, the Boss said once.
He saw the details that locals overlook after a while.
Although charming in its naivete, 82nd Street lacks depth and it certainly hasnt aged well.
That said, Man, the dopes that theres still hope is an all-time great lyric.
Theres some lovely, unexpected Ry Cooderesque guitar in the middle of this one.
All else aside, Stand on It is definitely three minutes of entertainment.
166.All the Way Home,Devils & Dust.Springsteen revisits the song he gave to Southside Johnny in 1991.
His modern, low-key, alt-rock rendition stands in stark contrast toSouthsides soulful take.
165.Racing in the Street (78),The Promise.With this version included,Darknessbecomes a completely different album.
It aches, to be sure, but its got hope glimmering in every note.
The band plays at a lively pace, with David Lindleys violin taking pride of place.
163.Code of Silence,The Essential Bruce Springsteen.An evocative, solid rave-up.
(Kudos to Pittsburghs ownJoe Grusheckyfor co-writing it.)
162.Gypsy Biker,Magic.Not all homecoming songs are about triumph.
Its about self-destructive tendencies that Springsteen didnt even know that he had.
As he told Peter Ames Carlin, I realized I didnt know how to be married.
He reveals these feelings over a minimal background, acoustic guitar, and the synth buried low.
His vocals are laid bare, nothing buried in the tune, his voice on the edge of anguish.
160.Magic,Magic.This one is arranged with sounds you dont expect to make it be discomfiting and uncomfortable.
Its got a great melody, great vocals, great performance.
How it didnt become a set-list stalwart is beyond me.
Hello Sunshine,WesternStars.It sounds ancient, as if it has always existed.
It sounds like it was written decades ago.
The song has an infectious backbeat, and Bruce relishes the challenge of singing with another strong vocalist.
And, of course, it lets him indulge hisSam & Davefantasies.
As an opening track to 2005sDevils & Dust, its sweet enough, with interesting imagery.
153.Seven Angels,Tracks.The vocals, equal parts dominant and relaxed, sell this 90s-era outtake.
The keyboards and fingerpicking are so deep and buried, you feel them more than you hear them.
Its a more than respectable pop song.
150.Walk Like a Man,Tunnel of Love.Springsteens relationship with his father has traveled galactic light years.
The house is gone, but the tree still stands.
148.A Night With the Jersey Devil, (online-only single).Bruce Springsteen absolutely, genuinely loves Halloween.
Its a lot of fun.
(Plus, how many rock songs mention Viagra so brazenly?)
144.Johnny Bye-Bye,Tracks.Springsteen learned so much from Elvis Presley, including what not to do.
Johnnie Bye-Bye is about exactly that.
The mechanical drums against Berrys riff creates a deliberate emotional isolation that very much fits the lyrics.
Itll add yet another dimension to the track.)
It is timeless in the best way, glorious and soul affirming.
The core of the story Tell me how do you live brokenhearted?
The idea of using music as a form of prayer is a beautiful sentiment.
The invocations to turn it up and let it rain offer absolution and immersion of very similar types.
139.Roll of the Dice,Human Touch.An awful lot of gambling metaphors set against a standard rock melody.
138.We Take Care of Our Own,Wrecking Ball.A strong, straightforward anthem.
137.All That Heaven Will Allow,Tunnel of Love.An optimistic track, both lyrically and musically.
The tune sounds fresh and hopeful, and Springsteens delivery is playfully relaxed.
First, an early rockabilly version was cut early in the 198081 recording sessions that led up toThe River.
135.Jack of All Trades,Wrecking Ball.The quietest song on the record, but easily the angriest.
Exhaustion and desperation tinge Springsteens voice as he drives the melody toward a neat, Coplandesque bridge.
He asks a lot of questions here without actually asking any actual questions.
Hey son, you wanna try the big top?
All aboard, Nebraskas our next stop.
This stunning chronicle was actually a non-album B-side for Born in the U.S.A., sharpening a very real point.
He sings in a deliberate, flat, almost-monotone manner, echoing the characters inner emotional state.
131.Lions Den,Tracks.A super-fun, horn-saturated, 50s-influenced rocker, probably written forGary U.S. Bonds.
130.Working on the Highway,Born in the U.S.A.Springsteen channeling his Elvis on theLouisiana Hayride fantasies for our benefit.
What distinguished this particular cut in his mind?
Clemonss wonderfully deep bass voice sings us out at the end.
124.Youre Missing,The Rising.InSongs, Springsteen describes this track as the daily details of loss.
Its a recitation of the small things, but his vocal delivery carries remarkable emotional tenor.
The disbelief manifests itself in his voice.
Its probably the most sarcastic of his compositions.
The good-time sax solo and get-down party music juxtapose with the lyrics in such a strong way.
The singing and performances feel loose and relaxed, but its quite deep.
Lucky Town fits right in alongside the albums other songs about relationships, growing up, and commitment.
Its one of the twangier numbers, both in instrumentation and vocal delivery.
This tale of the inveterate rambler rolling to a stop is a keeper.
120.Fire,The Promise.Springsteen wrote Fire for Elvis.
Think about that again: He wrote it for Elvis Presley.
119.Paradise by the C,The Ties That Bind.Star time!
Paradise is Springsteens only all-instrumental composition, and it exists solely to put the spotlight on the Big Man.
(Dont he look great?
He lost a lot of weight.)
(Its inclusion was one of the things they got right with that release.)
It was played frequently on the 78 tour and in Europe in 88, but hasnt surfaced since.
It was probably thrown on just because Bruce misses Clarence.
117.Hearts of Stone,Tracks.Bruce is hurting, and hes going to tell you all about it.
Sit down real close and listen good.
If you could bottle the sound of that one night, this is what it would be.
Daddy, cant you turn up the radio any louder?
115.Im on Fire,Born in the U.S.A.Definitely one for the ladies.
114.Frankie,Tracks.This seven-minute epic outtake was first performed in the spring of 1976.
(Even if he did them better, both musically and thematically, on Kittys Back and Rosalita.)
Bonus points given for Springsteen finally figuring out how to use Is anybody really alive out there?
112.Crush on You,The River.The song owes a lot to punk rock.
A highly underrated number in the catalogue.
It was nothing short of sheer magic.
110.Where the Bands Are,Tracks.Disc two strikes again!
That side harmony on the choruses is straight out of the Van Zandt Power-Pop Playbook.
It embodies the sultry, languid attitude of a cocksure young Casanova, with the music to match.
107.Wages of Sin,Tracks.This song catches you by surprise.
It opens with random guitar strumming, then the band comes in solemnly, with an almost-orchestral sound.
106.Im a Rocker,The River.A nearly picture-perfect representation of the band in the early 80s.
Im a Rocker has a playful melody, open and expressive vocals, and a fun story.
Only the E Street Band could get away with something so unabashedly corny and unironic.
Clarences solo at the end is the cherry on top.
104.Used Cars,Nebraska.Now the neighbors come from near and far/As we pull up in our brand-new used car.
Thats a Hemingway short-story contest winner right there.
Technically, its just a few steps from his rewritten version of A Love So Fine by the Chiffons.
(Recognize the rat traps filled with soul crusaders line?)
Meant to blow your head off, Bruce toldMOJOin 1998.
Its rock arrangement, but this is a folk song, pure and simple, sad and true.
The same words appear in every chorus, but they imply different emotional states based on the preceding verses.
Plus, can you name another song that mentions the Monongahela Valley and the Mesabi Iron Range?
Hes hurt and angry and the music backs it all up.
99.Talk to Me,The Promise.The sound of summertime on the Jersey Shore, period.
98.Lost in the Flood,Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.The first of the great epics.
It swells when it should, then drops back down in the next measure.
97.Pink Cadillac,Tracks.Springsteen put it best in the notes he sent to Jon Landau with theNebraskacassette: Self-explanatory.
Extra points for My love is bigger than a Honda/Its bigger than a Subaru.
Its a fairly straight-ahead proposition: Two hearts are better than one.
94.Man at the Top,Tracks.The real dream is not the dream, its life without complications.
And that doesnt exist, Springsteen toldRolling Stonein 1987.
When its performed live without the extraneous ornamentation, you feel its bones and the strength of the composition.
(Yes, hes only done it three times, butit was still breathtaking.)
So simple, yet so compelling.
92.Into the Fire,The Rising.The first song Springsteen wrote for the album.
The sense of duty, the courage.
Ascending into … what?
My brother is a firefighter, and I cannot listen to this song without choking up.
Big shoes to fill, and this is a worthy attempt.
90.Better Days,Lucky Town.An optimistic, boisterous statement of intent.
Better days didnt simply show up; hes willing them into existence.
Tonight Im laying in your arms carvin lucky charms, Springsteen sings, Out of these hard luck bones.
The emotion in the vocals is what sells the song.
89.Something in the Night,Darkness on the Edge of Town.One of Springsteens great driving songs.
Everybody jumps back in, though, as Bruce keens with anguish to kill the track.
87.Meeting Across the River,Born to Run.Springsteen at his most dramatic and deliberately cinematic.
Its more musical theater than rock and roll, more jazz than anything else.
Its a story about running away, about fear, about facing what you know you want.
Its not manic or driven, but gently loping.
Springsteens voice hovers naked above the mix, full of hope.
85.I Wanna Be With You,Tracks.Pure pop for modern people.
brings in Bittans power chords.
Thats when the vocals slam the door open: Let the frozen cities crumble, crumble and fall.
Bruce sings with a determined abandon, openly declaring his love.
It more than succeeds.
As an opening salvo, Blinded by the Light remains impressive, even if a little bit naive.
Its an impressionist painting of Jersey Shore life and its characters.
Rhythmically, you’re free to hear how this song was meant for Summer.
Springsteen delivers the best of his street-hipster cool alongside a musical arrangement that does the story justice.
79.Ramrod,The River.Just so much fun.
Ramrod is loose and dirty.
Its the E Street Band as a good-time, party-rock bar band.
Its Tallent and Clemons anchoring the song, swinging deep and low along the bottom.
Its Federici swinging in the back with that Farfisa-like beat.
He would return the favor in 2014, when hefinally covered Friday on My Mindwhile touring in Australia.
It was a ferocious, note-perfect tribute.
77.The Fever,18 Tracks.Springsteen gave this one away, folks.
(Southside is more Otis, Bruce is more Sam Cooke.)
Theres something melancholy and wistful about that.
Though its a fascinating premise, it doesnt scan as smoothly as it should.
His voice carries exultation and relief, buoyed by ringing, heraldic guitar chords.
Yes, the synthesizer comes in eventually, but the guitar and vocals are righteous enough to overlook it.
(My baby, she has restless nights.)
[…] I think you got the idea!
So when Clarence holds up the applause signs no, I mean when you feel it!
When it moves you!
This is called Sherry Darling.
It shouldve been a single, it shouldve been released in the summertime.
Springsteens vocals are about the only good thing of note.
(And this isnt blind hatred of the 92 band, just this exact performance.)
On a rainy highway the character witnesses a fatal accident.
After such an intense, emotional experience, the listener needs to breathe and recover.
69.Highway Patrolman,Nebraska.An unflinching portrait about hard choices, family ties, and our essential humanity.
68.My Fathers House,Nebraska.This one hits you right in the gut.
You dont exactly know whats going on, what inspired the longing and the fear in the songs lyrics.
The therapist explained, Youre going back thinking you might make it right again.
Something went wrong, and you keep going back to see if you might fix it.
Springsteen replied, That is what Im doing.
And the therapist told him, Well, you cant.
But Springsteens vocal delivery is straight and powerful, while the lyrics stand with some of his best work.
Alongside Human Touch, its a moving and honest continuation of his postTunnel of Loveemotional state.
Plus, a decent guitar solo covers up the worst of the production garbage.
Its bitter, precise, and brutal, with the music to match.
Bruce spits out the words, while Nils Lofgren strums big, melodic chords.
You cant help but believe.
Im Goin Down is another one of those tracks that balances a bouncy, almost-rockabilly tune with darker lyrics.
It isnt performed often, but its an awful lot of fun when it does show up.
Its a quiet, gently lilting, contemplative number thats full of hesitancy and uncertainty.
Blood Brothers makes no attempt to revise history.
Theres also an alternate version on theBlood BrothersEP, which is the diametric opposite of this one.
It sounds more modern, with an almost Gaelic atonal chanting of the first verse.
County Fair belongs in the latter class.
Springsteen creates an entire world in less than five minutes.
Sadly, thisBorn in the U.S.A.outtake just didnt fit the vision of the album.
(Everybody form a line.)
You cant really blame him for being vague.
57.The Ties That Bind,The River.Want to know why the first version ofThe Riverwas calledThe Ties That Bind?
This song is albums mission statement.
True to its name, its a brisk, hopeful rocker with a clear and unadorned vocal delivery.
56.Reason to Believe,Nebraska.Reason to Believe is song about blind faith and dogged belief.
55.Take Em As They Come,Tracks.This River outtake is one of the great lost Springsteen songs.
Its another dark tale paired against a bright, classic pop melody with aching vocals.
(Bruce sings his own counterpoint coming out of the left channel.)
54.Streets of Fire,Darkness on the Edge of Town.A deliberately overwrought song.
Springsteen toggles convincingly between world-weary and strung-out before blasting unrestrained into the choruses.
Federici backs all of this with solemn, churchlike chords, and the whole band comes in swinging.
Bonus points for the tightly wound guitar solo.
53.Rocky Ground,Wrecking Ball.The most interesting, forward-thinking, experimental song of the post-reunion era.
And somehow, it still has bona fide ties to everything that came before it.
(Even though he ultimately asked Michelle Moore tohandle the rap verse.)
Rocky Ground is undeniably fresh, inspirational, and uplifting.
It soothes your heart and uplifts your spirit, which is exactly what gospel is supposed to do.
The horns are hot from the first note, the guitar intro is already on fire.
The gauntlet is immediately thrown down.
Sanciouss keyboards are languid, and this is Vini Lopezs best percussion work.
When performed live, though, the song becomes something else.
Long Walk Home is about the framework of the country ceasing to support the people who built it.
Hes pointing out the cracks in the foundation, stating unequivocally that the situation is unacceptable.
The lyrics are concise and precise; the images evocative and heartrending.
This isnt a song where the music and the lyrics are deliberately at odds.
The E Street Band are sounding the goddamn alarm, telling you to wake up and pay attention.
The guitars are a combustion engine, driving the energy up and pushing the song forward.
And if thats not enough, its lit up by an elegant, soft solo from Clemons.
47.Drive All Night,The River.Its slow-dance time.
Clemonss sax solo represents the aural embodiment of that bright, soaring hope.
Even non-fans who grew up hearing Asbury Park on FM radio will smile wistfully when its played.
There are better boardwalk songs, better beach songs, and better tales of Shore legends.
(Just look one spot above, at Growin Up.)
Bonus points for Federicis accordion, which embodies the sounds of the Shore.
45.Growin Up,Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.The best song on the first record.
But its a fastball, Bruce, not a speedball.
42.Roulette,Tracks.Directly inspired by the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, Roulette is instantly fraught and tense.
Its like a camera zooming into tight focus.
OnThe Riverdocumentary, Bruce admits it was a mistake to leave this song off the album.
When this song shows up in a set list, its going to be a great night.
Its a frank and hopeful assessment of what he hoped would happen next.
Hell keep coming back to that metaphor.
The live version is phenomenal, trading an overabundance of 90s synth-cheese for loud guitars.
The song has a more urgent pace, and the final solo is fervent and direct.
No Surrender is one of those victories.
Springsteen wasnt going to include the song onBorn in the U.S.A. until Van Zandt talked him into adding it.
36.The Rising,The Rising.Majestic and profound, The Rising is truly a modern classic.
The song has swung from tribute to triumph to remembrance, and powerfully so.
The empty lots and boarded-up windows are still there.)
A great song like this one can transcend its original meaning, too.
At the first Jazzfest after Hurricane Katrina, it was aboutanger and survival.
Are we missing anybody?
Would State Trooper have emerged from a traditional studio setting?
Springsteen would have overthought it.
In other words, tales in which people completely lose their way.
Its the sound of blood pounding in your temples.
State Trooper doesnt need those howls to make you feel like youre on the edge of the world.
And, of course, it has so many parallels to Suicides Frankie Teardrop.
When I interviewed Vega in 2005, I asked him what he thought when he first heard this song.
Good for him, that he listened to me and managed to make it commercial!
He needed a unit to hide behind, though.
He wasnt quite ready to write about his own father.
32.Because the Night,Live 197585.This particular entry is tough.
The track is undoubtedly high in the canon, but Springsteen never recorded a decent studio version.
(The one onThe Promiseis turgid at best.)
The officially released version onLive 197585is less about heat and more about athleticism.
Those 78 versions pulse and shimmer with lust, which is the whole goddamn point of the song.
30.Dancing in the Dark,Born in the U.S.A.This is a phenomenal pop song.
Yes, sure, fine: Its got 80s production, compression, and abundance of synthesizer.
The bones of Dancing in the Dark are solid as all get-out.
Hes giving an updated version of Nobody wins unless everybody wins.
Its more of a composition than a straight rock and roll song.
Bittan is the MVP once again, delivering a calm and measured performance.
And who could forget that dissonant, deliberately jarring melody line on guitar during the choruses?
Or that steady chime of the triangle in the background?
Its Romeo and Juliet.
We may find it out on the street tonight, baby.
And then, Rosalita.
Few transitions are so unexpected, so joyful, so life-affirming.
26.Hungry Heart,The River.A terrific, expansive pop single in the tradition of the Brill Building.
25.Stolen Car,The River.A breathtaking and wretched song, but absolutely gorgeous from a production and composition standpoint.
24.Shes the One,Born to Run.Shes the One is liquid lust.
The rhythm section generates deep, dark blues, matched against the delicate layers of keyboards.
(Bittan more than earns his Professor title with this track.)
The last 30 seconds of rhythm, bass, and honky-tonk piano is almost the best part.
Its the E Street Band in lockstep, operating seamlessly as a single organism.
It is the first songthey played at the Super Bowl.
It became the moment of tribute for the Big Man after his passing.
It is the legend of E Street, and that is no small thing.
22.American Skin (41 Shots),High Hopes.A stunning, remarkable, impossibly tragic song.
American Skin is yet another misunderstood composition in this case, whenever its criticized asa condemnation of police officers.
These days, Bruce plays this song when Pattis back on the tour, or just when shes there.
Its about the hope in that connection, too.
This is part of what sent him into therapy and Im not telling tales here.
Hes beentalking about itsince 1990.
But subconscious or not, what a song.
The guitar dominates the synthesizers, while Bruces voice is flecked with that country-flavored Orbisonian pathos.
(Is that a word?
It should be.)
Hes not being totally sincere, though.
The alternate version that surfaced on 2010sThe Promiseis different.
Its no longer about Springsteen.
Its about someone else, another character, drawn from the people he saw on the Circuit.
The instrumentation leans toward country rock, and the vocals are louder and more confident.
18.Prove It All Night,Darkness on the Edge of Town.Prove It All Night is a call to action.
Well forgive the impressionistic liberties taken in Springsteens lyrics, if only for the songs satisfying classic-rock dynamic.
Is it to see to it he recognizes her?
How many people are out there in that field?
And what, pray tell, is a dynamo?
Its not just anger its frustration and resignation.
The verses are quietly matter of fact, but the choruses explode with depth and emotion.
If you listen carefully enough, youll even hear Clarence Clemons on triangle.
And all throughout, the music swirls around you like a Tilt-A-Whirl.
Whats amazing about Tunnel of Love is how the sentiment hasnt aged.
It doesnt seem overwrought or foolish; it still cuts you straight through the heart.
Streets of Philadelphia won the 1994 Oscar for Best Original Song, and deservedly so.
It grabs your heart, squeezes, and doesnt let go.
Serenade is almost ten minutes of grandeur and desire.
When the strings soar, your spirit sings.
So walk tall or baby dont walk at all.
Words to live by.
It is chaos and escape and freedom and defiance and revolution.
Probably one of the most useful lines Ive ever written.
11.This Hard Land,Greatest Hits.One of the most unknown, underrated songs in the non-diehard catalogue.
The first time you hear it, the song feels old and familiar.
Bonus points forthe best video he ever made.
9.The River,The River.There are so many reasons why this is one of Springsteens best compositions.
Its a gear of escape, of purification, of redemption, of solace.
It was an awe-inspiring, unifying moment.
Instrumentally, the track is unparalleled.
The harmonica opens the track, keening like a train whistle high in the distance.
The fact that he based The River on his sisters life is actually the least interesting thing about it.
7.Jungleland,Born to Run.This is the culmination of Springsteens street epics.
Jungleland is not a single; its that song that outsiders know about, but dont know.
In other words, its Springsteens covenant with the early fans.
Magic Rat and Barefoot Girl escape the Maximum Lawmen.
The opera out on the Turnpike is the old Garden State Arts Center.
Kids flash guitars just like switchblades.
The performance is phenomenally operatic, with so much color, shading, emotion, and tension.
And, of course, theres that heartrending sax solo.
In many ways, Jungleland is Clarences song.
6.Backstreets,Born to Run.Backstreets is full of urgency, longing, and disappointment.
Its about betrayal, a feeling contained in the languid electric twang guitar thats underneath the other melody lines.
It gives the song its heat, alongside the intensity generated by the organ and the piano.
The guitar solo, so tight and compact, is one of Springsteens finest.
5.The Promised Land,Darkness on the Edge of Town.The Promised Land seems simple on the surface.
The words of the chorus dont change, but its meaning is morphed by each preceding verse.
I was searching for a tone somewhere betweenBorn to Runs spiritual hopefulness and 70s cynicism, Springsteen wrote inSongs.
Dont trust those who dismiss the track as simplistic or jingoistic.
Still, its pointless to fixate on overprocessed synthesizer.
The piano chords that open Thunder Road are the sound of dawn, of new beginnings.
The harmonica becomes the ignition key.
The piano on Thunder Road is deceptively simple, bright and driving.
The guitar line almost hides between the piano notes, peeking through at the right moments.
Springsteens voice has never again delivered the same the mix of pathos and optimism and youthful lust for life.
1.Born to Run,Born to Run.The song that earns every great cliche about rock and roll.
It is escape, it is freedom, it is four-chord liberation.
If you dont like Born to Run, you dont like Bruce Springsteen.
- The performance is stellar.
After his initial opening attack, Ernest Boom Carter is sitting back there on drums, swinging away.
(It would be Booms sole appearance on a Springsteen track.)
What a way to go.
- This list originally contained an incorrect lyric.
We regret the error.
