Help further my education in Bruce Spingsteenology

[Plaid Adder]

A few weeks ago my friend Jay dragged us out to Comiskey Park for a Springsteen concert and since then I have been listening to whatever I can find. We already owned *Born To Run* and knew some of the other hits but the concert really fired me up, and now I am desirous of becoming a full member of the Church of the Boss. I've been listening to *Born in the USA* and *Darkness on the Edge of Town* obsessively for the past few days...where do I go next?

Incidentally, in a surprise upset, "No Surrender" has defeated "I'm On Fire," "Glory Days," "Dancing in the Dark" and the title track in the Plaidder's Favorite Cut Off *Born In The USA* run-off election. I dunno what it is, but when I put the CD in on the commute, I just keep hittin' the replay button when it gets to that one. Must be my mood.

(BTW, though I hate to say it, we also have *The Rising,* and I really don't like most of it. Sorry, Bruce.)

So? Recommendations for further reading?

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

on edit: Whoops! I'M sorry! That should be "U.S. Cellular Field," not Comiskey Park! WHATEVER could I have been thinking?

grumble grumble corporate sponsorship crapola grumble grumble...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Greetings From Asbury Park is a must

Spirits in the Night, Blinded by the Light..I Came for You and a whole host of other early stuff

Next...get thee Atlantic City for an incredible acoustic experience...in fact ..both feature a bit more acoustic than your other selections...

The Rising would be a good disc for today (Springsteen's post 9/11 emotional tribute is quite excellent)

[regularguy]

5. One of *the* great albums of all time!

Probably in my top 5.

[Kat45]

14. On the '...Asbury Park' album,

I absolutely love "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City." That was one of the first songs of his that I really got into.

[Japhy_Ryder]

2. 2 or 3

For vintage Springsteen, try The River. For some darker stuff try Nebraska, and for some solid folk storytelling try Tom Joad

[GOPisEvil]

3. Nebraska

Very dark, but some GREAT music.

[theemu]

20. DEFINITELY Nebraska

Nebraska is Springsteen's starkest album and his best. For a sample of the album's sound, try "Atlantic City," the dark tale of a man driven to crime.

[OneBlueSky]

4. The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle . . .

is THE classic Springsteen album, imo . . . Sandy, Kitty's Back, Rosalita, and New York City Serenade (one of the best songs you'll ever hear) . . . I have the lp, the cassette, and the cd . . . the lp's grooves are just about worn out . . . it's a GREAT album! . . .

[T Roosevelt]

6. I'd say The River

or Nebraska. Of course they are complete contrasts. The River had more hits (Cadillac Ranch, Hungry Heart), but Nebraska is a somber look at life.

[CBHagman]

7. Echoing my fellow posters

Yes, "Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey" and "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle" are definitely must-haves. I could listen to "For You" or "Rosalita" every day.

[Plaid Adder]

8. Jay was very excited that they played "Rosalita" at Comiskey Park...

...whoops, there I go again, US CELLULAR FIELD!

He said there was a long time when he just never performed it and people were very sad. But apparently it's back in the rotation.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[latebloomer]

9. I love "The River"

and "Tunnel of Love" is dark-- written during the breakup of his first marriage-- but has some excellent songs on it.

[latebloomer]

10. oh, and BTW

At his recent Boston concert he started off his usual anti-government rap by saying that people of all political persuasions were welcome at his concerts--"except maybe Dick Cheney!"

Love that man!

[Plaid Adder]

11. He didn't use the "Dick Cheney" line in Chicago

He must be getting more bitter! Excellent!

The one thing I wish the guy would do better is enunciate. We could more or less tell what he was saying at the end, but it was hard to catch the words.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[Kat45]

13. Yeah, I loved it when he said that.

Then he went on to recommend Al Franken's book.

[Scairp]

12. Try this website

http://www.backstreets.com/

This guy has followed Bruce's career for many, many years and anything you would like to know about the man,his music and other aspects of his life you can probably find here.

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. as the official Bruce Springsteen delegate of DU

I must offer the following as your first step towards full fledged Brucification.

1. Live 1975-85 - A 3 CD box set of his best live stuff from the Born to Run era to the Born in the USA era.

2. Tracks - A 3 or 4 CD box set of his obscure stuff.

3. The Wild, The Innocent & the E-Street Shuffle - Bruce's second album, a great one to listen to in the summer.

4. The Ghost of Tom Joad - A stripped-down, acoustic album, very political and very very good.

[Bossy Monkey]

16. Booce Spingsteen & the E St Band 1975-85

You'll want to go directly to "Seeds." It's a little bit political.

I like "No Surrender," too. Shhhhhhhhhh.

[bbernardini]

17. Look into...<ahem> unauthorized live recordings

Particularly FM broadcasts from the 70s. February 5, 1975 at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA is an amazing show. Bruce and the band perform in front of a tiny crowd in a small club right before "Born To Run" hit it big. December 15, 1978 at the Winterland is also a good'un.

[Kat45]

18. I have a recording of "Thunderroad" before he had a title for it

It's pretty interesting hearing the song without the "thunderroad" lyric, and I'd say that lyric is what made the song come together.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. I am hardly a Springsteen aficionado, but it sounds like you

already know many of his best tracks. I will kick your thread, however. I saw Springsteen live in concert, back when I was a student, and he put on one hell of a show! He had so much energy and came back for numerous encores! The only down-side was that I couldn't hear well for the next 48 hours! I considered this worth it...:D

[5thGenDemocrat]

21. Killers in the Sun

Largely recorded at Wendler Arena, Saginaw, Michigan. It's a bootleg, of course -- but widely available.
John
To me, Springsteen recordings are like sex: Some of it's better than others, but ain't none of it bad.