“This boardwalk life for me is through
You know you ought to quit this scene too…”
What a difference six months can make. After his début failed to propel him to the dizzying heights hoped for by his signing as a ‘new Dylan’, Bruce Springsteen entered 914 Studios in New York to record his second album. This time, though, things would be a little different. For one, Bruce wanted more control of the sound and production. For another, and perhaps prompting the former, Springsteen was fired up about playing with his embryonic E Street Band and had reignited his passion for a big, full-band sound that was absent from Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ.
Everything on here is aiming for epic – the sound, the instrumentation and even the characters. Before he started singing about the less fanciful Marys, Wendys and Joes his New York and New Jersey characters were more colourful than a ‘gang meeting’ on Hill Street Blues. On The Wild, The Innocent… there’s Power Thirteen and his girl Little Angel, Sandy, Kitty, Big Pretty, Catlong, Missy Bimbo, the Flying Zambinis, Margarita, Sampson, Tiny Tim, Spanish Johnny, Puerto Rican Jane, Billy, Diamond Jackie, Little Dynamite and Little Gun, Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knees Willie, Sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billy all amidst a maelstrom of boy prophets, Latin lovers and hard girls on Easy Street. Not to mention a certain girl called Rosie. All within just seven songs.
And what songs they are. Here Bruce ditched the rhyming dictionary and attempts to sing a novel at speed in every verse, embraced the opportunity offered by the band and delivered a set of songs with more ambition in terms of lyrics and scope than you’d have guessed possible of him just six months earlier. While personally I’ve never been hugely fond of the opening cut (it’s down to that phunk keyboard line dancing all over it like some platform-shoed drunk disco elephant) there’s no denying its quality. Other than that, every other song here gets a five star rating from me.
With its wistful tale of Madame Marie, ‘4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)’ alone shows the strides Springsteen took as a songwriter between albums and the benefits of road-testing songs before getting into the studio. It’s easy to see why Federici asked to play this showcase on his last performance with the band and this most romantic of Bruce’s songs remains a live highlight decades later.
‘Kitty’s Back’ is a monster of a tune, clocking in at over seven minutes and showcasing Springsteen’s guitar chops (again absent through Greetings..) and proving what a wild, R&B/Soul/Jazz/Rock powerhouse outfit his band was. I’ve heard criticism that ‘Wild Billy’s Circus Story’ takes itself too seriously but to that I say “arseholes”. It’s a cracking, fun little tune and contains a great lyric: “the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn”. It’s odd but I think that Springsteen’s lyrics often get overlooked as some of the real nuggets like this one are often missed when reflecting on the overall story of the song. At just 23 Bruce was already coming up with some great lines.
Listening back through these albums has meant I’ve been discovering little gems that I’d almost forgotten and that’s certainly true of ‘Wild Billy’s Circus Story’. It also means my young son has been getting introduced to these and along with calls for this one (the “Elephant Song” based on Gary Tallent’s tuba blasts) he’s surely one of precious-few three year old’s calling out for “Rosie!”
Ah yes, ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)’. There’s no getting away from just how fucking good this song is. Described by Bruce as an early ‘Born To Run’ but with more humour, this is a real indicator as to where Springsteen’s sound was going. Just listen to the mix of sax and guitar around the 5:10 mark, you half expect “the highway’s jammed…” to come barrelling in. In this instance, it goes back to the party instead. Rolling Stone have described this song as “a raucous celebration of desire.” It is a big, beautiful and triumphant song and easily one of Springsteen’s best and does remain the album’s biggest sign post as to what’s to come both in terms of it’s “it’s time to bust out of here” and it’s sound, made especially arresting by it’s sequencing.
The prototype of Bruce’s ‘busting outta here’ song sits between his two most unabashed and wonderful epics; ‘Incident on 57th Street‘ and ‘New York City Serenade’. ‘Incident on 57th Street’ is a massive song in terms of Bruce’s song-writing. It’s like listening to the sound of all the pieces aligning properly as Bruce steps aside and delivers one of his finest – and earliest – songs sung from an observational point that’s far greater than the sum of its parts.
Why I mention sequencing, though, is that the sound of the final, gentle tickle of piano notes is quickly blasted away by the sheer force and power of ‘Rosie’, making the juxtaposition between the two styles all the more evident.
And then there’s ‘New York City Serenade’. You know there’s a few, a small few songs that I’ll listen to where the opening bar is so immediately ‘right’, so ‘spot on’ and tuned to me that it affects me to the core. It’s like an instant high. ‘New York City Serenade’ is one of those. That hammer of the piano strings, the cascade of notes that follows. Sometimes you’ll hear an intro that’s perfect and you’ll think ‘ok, how’s this gonna get marred?’ because not everything that follows can be as good. With ‘New York City Serenade’ everything works beautifully, the arrangement is so perfectly put together that every element just flows into the next in a way that makes it seem like effortless poetry. There’s not a single bum not or misstep in the entire song. Bruce Springsteen was 23 when he wrote and arranged ‘New York City Serenade.’ When I was 23 I though it was a good idea to call a band ‘Wookie Cushion’*. I’ve played this song to people who thought they knew what to expect from a Springsteen song and they’ve always had to question whether it was really “that Born in the USA guy”.
One of my all-time favourite songs.
What this also means is that Side B of this album might just be the finest 25 minutes of music put to vinyl.
Easily Springsteen at his most expansive, poetic and romantic, The Wild, the Innocent & The E Street Shuffle is a beautiful embrace of and gentle kiss goodbye to his boardwalk life as he takes his characters and breaks them out of their surroundings in pursuit of a new dream.
Oddly, though, his record label didn’t agree that the album was up to scratch. When Springsteen handed it in, the allies he’d had at Columbia were no longer in place. Instead of receiving the great feedback he’d hoped for, Bruce was instead told that the players were sub par and it was suggested that he re-cut the majority of it with professional studio musicians. Of course, this wasn’t an option. Unfortunately, sticking to his guns meant that Columbia buried the album. No release fanfare, no promotion, little distribution. Bruce would play shows in towns where they had no idea the album had even been released.
Thankfully, though, Bruce still had what it takes to cut it live and lay down a killer show. This lead to two things. The first was catching the eye of Jon Landau and the infamous “I saw rock and roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen,” review that would lead to the pair’s friendship and Landau becoming Springsteen’s manager. Secondly, Springsteen took to taking aim at his record company during his on-stage patter. One particularly embittered voicing of his frustration happened at a college where the son of the label’s boss happened, unknown to Bruce, to be in attendance. Legend has it he called his father, explained just how much of an amazing act Springsteen was and what was being said and the head of the label soon sat down with his charge and said words along the lines of “what can we do to get this working?”
With Landau and his record label supporting him, it would be time to shed the mythic tales and follow The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle with a last chance power drive…
Highlights: ALL OF IT
*You’d sit on it and it would go “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!”
Mumbling About... 
Ah, yes. Don’t even have to listen to this one. Number 7 on my top ten albums of all time. Quite simply, probably to no surprise, my (and my wife’s) favorite Springsteen album of all time. For all the reasons you said. Interestingly, she “discovered” Wild Billy before I did. But for me, how you feel about that tune is how I feel about ‘E Street Shuffle.” I love how the song ends then comes back with that fun, joyous refrain. I saw Bruce do this on one of the late night talk shows a while back and it was a real party. “Kitty’s Back” is just a flat-out raucous, good time. Has anybody else ever done a song anything like that? And side two is, as you said, exquisite. Bruce opened with “New York City Serenade” when he was in Boston. Piano solo and string section. Awesome. Could not believe it.
This was the first Bruce album I heard. (Well, I heard “Blinded by the Light” but didn’t get into it right away.) And this, for me, was the Bruce template. So that might explain why later albums, much as I enjoyed them, didn’t evince quite the same passion. Where’s the jazz, I’d ask? The crazy characters? David Sancious!! So I had to make a real mental shift when he started getting less jazzy, more four/four if you will. I did do that but it took some adjustment on my part. But if I hadn’t first heard this, I’m not sure I’d be the stone Bruce raver I am today.
I was very serious before about burning my own version of this album including a few leftovers from ‘Tracks.’ I’d take all the outtakes from this album and steal a few from others (“Give the Girl a Kiss, “So Young and In Love.”) I wish I could turn more people on to this album.
Weirdly enough my car was in for a service today and I switch the stereo to radio when I drop it off. When I got back in and fired it up the stereo had been switched to cd and was at that precise point with the sneaking refrain popping back up, even though I’d last been listening to NYC. I like to think the mechanic had been groovin to it
My mechanic would murder his guys if they played anybody’s CD’s. For the record, I was putting gas, er um, petrol, in my car today. At the station, they usually blare music out of a speaker at the pump. Usually, it’s Top 40 drivel. Today? “Dancing in the Dark.” So I officially declare today “Warm Beers on the hood of a Dodge Day.” :-0
Surely you mean bonnet?
Yes, totally different meaning here of course. In my younger days. I did the backpack tour of Europe. I was reminded by your countrymen to not say ‘pants’ but instead, trousers as the former apparently referred to one’s underwear.
My ‘countrymen’.. according to the Government I’m not considered one of the ‘British People’ any longer.. but yes, I recall an exchange teacher doing just that at school once much to the class’amusement
Or he could release them at the same time a la Human Touch and Lucky Town!
I’m waiting for the revisiting of his biggest-seller and the misappropriation it receives: Born Again In The USA
He’ll be releasing that from the gulag.
Ha! Nice
I just fucking adore this album, start to finish. I wish Greetings had had the elements that made this album so great. Those songs deserved this kind of treatment too.
Yeah, but as you recall from Bruce’s book, they saw him as more of a Dylan folkie than as a rocker. So that somewhat explains, I think, the treatment. I think he was happy to put out anything at all. Who knows? Maybe one day he’ll re-record it as “Crazy Janey and Wild Billy Return to Asbury Park.” 🙂 You’re welcome.
Right after Born to Run 2 (the sequel)?
Just got back from the show. It was so incredible. He was in great voice and the band were stripped down and tight. I was very sad when it ended.
Fantastic. Setlist? Usually it’s published pretty quickly.
I’ll be doing a full blog in the next day or so. It was a great set. Plenty to love. No Rosalita, though.
Here ya go.
01. Don’t Hang Up (acoustic)
02. American Land
03. Ties That Bind
04. No Surrender
05. Two Hearts
06. The Promised Land
07. Glory Days
08. Hungry Heart
09. Wrecking Ball
10. New York City Serenade
11. Atlantic City
12. Johnny 99
13. Murder Incorporated
14. Death to My Hometown
15. The River
16. Mary’s Place
17. Darlington County
18. Working On The Highway
19. I’m On Fire
20. Because The Night
21. The Rising
22. Badlands
23. Land Of Hope And Dreams
24. Long Walk Home (acoustic)
25. Born To Run
26. Dancing In The Dark
27. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
28. Shout
29. Twist and Shout
Ha! “Don’t Hang Up” is an oldie from the early ’60’s by a Philly group called The Orlons. (Indispensable 150, post 3). As we’ve discussed, Bruce grew up with all the same shit my sister and I did. And I was wondering why the hell go all the way to Australia and play a fairly obscure song. And so it turns out it was because our president was pissed off at your guy and supposedly “ended the call abruptly.” Hey, stop pissing off our guy. 🙂 You know he’s not normal.
Don’t worry, are guy’s a nut-job too.
Oh, great. Now I feel better. The only left who isn’t, I think, is Angela Merkel. And they’re coming for her.
She’s losing ground, politically, in her own country and this year’s elections will be make or break
It’s late here. I meant ‘our guy’ obviously.
I think he’s further down the ‘nut job’ curve though. I hope; I’ve said to my wife that if it continues to go south up here Straya is the next destination
Get some sleep. You have an outrageously great blog post to write.
🙂 Why, that is very true.
Otherwise, nice setlist. Hey, at least you got BTR. Don’t know “Death to my Hometown.”
Death to My home town is an anti banker song. from Wrecking Ball. Played like an Irish Folk song. I was just so happy to get Atlantic City and a couple of songs off Darkness.
The challenge for any performer who’s been around as long as Springsteen is which songs do I play of the 8 million I have? And so, somebody is always a little bit disappointed. My wife and I went to see Stevie Wonder doing his “Songs in the Key of Life” tour. It was fantastic (there’s some ’70’s stuff for you) but some woman left complaining that he didn’t do “Ma Cherie Amour” which was about 8 or 9 years prior.
And, let’s be honest, not a career highlight.
No, but not the worst song he’s ever done.
I’m curious which one you feel that might be
Tie between “Ebony and Ivory,” and “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday.”
A nadir for Wonder and McCartney
Yeah, but I think Sir Paul has had more shitty songs than Stevie. Not at all to take away from his greatness as songwriter, etc. But for every “Band on the Run” there seems to be a “My Love Does it Good.”
Or a Frog Chorus… there’s a post in there, surely; “The Worst Solo Beatles Songs” though Ringo would have to be left out would tip the scale.
Unfortunately George also wrote ‘Ding Dong, Ding Dong’
“My Ding-a-ling” was Chuck Berry’s only number one US hit. Sigh.
Ma Cherie Amour?! They threw her out, right?
No but I did wrestle her to the ground. 🙂 BTW, when I saw Bruce in Boston, as we were leaving they started blasting Donna Summer over the PA system. And all the women started singing. Damn near ruined it for me.
Funny that; a lot of thought goes into the walk-on and pre-show music but not the walk-out and that could really foul a memory
What way does he play Atlantic City these days? Solo acoustic of band-backed?
Band but with him solo at the beginning.
Right; gonna have to check out the latest recordings
The first Perth show is available from his site right now. He played Atlantic City that gig.
Great set list. Once again; surprisingly little from The River given the tour’s original intent… I would’ve loved to see some of the tracks from The Ties That Bind get more of an airing, has he played Take ’em as They Come during this tour?
This is officially no longer The River tour. It’s the Summer 17 tour. I don’t think Take Them as They Come has had an outing as yet.
Sorry to hear about no longer being one of the ‘British People.’ Nice while it lasted. But at least your PM isn’t running around the world pissing everybody off like our guy is.
Funny you should say that… I think we’re setting a benchmark on stupidity that causes a certain dickhead squatting in the White House to say “hold my beer”
He is causing much grief here and worldwide. Some of his adherents have abandoned him, realizing he only cares about himself. (See – week 1). But I am lucky to still have friends on Facebook. I went toe-to-toe with my nephew yesterday about this guy. But we actually took it offline and had a good conversation. I think he’s swayable to reality whereas his mother – my sister in law – is totally a Trumpster. (Well, really she’s a Hillary-hater. Had the Dems run anybody else we wouldn’t be in this situation, Putin influence or no). We here are all hoping that once the Republicans are done getting what they want from him, they will impeach him. Meanwhile. I will resist him to my last breath.
Yeah… it’s strange how severe politics has become now. Brexit has caused rifts amongst my family that I genuinely do not think will heal
And to to think that people like Trump and Le Pen in France were once fringe candidates. They are now leaders. I fear that Putin’s worldview is ascendant.
There’s no way he hasn’t a hand in it
Yes..
Though saying that: Le Pen’s father made the final round against Chirac in 2002 and he’s an Holocaust denier
Google Steve Bannon. He is now an advisor to Trump and is part of the National Security Council meetings. He was the one who wrote the ill-advised immigration order that fucked up the airports. He is an avowed white nationalist. And the Trumpsters don’t care as long as it’s not Hillary! We live in strange times.
Oh I’m well aware of that nasty piece of work – tied in to UKIP etc too. I don’t know how close to real this one is but it might be worth a read: https://medium.com/@yonatanzunger/trial-balloon-for-a-coup-e024990891d5#.husxb16ag
Interesting, believable and quite frightening. I did not read all the links but I will. I was out with a friend of mine last night and he mentioned that 19% commission figure. The good news here – if there is any – is that many people here are wise to much of this. The press – not to say most people – are not dumb and are not backing away. So this may be the greatest test that American democracy has ever faced.
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This is the one that started it for CB. Have spun this one probably………?????? Lets just say a lot since it was released. “Highlights: ALL OF IT” YUP!
You know this one has lived in my car since I started putting this series together and I think (even while the first track still doesn’t work for me) I’d now swap it out for The River and send this one into the Top Five.
E Street Shuffle: Bronze
4th July: Gold
Kitty’s Back: Gold
Wild Billy’s: Gold
Incident: Gold
Rosalita & NYC Serenade: Untouchable
Ha! Now you’re talkin’
I’m getting a chuckle out of your Bronze/Gold thing. You’ll be messing with the order of the list forever. Depends on which one you’re listening to at the time. This album is good for so many reasons. Like the ones you pointed out. Man did you put the work in on the Bruce thing. Good stuff.