Have I mentioned that some of these are gonna be harder than others? That few artists have as impressive a streak of great albums as Springsteen? Good. Because I’ve now reached my favourite Springsteen album. One of my favourite albums of all time: Darkness on the Edge of Town.
This is the first of many Springsteen albums where – after legal wranglings stopped him going into the studio for a bit – the man they call Boss began writing more tunes than anyone could possibly fit onto one album as he racked up studio time searching for the right songs and final album. It meant that three years separate it from his breakthrough and that it would, looking back, become his first left-turn from what was expected in a move he’d repeat throughout his career. Who knows: had he gone back into the studio with Jon Landau when he first wanted to – his manager Mike Appel wanted to take advantage of Born To Run‘s success with a live album instead – we might just have got Born To Run 2: The Road Worrier. The songs on Darkness.. instead drew their inspiration from characters by Johns Steinbeck and Ford, the music lost the ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ production in favour of something leaner, rawer and tinged with attitude of the nascent punk scene somehow married to Springsteen’s interest in country too. These weren’t ‘losers’ anymore, they were working class heroes living tough lives against a tough sound in which The E Street Band provide the power to give them an edge.
The result is damn-near unimpeachable. This one, though, is an easy choice for me:
Least: Factory
To me ‘Factory’ sucks the air out the album just as it’s gotten going on Side B with ‘The Promised Land’. I get it; it’s the counter to ‘Adam Raised A Cain’ in as much it’s his exploring the mundane daily toll of his father’s working life but it lacks the urgency, the punch and visceral nature of both the album’s other songs and those others he would write dealing with the same matter. The music doesn’t work for me – it didn’t work when used as ‘Come On (Let’s Go Out Tonight)’ and makes Springsteen’s invite to party (at the flipping factory of all renowned swinging hotspots) as inviting as a cold-water enema.
Most: Racing In The Street
Hell, it might just be one of Springsteen’s best ever songs. I’ve still got a love for the ’78 version too but the original has always hit hardest. One of the first songs he started writing for Darkness.. it didn’t need to evolve so much as refine until the solo piano song ‘Dying in the Street’ until it became the epic call back to Born To Run‘s dreamers who now lived only to hit the strip. Who knows when or how he hit upon the line – “Some guys they just give up living and start dying little by little, piece by piece” – that pins the song down and grounds it but it makes it one of the best he’s put to tape.
Mumbling About... 
So many great songs on here, as far as I’m concerned. “Racing in the Street” is great, as are the title track, “Badlands”. “Adam Raised a Cane”, “The Promised Land” and “Prove It All Night.” I’m not sure which one I’d put first – perhaps the title track! I didn’t even remember “Factory,” so I guess it was a good pick! 🙂
Having cut Factory I could quite happily have made a case for most of them to be a favourite – ‘Streets of Fire’ has really grown on me of late too – but the lyrics of Racing.. just gave it the edge for me.
Tony, your first paragraph is totally understandable to me. A music game changer for me.
Below is a comment you dropped a few years ago on a CB take. You haven’t wavered.
“My favourite Springsteen album, easily in my all time Top Five and one I own on multiple formats. When you take in the music that didn’t make that record as well? The man was in a fucking fever of productivity.”
I’m nothing if not resolute. And sweary, clearly fucking sweary
I’m a bit “sweary” also.
Too fucking right!
A CB acquaintance went to the Boss show the other night. He was worried about catching the late ferry home after the show, He knew Bruce liked to play for a while nut figured because he was getting older he’d cut the show down to a couple hours. I said may be 3 1/2 . I was right. They actually held the boat for the Bruce people. Oh yeah, he said those old guys/gals can still play.
I don’t know if you’ve seen Road Diary yet… it’s clear they still mean business. I think they’re making up for lost time
No I haven’t. I apologize for my non swearing on last comment a should have said “They held the fucking boat”
This is my favourite Bruce. Totally agree with ‘Factory’, it’s fine, but a lot of the album is top-tier. ‘Adam Raised a Cain’ is my fave, but it’s like picking favourite children.
‘Adam Raised a Cain’ very much in the running for me too, it’s an absolute scorcher and a live highlight too, even in the weird ‘playing to an empty theatre’ dvd he did to accompany the box set.
I blush to say I only bought this LP for the first time this year. I like Bruce, but I can’t quite become a believer and I’m not sure why. I quite agree with your choices though Tony.
To quote that achingly funny phrase: pobody’s nerfect.
I can understand it – I’m that way with a Neil Young. I adore Ragged Glory but there’s just something that prevents me being a believer throughout. Perhaps it’s a ‘bloody yanks’ thing? Not sure Born To Run would cut the same way if it was about the A1
I beseech you to write the A1 version immediately, I’m happy to assist with rhymes for ‘contraflow’ and ‘5 mile tailback approaching the Amersham Interchange’. You get bonus Grammy points for mentioning a defunct Little Chef and/or those uniquely depressing boarded up pubs glimpsed from a distance with their carvery signs still half legible.
The inside lane’s jammed with a broken down Stobart’s truck…
“Beyond the Little Chef, closed for years, a homeless man picks through the bins” sort of thing?
I love you Tony.
I can even see My Hometown going this way too…
Now the High Street’s all just charity shops,
Gregs and vapes
Seems like there ain’t nobody
Wants to come shop here no more
‘Joanie’s facing delays of up to 40 minutes/A poultry wagon’s shed its load/Heading up on Thunder Road’