Book Review: Tonight in Jungleland

From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland” – with American anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between – Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.

Peter Ames Carlin, whose bestselling biography, Bruce, gave him rare access to Springsteen’s inner circle, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album. Released in August, 1975, Born to Run now celebrates its 50th anniversary. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen’s psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision. A must-read for any music fan, Tonight in Jungleland takes us inside a hallowed creative process and lets us experience history.

Book Review: I Don't Want to Go Home

In 1970, Asbury Park, New Jersey, was ripped apart by race riots that left the once-proud beach town an hour away from Manhattan smoldering, suffering and left for dead. Four years later, a few miles down the coast in Seaside Heights, two bouncers, Jack Roig and Butch Pielka, tired of the daily grind, dreamt of owning their own place. Under-prepared and minimally funded, the two bought the first bar they considered, in a city where no one wanted to be, without setting one foot in the place. They named it the Stone Pony, and turned it into a rock club that Bruce Springsteen would soon call home and a dying town would call its beating heart.

But the bar had to fight to survive. Despite its success in launching and attracting rockers like Stevie Van Zandt, “Southside” Johnny Lyon, and Springsteen, the Stone Pony—like everything in Asbury Park for the past half century—could only weather the drags of a depressed city for so long.

Book Review: There Was Nothing You Could Do

On June 4, 1984, Columbia Records issued what would become one of the best-selling and most impactful rock albums of all time. An instant classic, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. would prove itself to be a landmark not only for the man who made it, but rock music in general and even the larger American culture over the next 40 years.

In There Was Nothing You Could Do, veteran rock critic Steven Hyden shows exactly how this record became such a pivotal part of the American tapestry. Alternating between insightful criticism, meticulous journalism, and personal anecdotes, Hyden delves into the songs that made—and didn’t make—the final cut, including the tracks that wound up on its sister album, 1982’s Nebraska. He also investigates the myriad reasons why Springsteen ran from and then embraced the success of his most popular (and most misunderstood) LP, as he carefully toed the line between balancing his commercial ambitions and being co-opted by the machine.

Book Review: Bridge and Tunnel Boys

Born four months apart, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel both released their debut albums in the early 1970s, quickly becoming two of the most successful rock stars of their generation. While their critical receptions have been very different, surprising parallels emerge when we look at the arcs of their careers and the musical influences that have inspired them.

Bridge and Tunnel Boys compares the life and work of Long Islander Joel and Asbury Park, New Jersey, native Springsteen, considering how each man forged a distinctive sound that derived from his unique position on the periphery of the Big Apple.

Bruce Springsteen - The River

Today (October 17th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of The River, the double-length fifth studio album from Bruce Springsteen. This multi-Platinum 1980 release flowed to number 65 in Ireland, number 31 in West Germany, number 28 in Japan, number 8 in Australia, number 5 in Spain, number 3 in France, number 2 in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK, and number 1 in Canada and Norway. Here in the US, it spent one hundred and eight weeks on the Billboard Album charts that included four weeks at the number 1 spot.

USA For Africa - We Are the World

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of We Are the World, the compilation album from a collection of artists known as USA For Africa that was released to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The record was a huge seller the world over; here in the US it debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held that spot for three consecutive weeks. It had an overall run on the Billboard Album chart for twenty-two weeks.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In the U.S.A. (30th anniversary)

Today (June 4th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Born in the U.S.A., the seventh studio album from Bruce Springsteen. This monster hit album spent a total of one-hundred thirty-nine weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, including seven weeks at the number 1 spot.

Click here for my full review of this 1984 classic.

Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.

Today (June 2nd) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Darkness on the Edge of Town, the fourth studio album from New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen. Despite a three year period since 1975’s Born To Run (click here for that review), this multi-Platinum seller from 1978 went to number 75 in Ireland, number 16 in the UK, number 12 in Norway, number 11 in New Zealand, number 9 in Australia and Sweden, number 7 in Canada, number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 200, and number 4 in the Netherlands. It actually remained on the US charts for ninety-seven weeks in total.

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (30th anniversary)

Today (September 30th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Nebraska, the sixth studio album from New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen.

Anyone who gives this album a listen instantly realizes how much of risk the Boss was taking at the time. This record, basically a folk album, sounds completely different than everything else that was gracing the charts in 1982. Where everyone was embracing new sounds, he went old school with one-man, one-guitar. It was an experiment that paid off as critics loved it as did most fans.

Me? Not so much. For my full review of the album, click here.

Donna Summer - Donna Summer

Today (July 19th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the self-titled Donna Summer. This 1982 release, produced by Quincy Jones, was the late R&B singer’s tenth studio album and contained a variety of musical styles across its nine tracks.

The record sold well and had good chart performance across the globe. It went to number 45 in Australia, number 37 Germany, number 32 in Canada, number 20 in Japan, number 13 in the UK, number 4 in New Zealand, number 3 in Norway and number 2 in Sweden. In the US, it reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 200 and number 6 on the R&B charts.

Gary U.S. Bonds - On the Line

Happy seventy-third birthday today (June 6th) to American rhythm and blues singer Gary Levone Anderson, known best by his stage name of Gary U.S. Bonds. He started his career in the 1960’s and, after two albums, took a break from recording. In the early 80’s, he made a career comeback.

In June of 1982, thirty years ago this month, Bonds released his third studio album On the Line. This was the second of two albums that were produced by Bruce Stringsteen and Steven Van Zandt. The two E. Street Band members wrote eight of the tracks, and Bonds was also back by the classic rock group. The album produced one Top 40 hit single.

A Very Special Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you, my blog readers. Today (December 25th) also happens to be the fifty-seventh birthday of Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics.

In 1987, the first of what has turned into a sporadic series of A Very Special Christmas albums was released. The series, created by music producer Jimmy Iovine, takes popular music artists of the time and has them sing holiday favorites. The album sales go to benefit the Special Olympics charity. Each cover has been designed by artist Keith Haring.

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Saturday.

In 1975, Bruce Springsteen released his third studio album, the hugely successful Born to Run. The record helped him break through to a more national and international audience. It was his best selling record up to that point in his career, going Platinum in the UK, Canada, Australia and the US (a number of times over in the later three). It debuted its first week on the US Billboard 200 album charts at number 84, moved to number 8 the following week, spent the next two weeks at number 4 and finally reached number 3 by its fifth week of release. The 30th anniversary edition released in 2005 reached number 18 on the same charts. The album was also a critical success, earning high marks from numerous music publications. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 18 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time. VH-1 ranked it at number 27 on its Greatest Albums of All-Time list. Many fans consider it one of Springsteen's greatest works to date.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In the U.S.A.

On June 4th of 1984, New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen released his seventh studio album Born in the U.S.A.. Backed by his E. Street Band, the Boss took a different direction from his previous release Nebraska; this new album contained songs of hope and were much more uptempo.

The record was a commercial success. It was the best-selling album of 1985 in the United States. It was also Springsteen’s most successful album ever: it produced seven Top 10 hits (tying Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Jane Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814.

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

On September 30th of 1982, the New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen released his sixth studio album. Unlike previous albums, Nebraska was recorded on a cassette-tape Port studio (a four track recording device). If the songs sound a lot like demos, that was the intention. Everything is stripped down and simple. It is just Bruce doing the vocals, the guitar, the harmonica, the mandolin, the tambourine and the organ.

The album went to number 78 in Ireland, number 37 in Germany, number 8 in Australia, number 7 in the Netherlands, number 2 in Sweden, and number 3 in Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the UK and on the US Billboard Hot 200.