Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
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Free Music Notes for Born to Run
Free Music Review: For tramps like us - Springsteen's greatest
Hit: 5 Stars
A dreaming harmonica and a rainy-day piano begins "Thunder Road." The harmonica fades away and the piano picks up. "The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves," Bruce Springsteen sings. "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays: Roy Orbison singing for the lonely. Hey, that's me and I want you only. Don't turn me home again - I just can't face myself alone again ..."The drums come in, the guitar twangs, the bass rolls, and we take off on one of the sweetest rides rock and roll has to offer: "Born to Run."
About mid-way through that song, Springsteen informs us, "I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk." Well, he's not kidding. But the instruments on this album do more than talk: they come to life, like shapes growing in a pop-up book or strangers emerging from shadows in the dark of night. Clarence Clemons' saxophone roars like the engine of a muscle car crashing through the late-night air, and Roy Bittan plays the piano as though he were writing a love letter. Garry Tallent's bass rolls with all the streetsmart indifference of one of the "street corner youths" Springsteen mentions so often. Max Weinberg's drumming becomes the pounding of two young lovers' hearts. And Springsteen's guitar, well - it's youth itself.
That's what "Born to Run" is all about. It's the ultimate serenade to youth in all its rebellious, slick, chrome glory. It's in the music, it's in Springsteen's voice, it's in his words. He recorded this album, his third, when he was just 26 years old. Almost 35 years later, it's still the greatest thing he's ever released - and that's really saying something, because Springsteen has released some of the greatest albums of all time. He has never been in better form than on this beauty, though. In the pantheon of rock and roll lyricists, Springsteen may not deserve to sit right beside Bob Dylan, but he definitely ought to get a spot near him. The material he wrote for "Born to Run" is sheer poetry.
The best song on the album is the title track, a rip-roaring, slick anthem, and the best of its kind. It's Springsteen's signature song, and also the finest example of Springsteen's trademark philosophy, sung right in the first verse: "Baby this town rips the bones from your back - it's a death trap, it's a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we're young, `cause tramps like us: baby, we were born to run!" Springsteen's "stay and rot, leave and live" philosophy may be the heart of the song, or it may be the subject matter: a declaration of love to a girl named Wendy. Springsteen's protagonist wants "to die with you Wendy in the streets tonight, in an everlasting kiss." Well, with Danny Federici's glockenspiel shimmering like a brand-new set of rims, guest drummer Ernest "Boom" Carter's kick drum pounding like a young lover's heart, and Springsteen shouting some of the most sincere lyrics he's ever written, if "Born to Run" doesn't win over Wendy, nothing will.
The theme of young love resurfaces on most of the album's tracks, but in particular on "She's the One." The upbeat, carousel-style piano part adds a sort of dramatic irony to its lyrics, which focus on a man's love for an intensely-attractive but freezing-cold-hearted woman. Love alone - be it love for youth or love for a woman - doesn't drive these songs, though. They're also driven by an intense desire to live and to get the hell out of this lonesome, washed-up town - because as far as Springsteen's concerned, you can't do both. That desire eventually inspires the protagonist to resort to robbery, on "Meeting Across the River." Springsteen sounds like he's trying to make himself believe something that he doesn't believe. "The word's been passed," he says. "This is our last chance." If the somber tone of the song, enforced by a lone jazzy horn, is any indication, they missed their chance.
It's not always "all or nothing," though. The smooth, easy-rolling "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is as cool as any rock song released in the `70s. It's also regarded as one of the hardest rock songs to understand. The song is actually loosely based on the formation of the E Street Band; its protagonist, "Bad Scooter," is named after Springsteen's pre-"Boss" nickname. Bad Scooter is saved by "the Big Man" in the third verse: that was the nickname for Clarence Clemmons - hence his improptu solo.
On the vinyl release, side one and side two are closed by "Backstreets" and "Jungeland" respectively. "Backstreets" rolls and thunders like a Friday night in a corner bar, resting on pounding drumming and a low grumble from Springsteen. It revolves around the relationship between the narrator and "Terry" (most likely Springsteen's long-time friend Terry Magovern). The two are forced to hide their love from the others and "hide on the backstreets" - until Terry runs off with another man, leaving the protagonist lonely, angry, and heartbroken.
"Jungeland" is a different story. Clocking it at an astounding nine and a half minutes, "Jungeland" is a rock epic and a Springsteen masterpiece. Revolving around gang violence, the song is composed of roughly four sections. The diversity of these sections is impressive: the song opens with a bold violin part, which leads into a piano piece. That part picks up into a standard rock part (arrangement-wise), which leads into the most rebelliously romantic instrumental bit ever in rock, highlighted by a knockout performance from Clemmons. Then Springsteen comes back in and everything's quiet; he's supported only by a hard-truth, mournful piano part. Finally, the song climaxes with a crescendo and a mad rush of emotion. But while the diversity may be impressive, it's the way Springsteen weaves them together that is truly extraodinary. He is the finest seamster in rock n' roll.
Additionally, "Jungeland" features some of the greatest lyrics ever put on paper by the Boss - or anyone else in rock, for that matter. Rod Stewart, John Mellencamp, and similar musicians tried to write music like this, but only Springsteen could compose a piece like this, the final lyrics of the song:
"Outside the street's on fire in a real death waltz
Between what's flesh and what's fantasy
And the poets down here don't write nothing at all
They just stand back and let it all be.
And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand
But they wind up wounded, not even dead --
Tonight in Jungleland."
And with that, one of the very finest records in rock history comes to a close. Springsteen's heartbroken corner youths walk into the night; his nowhere-bound factory workers' sons draw back into the shadows. This is the "working man's album" if ever such a thing existed: Springsteen's been there. That's why he's endured over all these years. He's a regular guy. If he was sitting beside you in a bar or at the gas station, you wouldn't even notice him. But he's a regular guy with a whole lot of talent: he can write rock and roll like no one can (save for Bobby Dylan). His songs are beautifully-arranged, styled like the rock n' roll classics of the `50s and `60s, and they capture the feelings Springsteen writes about so powerfully that they could make a 70-year-old man feel like he was 25 again.
So for those who feel they don't have time to listen to Marvin Gaye or Bob Dylan or any of those "old folks" because they're too busy being young, well, give the Boss a shot. "Born to Run" was ranked the 27th greatest album of all time by VH1, and the 18th of all time by "Rolling Stone." It remains the ultimate celebration of youth, young love, and that inescapable feeling that comes with it: we were born to run.
Free Music Review: Not a bad song in the bunch
Hit: 5 Stars
"Born to Run" was the hallmark of my generation. I first had the vinyl and believe me that record served its time on my poor turntable that needed 41 cents to prevent the tonearm from skating. As soon as I could afford a cassette deck, I bought the tape. "Born to Run" was the first CD I bought when I moved to a CD player in the early 80's.
My CD disappeared in my recent move and when I found out, I had to buy this CD again. If I could find the 24Kt version, I'd get that one instead. This is one of those CDs that I'd call 'essential'. Definitely one of the 100 I'd take to the desert island with me. Every song is a classic. I recently had the pleasure of seeing The Boss with the E Street Band in Atlanta, GA and most of the material from this CD was on his setlist--speaks volumes for this recording when he's got so many years to span live.
Rebecca Kyle, May 2008
Free Music Review: Music History
Hit: 5 Stars
This is simply one of the best 30 years after its release. I rarely like or listen to every song on an album/CD but this one I can play over and over again. The writing (words and music) the arrangements and the sound are simply not matched. A mix of words and music and sound not to be equalled. As another review stated this is a landmark in music and put the Springsteen name in lights forever. Free Music Review: Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
Recently getting into the rock music culture within the last year, only 18 years of age, I recently discovered this gem, took me multiple listens to recieve and understand how good it is , but now I can't stop listening to it. Im falling in love with this guy, I plan on checking out "The River" next. 5 stars classic as good as it gets! Up there with The Beatles. "You got it, or you don't" Bruce Springsteen certainly has it Free Music Review: The best album ever made
Hit: 5 Stars
Okay so maybe my Springsteen bias is showing, and those in the "Sgt. Pepper," "Pet Sounds," "Dark Side of the Moon," and "Rumours" camps will all have valid arguments, but the list is a small one.
This was the true definition of the "wall of sound." Each song taking the listener on a journey. All one needs to do is close their eyes when listening and listen to the expressive music and lyrics of each song and you can almost picture yourself there...the hope and desperation still bleed through.
Those who may not know the Springsteen catalog well...give it a listen. Chances are you have heard every song on the album played on the radio. That and there is no better opening song on any album than "Thunder Road" I think it is his finest composition.