Album Review #5 - Bruce Springsteen "Born To Run" (1975)

 

Album Review #5

 

Artist:  Bruce Springsteen

Album:  Born To Run

Year of Release:  1975

Grade:  5/5

 

Band Members

Bruce Springsteen – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica

 

The E Street Band

Roy Bittan – piano, glockenspiel, harpsichord, organ, background vocals

Clarence Clemons – saxophone

Garry Tallent – bass guitar

Max Weinberg – drums

Ernest Carter – drums

Danny Federici – organ

David Sancious – keyboards

 

Mike Appel – background vocals

Steven Van Zandt - background vocals

Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugel horn

Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone

David Sanborn – baritone saxophone

Wayne Andre – trombone

Richard Davis – double bass

Suki Lahav – violin

Charles Calello – string arrangements

 

 

Background

After two reasonably unsuccessful albums saleswise – “Greetings From Asbury Park” and “The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle”, Bruce Springsteen needed a big album to live up to the hype and to save his career.  If the record flopped, he would be dropped from his label.  The album became a symbol for the working man’s desire for ideals and freedom.  In some ways, it is almost a concept album.  Springsteen’s desire was for it to be the equivalent of a cinematic drama.  Springsteen’s own desire for perfectionist vision almost killed the whole album.  The title track took almost 6 months to record as Springsteen wanted a Phil Spector-ish Wall of Sound.  Some band members left and were replaced.  After the album’s release, there would be a manager change and a lawsuit that would last years.  Many regard this a Springsteen’s masterpiece.  It is my favorite Springsteen album.

 

Track Listing

1.      “Thunder Road” (Springsteen)

2.      “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” (Springsteen)

3.      “Night” (Springsteen)

4.      “Backstreets” (Springsteen)

5.      “Born To Run” (Springsteen)

6.      “She’s The One” (Springsteen)

7.      “Meeting Across The River” (Springsteen)

8.      “Jungleland” (Springsteen)

 

 

Review

The album opens up with my favorite Springsteen song of all time “Thunder Road”.  The song is the first chapter in this adventure where the singer and a girl named Mary decide to escape the dreary life for one of adventure and start over somewhere new.  Musically, the song opens with just piano and harmonica until the vocals begin.  Lyrically, it is just simply brilliant – capturing lots of visual images. 

 

 

The second track “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” starts out with some funky horn work with some piano work.  The story is about a young musician trying to get noticed.  It can be treated as partly semi-autobiographical as it references the “Big Man” joining the band (Big Man being Clarence Clemons nickname).

 

The next track “Night” opens with that wall of sound with guitars and sax.  Underlaying all of the music is some wonderful bass work.  The song refers to a blue collar worker who only feels free when he can leave work to race cars and chase the girl of his dreams.  My only critique on this track is that the vocals are sometimes muddled like he is trying to say too much at one time.

 

The fourth track “Backstreets” opens with piano and organ in some really nice interplay with a little guitar thrown in the background.  The girlfriend Mary is now replaced with a girl named Terry.  The song is really about a broken relationship or friendship.  Springsteen’s vocal delivery has a raw quality to it.

 

The title track “Born To Run” is an explosion of sound that doesn’t let up.  Here is that wall of sound in full force.  It’s a love letter from the singer to a girl named Wendy.  He’s begging her to join him on this adventure.  This is one of those songs that is better played LOUD!  It has a false ending that leads right back into the same tempo.  Lots of car references and images of freedom.  This is easily my second favorite Springsteen song.

 

 

Following “Born To Run” is “She’s The One”.  The song is about a woman who is desirable but distant. She’s a liar but the singer wants to believe her even though deep down he knows she can’t be trusted.  In some ways, the singer is singing in the present tense but other times he is looking back to the past.  But Clemons’ sax solo is simply amazing.

 

My least favorite song is “Meeting Across The River”.  To me, this is an appetizer for the final track. It starts with a haunting trumpet and piano.  It is about the singer needing to do one deal to get the money he needs but he needs help.  He has pawned his girlfriend’s radio.  But once he has the money, he is gone.

 

The final track is the epic “Jungleland”.  The song (the longest on the album) tells an entire story with crazy character names, gangs, and guitars.  It has great instrumentation with the music flowing up and back down with emotions.  To me, this is his lyrical masterpiece.  Once again, this is one of my favorite Springsteen songs because of the story filled lyrics and great music.  It has almost a rock opera quality to it and clocks in at 9 ½ minutes in length.