(and yes, I have been drinking)

"Backstreets," just started.

*sniff*

jonmc: glad to know I'm not MeFi's only Bruce fan. I'm always defending him against people who think they don't like him but don't know his music very well.

That poignancy, daily reality vs. hopefulness, is his greatest strength.

Know which one always kills me? "Incident on 57th Street."

I dunno, Born to Run in particular is incredibly hopeful and romantic. Hopelessly so at that. The rest of his stuff might be incredibly grim, but definitely not Born to Run. Actually, I haven't listened to it in a while. Think I will now though it's not scratched up so perhaps I'll be missing something.

Live Jungleland for my fellow Boss fans

Yay, new fodder for my Bruceleg playlist

Ever hear Dan Bern's version of Thunder Road? he does it well. If I can figure out how to use YouSendIt, I will. But first I'm going out for a run.

live acoustic "Racing In The Streets"

I'd never really listened to the Boss before this past summer. I always thought of him as the "Dancing in the Dark" guy (I know, I know, it's unfair). Then I picked up The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle, and man, I was surprised.

He's a revelation, to be sure. Get Born To Run and prepare to have your mind blown.

The Wild, etc. is my favorite album. I love the jazz and motown influences and the meandering compositions.

And if you like that, you should find a copy of the Main Point bootleg from 1973. Incredible.

I love you jonmc. Those are great.

For some reason Bruce speaks to me like no other artist.

I have so many bootlegs I don't even know what I have anymore.

'Born to Run' (the song, not the album) was forever ruined for me when my ex-husband and I were staying at a Warner holiday resort [on Hayling Island, don't ask]. They had pan-pipe music playing in the dining room and we both kind of recognised that we knew the song but couldn't quite ... then we realised it was 'Born to Run'. It was both the saddest and the funniest thing I've ever heard

When it got to the descending riff we were just about under the table with hysterical laughter, whilst all around us all these po-faced old dears [average age on a Warner break is about 76. I was 40 at the time] were looking at us like we were on crack.

When 'Born to Run' was finished, it was followed by 'Honky Tonk Woman' and I had to physically restrain my ex-husband from holding up his lighter during the final track, Skynyrd's 'Freebird'.

I would give anything to own that CD.

As per miko, Dan Bern's cover of Thunder Road (which I agree is quite nice). Joe's Pub of NYC, March 21, 2004.

Born To Run came out the year I graduated high school. Maybe that's why it has had such an impact on me. He was still telling stories I could relate too, I guess. Sure it's a dark album, but much less so than The River or Darkness on the Edge of Town.

I could listen to it every day without getting tired of it. Thanks for the live tracks, jon.

"Rosalita" is like the template for every happy song that was ever made.

Man, if you don't love Born to Run, you ain't human. This is one album that completely defines the glory and the frustration of being alive.

Year after year, Bruce lets the world know that rock and roll is a living, breathing thing that can save your soul. Just ask him.

the songs are very hopeful on born to run, which is one reason why perhaps it can seem so grim. it's the younger speaker's voice that comes through on that record. the river's mostly about someone who's already all busted up. the voice of born to run still thinks he can get out. this is just some back of the envelope thinking, since i've been listening to not-the-boss tonight.

i've seen springsteen twice. for my birthday, i bought my girl a ticket to go see him in richmond (she lives in nc; i'm in tx).

i keep waiting to take a census or fill out some forms or ANYTHING where there's a blank for RELIGION (no, i can't actually imagine this coming up anytime, ever, really). and yes it's just going to say BRUUUUUUUUUUUUCE.

I love the song, "Meeting across the river", because you know that the narrator is an idiot. You identify with him but you know that he's going get his ass shot but you really hope that he doesn't. I'm a Jersey kid who grew up in the seventies so I can't help but like Bruce.

Octothorpe: Me too.

Sam: great idea on the "religion" blank.

Bruce is from basically the same place I'm from. He still lives in the same region where he grew up. And he's everything he's cracked up to be. How rare is that? He donates tens of thousands each year to the food pantry. He goes to a lot of Democratic party candidate support events. And he hangs...that is, he goes out to bars and restuarants and interacts with normal people. He has refused to fall out of touch. His money is where his mouth is.

Heard him on Terry Gross last week, interviewing about "Devils and Dust" and the BTR 30th anniversary. My favorite quote: she talked to him about feeling like a misfit in high school, and asked if he felt at home when he found a role as a musician. He laughed, and haltingly said "Well,...it contextualizes your strangest behaviors."

Amen.