There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that Bruce Springsteen is an icon. His status in the world of music–and, indeed, pop culture at large–has been solidified for decades now. Even to a casual listener of the radio, songs like “Glory Days”, “Dancing in the Dark”, “Born to Run”, “Streets of Philadelphia”, “I’m On Fire”, and, of course, “Born in the USA” are familiar, perhaps even over-played. But Springsteen has hundreds and hundreds of songs which his legacy and empire is built upon. Today I’m going to be examining what I think are the most underrated tracks from each of his studio albums (outtakes and live records not included).
Greetings From Asbury Park N.J. (1973)
Mary, Queen of Arkansas
Man, I’ve just lost a lot of you, haven’t I? This is perhaps Springsteen’s most maligned song but I happen to think it is a hidden gem of Ugly Duckling proportions. I went into much greater detail here if you want to go deeper into my reasoning. Without treading over too much already-trodden ground, I will simply say that beneath the over-zealous guitar strumming, the shrilly shrieking harmonica, and occasionally pretentious lyrics, there lies a sensitive meditation on the darkly sexual mysteries of unrequited love.
The Wild, The Innocent, & E Street Shuffle (1973)
Wild Billy’s Circus Story
I was pretty torn with this one. The Wild, The Innocent… is already a criminally underrated album as a whole, so most of the songs are criminally underrated simply by association. I toyed with selecting “Incident on 57th Street” and “New York City Serenade”, but I ultimately had to give the spot to Wild Billy and his circus story. The lyrics flow out of the singer with such scene-setting abilities as to rival a Tom Waits song. Indeed, many of the lyrics have a Tom Waits feel about them. In this song Bruce gives us a look at the travelling circus’s underbelly. It is dark and sinister, with hinted at sexuality and seediness. Other than the vivid imagery, the music itself is stand out. It is amazing what mood can be achieved with an acoustic guitar and a one-note burst of tuba.
Born to Run (1975)
Meeting Across the River
How could it be anything else? Born to Run is such an iconic album, yet “Meeting Across the River” is one that rarely gets talked about. Although full credit to Billy Joel for talking about it (and singing it!) in this clip! It is in many ways a departure from the rest of the album. While most of the tracks are drenched in rock and roll, and passionate hopes of escape, “Meeting Across the River” is, by contrast, a bluesy crime noir. The forlorn horn at the start paired with the delicate arpeggiated piano chords act as a perfect partner to Bruce’s vocals, which have never sounded better. This song is all about mood and, while the lyrics are impressive in their storytelling (less is more), it is the feel you get from the song that gives it its power.
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
Streets of Fire
I nearly put “Something in the Night” in this slot, but I think that track is actually pretty well regarded by most Springsteen fans. “Streets of Fire” on the other hand, while not widely disliked by any means, tends to be forgotten about. Just like the album’s second track, “Adam Raised a Cain”, this is as close as Springsteen ever got to being a heavy metal singer. The song begins with an ominous organ and when Bruce starts singing it is like a funeral dirge. The character can barely bring himself to enunciate, such is the despair he is feeling. Suddenly, at the crash of Max Weinberg’s drums, the chorus combusts into flames, much like the titular streets. There is something very special about this track. I don’t think there is another instance where Springsteen uses his vocals quite like this. It is raw and visceral (much like the album it is lurking on) and is quite the thing to see live; especially the version from Houston in 1978.
The River (1980)
Jackson Cage
With twenty (mostly) stellar tracks on the album, this was a difficult one to choose! “Jackson Cage” is my ultimate pick mostly because of the fantastic lyrics and the pure rock ‘n’ roll driving force of the music that supports them. Telling the story of a woman who is being crushed by her town, Bruce juxtaposes grimly poetic lyrics (“To a row of houses, she just melts away / Like the scenery in another man’s play”) with a powerful chorus that almost sounds triumphant. Almost. The dark undertones of this track are somewhat hidden by the fact that, on the album, it is sandwiched between the upbeat rockers “Sherry Darling” and “Two Hearts”.
Nebraska (1982)
My Father’s House
It is a pretty redundant task to select the most underrated track from an album which is so highly regarded. It is virtually a perfect singer-songwriter album. It is dark and gloomy and laden with spooky portents. All three of these descriptions apply neatly to “My Father’s House”. It opens with our narrator dreaming he is a child again who is lost in the woods. Something lurks in the dark, and he flees through the clawing brambles “with the devil snapping at [his] heels”. Finally, he comes to his father’s house and collapses in his arms, safe and secure. Upon awakening, the narrator resolves to see his estranged father and make amends with him. When he gets to his father’s front door he is greeted by a woman who delivers the song’s brutal gut-punch: “I’m sorry son, but no one by that name lives here anymore”. There is no closure in this gothic tale, and our narrator is forced to drive away down a dark highway “where our sins lie unatoned”. It is a breath-taking song that reduces me to tears every time.
Born in the U.S.A (1984)
Downbound Train
A similar problem arises now as the pick before: how to choose an underrated gem from an album which stands as amongst the most iconic albums in the world? My reasons for picking this one are again similar to “My Father’s House”; I am naturally attracted to sad stories of lonely people. Once more, there is no resolution to our narrator’s heartbreak– in this case it is his wife leaving him–and we have another dream sequence in which everything works out, only to be hit by a hard dose of reality. “Then I dropped to my knees, hung my head, and cried”, Bruce sings; and that is exactly what will happen when you listen.
Tunnel of Love (1987)
Two Faces
Tunnel of Love, Bruce’s so-called “divorce album”, is fraught with contradictions. There is love and hate (as embodied by the main character of its fifth track, “Cautious Man”), there is sexuality, tension, bitterness, hope, and trust. The album itself seems to play out like an unfolding relationship, from the initial attraction (“Ain’t Got You”, “All That Heaven Will Allow”), to a loving union (“Walk Like a Man”), through doubt (“Brilliant Disguise”), before ending in heartbreak (“When You’re Alone”). “Two Faces” sits firmly in the doubt category. It is a song about depression, about overcoming your own demons to let love in, about conflict. It sounds miserable, but the track allows us some hope in its closing lyrics.
Talk About A Dream 