DOWNBOUND TRAIN

The guy seems to be everywhere this month: Desert Island Discs; big interview on TV; big interview in the Guardian [not particularly complimentary]; a new biography out for which he was allegedly paid $10m dollars: I guess the book is the reason he is so ubiquitous. The Great American Marketing Machine.

It took me ages to appreciate Bruce Springsteen. I couldn’t get past all the bombast of Born to Run and Born in the USA and all the stuff on the first album [Greetings from Asbury Park]. I think the first time I paid any attention was when I heard his own version of The Fever, still today probably my favourite Springsteen track [what a cock-up Southside Johnny made of it]. Then soon after I picked up on Racing in the Street and then I was hooked. Semi-hooked, anyway.

Not a big fan of lists but these are the only tracks I own:

The Fever

The River

Sad Eyes

Human Touch

The New Timer

Youngstown

Racing in the Street

Downbound Train [the version by Raoul Marlow]

One thing I felt was missing from all the interviews was how great his voice is. Yes, he writes good tunes and his lyrics can be eloquent but he has the voice of our times and a language we can somehow call our own.