Welcome to the homepage for Bruce Springsteen. (The Boss) Regarded as one of the top songwriters and live performers of this century, Bruce has captured the hearts and minds of fans world-wide. He and his E-street band tour cities world-wide. Springsteen was named one of People Magazine's 25 legends of the 25 years of People's existence. Bruce joined Madonna as the only 2 musicians to gain that honor. Bruce Springsteen started out his musical career in high school by joining and creating various bands. He started touring locally, and then began touring nation-wide a few years later. In 1973, CBS released the album "Live From Asbury Park, NJ" which would become his first album. In it, Springteen sang "Blinded By The Light" which was a #1 for Manfred Mann, and would become Springsteen's first song to place on the charts. Shortly thereafter, Bruce and CBS produced another live album with the E-Street Band. But it was not until 1975, and with his first studio album, that Bruce Springsteen would gain the attention of a national audience.
It was in 1975 that Bruce released the album "Born To Run." The album quickly turned gold, and with its scenes of the city and gloomed mixed with a message of freedom and hope, became a rock standard. The songs "Born To Run" and "Thunder Road" would become two of Springsteen's highest esteemed songs.
In 1978 Bruce released the flip side of born to run with "Darkness On The Edge Of Town." This contained the title track, plus the fan favorites "Adam Raised A Cain," "The Promised Land," "Candy's Room" and "Badlands." The album continued in some ways where "Born To Run" left off, but instead of a message of potential hope, there was terror and doom. But the album further established Bruce Springsteen as a musician.
Two years later, Springsteen released the album "The River" which contained more tracks then his first 2 albums combined. In this album, the song "Hungry Heart" earned Bruce his first top-10 hit (which he performed.) This album moved him closer to the Pop and even country scene, which upset some of his fans. But he wasn't through. Even though the album ranks among Rolling Stone's top albums of the 80's, many viewed it as a disappointment, when in fact it was a breakthrough for "The Boss."
The album "Nebraska" was released in 1982, and some viewed it as a sign of Bruce Springsteen's decline. This album would also be rated as one of the best albums of the 80's, but was entirely different from Springsteen's earlier albums. Gone was the E-street band and the elaborate arrangements and enthralling music Bruce's fans had previously heard. In its place was a harmonica and a steel stringed guitar with Springsteen's singing. The album had songs about serial killers, and focused on the meanness, emptiness and sadness of the world. Yet it managed to salvage something with its closing song "Reason To Believe" which gives a message of hope, albeit undefined. Too many, this appeared to be the end of Springsteen's career. His tour's were falling behind, even though he was still one of the most popular, and his albums seemed to be getting more dark and simple each time. But Bruce Springsteen was not going to fade away into past stardom, he was about to assume Super stardom, and he would do so with his next album, "Born In The U.S.A."
"Born In The U.S.A." unquestionably is what gave Bruce superstar status, not only did the album contain 7 future top-10 hits, but the album was based around a setting and on a theme. Unlike popular beliefs, it was not an album of praise to America, but in fact an album of protest, survival and even some patriotic feelings mixed together. Yet, with such a catchy and muscled-up title tune, it soon became a favorite at 4th of July Parties. The album, regarded up there with Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as the greatest of all time, it put Bruce in the spotlight.
Yet, after 1984 Springsteen settled down, and although he would produce 3 albums in the next 10 years, they would not be of the caliber of his previous albums. They would be what he wanted to produce, and that would cost him fans in the long run. Bruce Springsteen revived his career in the Mid-90's with the Academy Award Winning song "Streets Of Philadelphia" and the song "Secret Garden."
In the grand scheme of things, Bruce Springsteen helped revive a dying era of Rock when the Disco era was just beginning and after it was over. His music and his concerts are still popular world-wide, and he is still producing music year after year. But Springsteen's music is no take off of other artists, no imitation of other successful bands or styles, he writes what he wants to and what he believe in. His music, just like himself really is BORN IN THE U.S.A.
Lyrics Sounds Albums Links Tour Dates Billboard Forum
Next | Skip it | Next 5 | Previous | Random ]
Sign My GuestbookView My Guestbook
