Song Review: Bruce Springsteen Edition!

Hi everyone! Today I'm starting a new segment, recommended by a good friend of mine. In the following articles in this segment I'll be recommending, reviewing, and rating songs for you guys to give you some insight into the song and my thoughts on it. My rating will be from 1 to 10 on various parts of the song: bass-line, lead vocals, assisting parts (piano, organ, auxiliary percussion), drums, guitar, and overall impact. Hope you guys enjoy the article and the music!

My first article will be about a few Springsteen songs. I'm reading his autobiography (titled "Born to Run"- you should check it out), and the book has really expanded my view of his music, so hopefully I can take some of that insight here.

1. Born to Run (1975)

Born to Run was off of Bruce's first album by the same title, and is one of his most popular songs and first hits. The song begins with about a half-measure of rapid, hard hitting drum. It immediately hits into a sustained chord by the saxophone and guitar, with quarter notes on the kick drum, bells and what I think is the organ and piano. The quarter notes continue while the saxophone and guitar play the melody. This note and melody combination repeats again, then Bruce begins his vocals with drums, bass, and guitar in the background. Eventually the rest of the percussion as well as the bells and organ kick back in with their respective rhythms, leading into one big chord with Bruce singing "ohhhhh!". It continues rising until Bruce says, "Baby we were born to ruuuun!", setting the whole process over again. It repeats once after the first time, leading directly into a sax solo by the saxophonist who deserves special mention, Clarence Clemons. Clarence is an imposing saxophonist with one of the most beautiful and intense sax sounds I have ever heard. His stage presence was unmatched. I'm usually not one to advocate for sax in rock, but it works amazingly throughout Bruce's music. The solo in Born to Run is no exception, with Clarence ripping through an amazing, fast sax solo with everyone else backing him. This leads into a breakdown with percussion and synth slowly rising behind his rising lyrics. Eventually the sax kicks up, leading the band back to the full sound of the beginning. The melody repeats one more time, and the song ends.

Rating

Sax: 10

Of course I'm biased, being a brass player myself, but Clarence's playing skills were undisputed, and it shows on Born to Run.

Guitar: 7

Obviously guitar was not the focus on this song, and while it wasn't as present as I would have expected in this kind of song, the rest of the instruments more than made up for it. It receives a 7 for good sportsmanship.

Aux. Percussion: 10

One of the few songs I have heard with such solid aux percussion, playing such an important role, is Born to Run. The bells, organ and piano play such an important role in this song, executed so perfectly, that I couldn't give them any lower than a 10.

Bass-line: 9

If you listen to the song, you'll have a hard time distinguishing the bass from the rest of the bass-line... which is perfect. The kick drum and underlying bass provide a great floor for the rest of the band, while staying low enough to let the other instruments shine through. Great job by the bass to execute its job to near-perfection.

Vocals: 9

It always pains me to give Bruce Springsteen anything less than a 10, but I honestly think this wasn't his best vocal performance. When I hear him on Glory Days, Dancing in the Dark, and Born in the USA, it sounds just a little bit different than Born to Run. I think all of that can be attributed to his youth, as this was his first real hit, and he was still developing that hard-hitting voice. That isn't to shame him for this performance, as it was still incredible... just not what I've heard on other songs.

Drums: 8

While the drums did a fantastic job providing steady time, I feel they didn't make enough of their own impact. The difference between a great drummer and a fantastic drummer lies in his ability to fill space. There was a little bit of space in this song that I think could've been filled with a cool drum part, but it wasn't there. Good job, drums, but keep working on filling that space. (Side note: I can't drum, so I'm not judging. Better than I could ever do.)

Overall Impact: 10

I mean, come on. All of Springsteen's best songs just hit you with incredible force. The beginning of this song, with that heavy kickdrum and sax, is amazingly strong but not overbearing. The song does an appropriate job of staying down at times, and at other times letting loose with all it has to offer. Great job by The Boss and Clarence Clemons once again.

2. Dancing in the Dark (1984)

Off of maybe Bruce's most famous album, Born in the USA, Dancing in the Dark was, in Springsteen's own words, "as far in the direction of pop music as I wanted to go - and probably a little farther." The song starts with the melody, done by synthesizer, which rarely played a major role in his songs. The synth plays pretty much the same thing the whole song, and the song is slightly repetitive, but Bruce does a good job of breaking up the monotony. The melody remains the same throughout the song, and the drum is very important, playing kick drum on 1 and 3, and snare on 2 and 4. The guitar stays mostly in the background, until Bruce kicks in to the main chorus, "You can't start a fire, you can't start a fire without a spark, this gun's for hire, even if we're just dancin' in the dark." He does this several times, and when he does the guitar becomes very important. Bruce's lyrics are a haunting reminder of the lives of many Americans, and his delivery throughout the whole song is remarkable.

Rating

Sax: 8

While he doesn't play nearly as large a role in Dancin' in the Dark as he did in Born to Run, Clarence does good work on the sax yet again. He doesn't kick again until the very end, when he softly leads the band out with the synth. He can't do better than an 8 with the kind of role he has in the song, which isn't to say he was unimportant, but that sax itself doesn't fit very well with this kind of song, so Clarence does perfectly with what he is given.

Guitar: 10

The guitar gives the chorus a sense of belonging. It keeps the parts separate, and tells the listener, "Ok, listen up," in a song that's particularly repetitive. Beautifully done by Steve Van Zandt.

Aux. Percussion: 9

Ok, in this case "aux" just means synth, and it plays a major role in this tune. I've tried songwriting with synth before, and I just... couldn't... find the right sound. My friend and I tried in vain to find a sound we liked on his Yamaha keyboard, and we couldn't do it, no matter how many settings we adjusted. So kudos to the synthesizer for finding the perfect sound. It does a wonderful job of leading the band that isn't used to that sound. I've always disliked synth, but I can't hate it in this song. Fantastic job.

Bass-Line: 9

Again, if you listen to the song, it is particularly hard to find. But, in my opinion, it's even better on Dancin' in the Dark than on Born to Run. This is what bass should sound like: omnipresent, but always just in the shadows, lifting the rest of the band up. Amazing when done correctly.

Vocals: 10

Yes, I mentioned this on the previous review. I absolutely love Bruce on this song. His voice perfectly fits the blue-collar desperation feel of the whole song. The grit of his voice fits so well that it's impossible to give him anything less than a perfect rating.

Drums: 10

On this song, the drums have to do the opposite of what I said on the last one: restrain their power. Dancin' in the Dark is all about a steady beat, and that's exactly what the drums provide on the track. The kick drum and snare provide perfect tempo throughout, allowing the synth to ring out. Well executed.

Overall Impact: 10

Listening to this song gives me chills. Beautiful look into the life of an everyday, working-class American. I never tire of this song, and highly recommend it.

3. Glory Days (1984)

One of my personal favorites, Glory Days is a joyful romp through Bruce's high school days. It features organ, guitar, and, as always, Bruce's amazing voice. It begins with guitar playing a bare bones version of the melody, until the rest of the band joins in, with organ picking up the melody. The organ takes the melody during the chorus, and in the verses the guitar, piano, and Bruce take the lead. It goes on like this until the song ends. Sounds repetitive, but once again Bruce takes a simple melody and song and makes it entertaining through the whole thing, with storytelling lyrics and changes in rhythm. Just a flat-out fun song to listen to.

Rating

Sax: Unfortunately, does not appear.

Guitar: 10

Plays a huge role in Glory Days, and executes it perfectly. Glory Days shows off the guitar in all of its glory, and Van Zandt doesn't disappoint.

Aux. Percussion: 10

In this case aux is just piano and organ, both of which are played perfectly. Organ obviously plays a major role very well, but piano does just as good a job on all of its little runs and riffs throughout the song, and it has a major impact that isn't felt immediately.

Bass-line: 9

Bass is a little more prominent, but just as good. Nothing more needs to be said.

Vocals: 10

Bruce has a remarkable ability to change his voice depending on the mood. It's gritty and emotional on Dancin', and it's upbeat and impactful on Glory Days. Despite the change, it's still incredibly strong and well done. Keep it up, Bruce!

Drums: 9

Well executed, keeps the beat, keeps the audience entertained. Good job.

Overall Impact: 9

I love this song, and it would be a 10 if not for the fact that it's slightly repetitive. Still love it, still a great song.

Hopefully you listen to Bruce sometime and decide what you think for yourself. I really enjoyed doing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it!