Ticket 2 Ride

These five songs are not necessarily my favorite Bruce Springsteen songs, but I believe they help convey through music who the man is, and him immense talent.

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In his sixth decade of his career, Bruce Springsteen has released more albums than I can count, he’s won every award possible, had a sold out show on Broadway, written his memoirs, and performed to millions around the world. We know him, right? Well, each of know him differently. He has recorded over 400 songs and written many times that number. How do you pick just five?

These aren’t the biggest hits, but several of them did very well. I picked these mainly for what they say and how well he says it.

“Jungleland” From Born to Run (1975). This song is perhaps the best performance by the E Street Band of a Springsteen song. The word “epic” doesn’t quite cover how grand and moving this song is, especially performed live. The drive and kickass nature of the title track of the album tends to get most of the attention, but “Jungleland” is the kind of song most songwriters never achieve in their career, and Springsteen did it as a young man.

“Brilliant Disguise” From Tunnel of Love (1987). The lyrics are very personal, a man looking forward into his future with a sense of hesitation and uncertainty. The songs charted at number five, but this isn’t about popularity, Springsteen wanted to prove that he could deliver the songs on his own. The song has a haunting, somber sound, Springsteen experimenting with different instruments, working mainly on his own. His songs don’t always need a large band sound to be reach their target.

“My Hometown” From Born in the U.S.A. (1984). The seventh of seven singles from the album, “My Hometown” rose to number six on the hot 100. Painting a picture of small town life, then and now, “My Hometown” helped to call out the plight of the changing small town and farm culture and threat to its viability. These were the kind of messages that used to be delivered in folk and country songs, then through Dylan.

“Badlands” From the album Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978). One of two very good Springsteen songs an underrated album. It’s a rocker and the lyrics seem spot-on especially today.

Learned real good right now
You better get it straight darlin’
Poor man wanna be rich
Rich man wanna be king
And a king ain’t satisfied
‘Til he rules everything
I wanna go out tonight

“There Goes My Miracle” From Western Stars (2019). This song still gives me a lump in my throat. I put this album right up there with Born to Run as a work of majestic scope and soundscape. The reviews were mixed, people didn’t know what to think of this retro sounding set of songs, like a Jimmy Webb concept album from the 1960s. “There Goes My Miracle” is simply one of the best songs on the album, there are many. A song of regret, of realizing his actions cost him a love. Illuminated by the rustic landscape, the loss is real.

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I noticeably did not tap The River, Nebraska or The Ghost of Tom Joad. Some of his best work can be mined from these albums, and I didn’t go for the obvious hits.