The Boss

I am a Bruce Springsteen fanatic. He accounts for over one-third of iTunes library. I can probably identify every song he has ever recorded within 2-3 seconds. He is a fellow Jersey-ian and I have seen him several times working out or just around Jersey. The last time I saw him he was right next to me looking at a shirt in American Eagle. I was like a teenage girl who just got a kiss on the cheek from Justin Bieber. Ok that sounded a little weird but you know what I mean. And no I didn't say anything to him because I was so star struck.

I have probably seen Bruce ten times or so in concert. Every one is better than the next. He is the greatest live performer rock and roll has ever seen. Someone try to argue with me. Nobody has sustained his level performance for as long as he has. He has been going strong since 1973, that's 40 years of rock and roll mastery. Who else plays 30+ songs, and over three hours of non-stop pandemonium? Nobody. The man will be 63 years old this week but somehow still plays like he is twenty-five. He shows no signs of slowing down.

So last night me and my buddies made the impulse decision to buy tickets and go to the concert at Giants Stadium (still refuse to call it MetLife), and although the setlist was different and definitely not one of his best...the show was still awesome. Although this list usually fluctuates, I have attempted to rank my top 10 favorite Bruce songs.

1. Thunder Road

Album: Born to Run

Don't run back inside darlin, you know just what I'm here for.

Someday I am going to drop that line as I pick up a girl and then we are going to kiss in the pouring rain (and maybe do other things) just like they do in Dear John. Yea...I've seen it. Not ashamed! Anyway, "Thunder Road" just has a special place in my heart. One of my favorite things to do: blast this song down Ocean Ave (for all of my New Jersey-ian's out there. A part of Bruce's coming out album. Powerful lyrics, Bruce's opening harmonica, and the Big Man's soothing work on the sax make this pure mastery.

2. Badlands

Album: Darkness on the Edge of Town

All men wanna be rich,
Rich men wanna be king,
And the king ain't satisfied til he lose everything

Goddamnit that's good. How does he do it? The ultimate anthem of Bruce. Once he finishes, nobody leaves. They sing the "Badlands" anthem and beg him for one more song. Many times an opener, once you hear that guitar intro...you know it's on baby.

3. Racing in the Street

Album: Darkness on the Edge of Town

I met her on the strip three years ago,
In a Camaro with this dude from LA,
I blew that Camaro off my back,
and drove that little girl away

A true hidden gem that doesn't often get mentioned in the elite. In my opinion, no song of Bruce is more musically graceful and elegant. If you had to tell me that the only piece of music I could listen to for the rest of my life was this five-minute outro...I would be perfectly content. Roy Bittan is in flawless form with his brilliant piano work in both the intro and outro.

4. Backstreets

Album: Born to Run

We swore forever friends on the backstreets until the end,
Hidin' on the backstreets, hidin' on the backsteets....

"You have two songs from Born to Run in your top 5 and none of them are the actual song "Born to Run!!" Yup, I do. As a die hard Bruce fan, I tend to appreciate the songs that aren't necessarily everybody's top choice. Don't get me wrong, "Born to Run" is awesome and extremely symbolic of Bruce's story, but it's also the most played and most recognized. For a guy that has an endless library of classics and hits...I tend to go in other directions. "Backstreets" is a tale of friendship highlighted with a passionate and climactic chorus which is absolutely epic when performed live. ^^As shown above.

5. Jungleland

Album: Born to Run

That's now three on the Born to Run album and none of them are actually "Born to Run!"

Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of  a Dodge...drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain. 

I want to experience that image once in my lifetime as well. Except I see it as me offering her a cold beer (preferably Miller Lite) instead of warm, and then joining her on the hood of a dodge when we share our life stories and then make out as it rains (common theme here). This song is top 5 based on Roy Brittan's work alone. I have always wanted to direct a movie with his opening piano as the ending soundtrack. And of course, may he rest in peace, Clarence Clemons is at his absolute best in this song--with prolonged saxophone work so gripping your body goes numb in concert. The world seems to stop when he takes over the stage.

6. Out in the Street

Album: The River

I tried coming up with an explanation on why I love this song and I couldn't really get past this: it's just downright fun. One of the best songs to hear in concert. Innate ability get the crowd involved and just a fun sing-a-long.

7. Born to Run

Album: Born to Run

Baby this town rips the bones from your back,
It's a death trap, a suicide wrap,
We gotta get out while we're young 
'cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run!

Fine. I give in. This song means so much to Bruce as a person and performer--and also is his first hit that made him a star.

8. I'm Goin Down

Album: Born in the USA

The first song I mention from the album, an album that brought Bruce from stardom to super-stardom. This is another one of those songs where I can't really put my finger on why I like it so much, but damnit I love blasting this bastard.

9. No Surrender

Album: Born in the USA

We made a promise we swore we'd almost remember, No retreat, baby, no surrender. 
Like soldiers in a winter's night with, with a vow to defend, no retreat, baby, no surrender. 

Shit, that's brilliant. A song about friendship, a song about following your dreams. I actually prefer it performed acoustically and slower like he does in concert as opposed to the more fast-paced record version.

10. My Hometown

Album: Born in the USA

Last night me and kate, laid in bed, talked about getting out.
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good look around,
This is your hometown

Probably the best father-son bonding song from Bruce. Everyone has a special place for their original hometown. I hold my hometown in such high regard, this song just hits home (no pun intended) with me.

It's funny how many hits I left of this lest. Truly speaks to the volume of Bruce's library. He has songs that are throw aways for him, songs that would be huge hits for anybody else.

Songs like that: Lion's Den, Man at the Top, Janey Don't You Lose Heart, Car Wash, County Fair, Cadillac Ranch, Back in Your Arms

Honorable Mentions: Land of Hope and Dreams, The Promised Land, Rosalita, Hungry Heart, Dancing in the Dark, American Land, Lonesome Day, Waitin on a Sunny Day, Mary's Place, You're Missing, Wrecking Ball, We Take Are of Our Own, The River, 10th Avenue Freeze Out