Can somebody explain to me the Springsteen popularity?

Lennon agreed to release the "Rock & Roll" album basically as a commercial throwaway to get Allen Klein and Morris Levy out of his hair.

Nobody's a virgin.

And I suppose there are thousands of deeply creative artists, all fiercely devoted to their artistic integrity and independence, recording mp3s at home in their basements.

Hooray for them. Who cares?

It means, sonny boy, that anybody who doesn't "get" Neil Diamond or KISS by now, isn't going to change their minds.

 

Judging by your comments on this thread and your incessant name-calling, you never GOT Springsteen at all.

 

So did I (granted, I was about six at the time). Then, when I was older and his Greatest Hits album came out, I went back and listened to Nebraska and Darkness and the Wild & the Innocent, and played Born to Run over and over. And he became my favorite singer all over again and has stayed that ever since.
I just feel like those earlier albums have a depth that much of USA lacks. Not all of it (I'd put Bobby Jean, No Surrender and My Hometown up with anything he's done). But some of it, particularly the "party Bruce" songs that became big singles and that you tend to still hear today in a bar, but that he rarely plays in concert. That's all. Like I said, not a bad album. But far from his best.
Maybe it was the timing that made it look like a sellout. I don't know. And, like I said, can't blame him, because that album basically let him do whatever he wanted afterwards, and that's what he's still doing today. Good for us.
Also, Fenian makes a good point on the acoustic Born in the USA. When did he start playing it that way in concert?

 

Here's what happens to people who try to rip off Gene. Gene's everywhere!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/sports/othersports/31ski.html?ref=sports

I find it pretty damm funny.

 

Good time to sit back and watch this thread slowly disintegrate, eh?

 

No, I don't play that game. It's just a message board. If Junkie wants to call names, so be it, but I won't take the bait.

 

Immediately after the band broke up, I believe. EStreetJoe or shockey might know better.

In fact, I thought I remembered that he stopped playing that song at all for a long time, simply because too many people misinterpreted it. When I saw the E Street Band on the comeback tour about 10 years ago, Bruce played Born in the USA as an acoustic, solo while sitting on a stool. I have to say I was disappointed, but I understood his reason for doing so.

That said, I think the fact that the studio track is such an "anthem/rah-rah America" song makes the lyrics even more powerful. It's a great bridge from the music he was making over the previous decade to the so-called pop 1980s sound that makes up most of the BITUSA album.

 

I know we're way past this, but "Downbound Train" is also a fantastic song.

 

You are so fucking Dead. To. Me! it's not even funny.

Promises was a great fucking song!

 

A lot of Journey was great, great schlock.

If you don't like schlock, fine. But you don't flatly dismiss it as a genre.

 

Really, it's all subjective. I don't really get Bruce. I mean, I won't change the channel when his stuff comes on, but the only song of his I own is The Rising.

On the other hand, I own everything Nirvana ever put out, not to mention several bootleg concerts. (don't get me started on Def Lep)

Different acts speak to different people's sensiblilities.

 

As proof that there is a performer out there for everyone, my wife is a major Neil Diamond fan. She even guilt-tripped me into taking her to one of his concerts, which actually was not the worst show I've ever seen. I was rewarded very nicely for doing that for her.