Bruce Springsteen Appreciation Pt. 1

Bruce Springsteen has done something extraordinary, something that he has only done, no one else. He has taken words and notes and his imagination to create the most cinematic and biographical music anyone has ever written. The characters that were first introduced in his first albums, and even before, are still being used today, as well as the themes and morals. Bruce Springsteen writes music for himself, as an outlet of expression and freedom, but he is also writing these songs for us. What he has done for his fans is something that can hardly be fathomed. I could write that he is the most hard working and respected man in music, but it would be a biased opinion, so I will simply write that he should be, by all counts. What I would specifically like to focus on is the songwriting done by Mr. Springsteen in the years between 1969 and 1973. He wrote based on stories that he came up with, stories based on his life, or other people's lives that he found significant. He created characters that did the things we could only dream of, but instead of making us jealous, he made us want to go out and do them to. His songs were loose and full of words, saying a simple idea through an entire verse. It can be argued that less is more, but in some cases more can be more meaningful. In songwriting, it can done either way, the simplistic approach or the descriptive. Springsteen has done both in his career, but in these early years, he took a Dylan-esque approach, and told us what he wanted to say, only hidden in stories of phantoms, lovers, and rebels. The music that was being made did not have expectations, many of the songs were written well before he was signed by Columbia Records in 1973. The songs of this time didn't have to live up to any standards, or impress anyone yet. Springsteen was writing to tell stories, through music, and that is exactly why the songs are widely considered among fans as some of the most brilliant work he has done. He wrote verses upon verses, often with no chorus, and performed up to 7 minute songs with only his acooustic guitar and his voice. Songs like Prodigal Son, Zero and Blind Terry, Song to Orphans, Growin' Up, Thundercrack, even Thunder Road are so vividly real to us, we can place ourselves in the place of these characters, these situations, and feel exactly what Bruce is feeling. He didn't hold anything back, still doesn't, and he is not afraid in the least to express his fears, desires, and hopes. He sings of faith, redemption, and finding a better place, a promised land. He writes of places we have never been, people we have never met, and things we only dream of doing. Any somehow, everything always seems familiar, like something we have experienced before, or might dream of doing. It is truly a beautiful and brilliant talent to be able to touch on such a personal level, the hopes and dreams of thousands upon thousands of people, and remain very true to your own self.

So Thank you, Bruce Springsteen, for allowing us to experience faith, love, dreams, redemption, and the feeling of a better day, just right around the corner.