It’s been forty years since Bruce Springsteen released his ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ album.
Forty years?
I recently saw a clip from Canadian actor Brent Butt where he candidly pointed how rapidly the years are flying by.
Okay I just did the math and here is how it how it breaks down. If I, today, listen to music that was popular when I was in high school it’s the same as high school me, listening to music that was popular during World War II. Isn’t that a fun numerical tidbit that isn’t the emotional equivalent of a rhinoceros standing on my groin.”
It may sound better coming from him.
But we can’t stop time. We can look back through the years because this album brings back great memories. Let it be said here and now that ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ is by no means Bruce Springsteen’s best album nor does it approach the top of my list of favourites from The Boss, but it does offer one of my favourite Springsteen songs. Read on for more, as we take a trip through the past.
Back in the early ‘80s, Bruce Springsteen was on an incredible run. Following ‘The River’ he managed to shift gears with the haunting acoustic release, ‘Nebraska’. Pretty much simultaneously, he was working on material that would become ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ Trying to sort through the timeline of his prolific creativity during this period is the source of endless fascination. It is estimated that he wrote over 80 songs during this two-year creative exploration. With so many songs to choose from it became a matter of sorting it all out and then deciding the most suitable way to present the versatile tracks. In the end, this may be ‘Born in the U.S.A.’s greatest quality.
It’s rock and roll, folk and rockabilly with a touch of ‘80s synth pop and some obvious commercialism. This point brings us to phase one of today’s feature.
Bruce Springsteen thought he was done, but Jon Landau insisted that he write something that could be offered to the radio market as a lead single. For about a decade Springsteen had flown close to the space where #1 records reside. He wrote ‘Blinded By the Light’ which became a #1 for Manfred Mann. He co-wrote ‘Because the Night’ with Patti Smith, and later in the ‘70s ‘Fire’ was a hit for The Pointer Sisters.
In 1982, he released ‘Nebraska’ which was a complete departure from ‘The River’ so as much as his popularity was seemingly at its peak, it was Landau’s contention that he needed to come out strong with his next album. This approach didn’t sit well with Springsteen, because he felt it may come across as contrived. Following an evening of heated debate, he went home and wrote a song about what he perceived to be the pressure to produce, and how at times this was at odds with his integrity as an artist.
Jon [Landau] had been bothering me to write a single, which is something he rarely does. But he did that day. And he wanted something direct. That seemed to be what he was hitting on me for at the time. I was angry. I had written a lot of songs and was kind of fed up with the whole thing. We’d been making the record for a long time and I was bored with the whole situation.”
He made his way home and rather than go to bed angry he began to write down his thoughts. It became a classic case of, if you ever want to know how you feel, start writing.
Forty years later we marvel at the result.
I get up in the evening
And I ain’t got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain’t nothing but tired
Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
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 dancing in the dark
Message keeps getting clearer
Radio’s on and I’m moving ’round the place
I check my look in the mirror
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man, I ain’t getting nowhere
I’m just living in a dump like this
There’s something happening somewhere
Baby, I just know that there is
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 dancing in the dark
You sit around getting older
There’s a joke here somewhere and it’s on me
I’ll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on, baby, the laugh’s on me
Stay on the streets of this town
And they’ll be carving you up all right
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey, baby, I’m just about starving tonight
I’m dying for some action
I’m sick of sitting ’round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now, baby, gimme just one look
You can’t start a fire
Sitting ’round crying over a broken heart
This gun’s for hire
Even if we’re just dancing in the dark
You can’t start a fire
Worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun’s for hire
Even if we’re just dancing in the dark
Imagine being at the height of your popularity and feeling like this? In hindsight, we know that he still hadn’t hit the peak of a career that is now over a half century and counting.
When all was said and done, ‘Dancing in the Dark’ made it all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was prevented from hitting the summit by Duran Duran and ‘The Reflex’ and later ‘When Doves Cry’ by Prince. The fact that ‘Dancing in the Dark’ didn’t make #1 was of minimal consequence because over the next 18 months ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ managed to produce a staggering, seven top 10 singles.
‘Cover Me’ – #7
‘Born in the U.S.A.’ – #9
‘I’m on Fire’ – #6
‘Glory Days’ – #5
‘I’m Goin’ Down’ – #9
‘My Hometown’ – #6
This became a source of intense pride for Bruce Springsteen because through it all, despite all of his misgivings, self-doubt, intense pressure and scrutiny he managed to do it his way.
I love this quote from the man himself.
My ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ songs were direct and fun and stealthily carried the undercurrents of ‘Nebraska’.”
For this listener, ‘Nebraska’ is the epicenter of the Bruce Springsteen library. Everything flows from that space. The fact that so much of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ was created within that time period only lends itself to the value of these songs.
When commercialism is organic it cannot be criticized. In many ways it was the perfect storm and Bruce Springsteen steered the ship through some turbulent waters.
Through the years there have been several magnificent covers of ‘Dancing in the Dark’. Part of the beauty of sharing this feature has been spending a lot of time listening to them as I write. Like so many times before, it has given me the opportunity to hear this song again and truly understand where Bruce Springsteen was coming from when he wrote it. From the outside it seemed as though Bruce had it all, but he was making it pretty clear that his life was lacking something. If you have read Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography ‘Born to Run’ you will understand his struggles with self-doubt and depression. Being pushed by Jon Landau in this period would have created significant internal conflict between his musical integrity and his desire to be the best.
Ironically, the vast range of emotions Bruce Springsteen was experiencing as he seemingly conjured ‘Dancing in the Dark’ out of thin air may be reflected best in this cross section of covers. Check them out for yourself and you will see what I mean.
Enjoy a revitalized Tina Turner who delivers it in her ‘in your face’ style. If we could bottle that energy. What a gift.
When I saw that Mary Chapin Carpenter was among the 100+ artists who have covered ‘Dancing in the Dark’ I was intrigued, but when I listened to it, I was instantly blown away, right from her honest introduction.
This is a bummer song by somebody else. “
She delivers this like she was standing over Bruce’s shoulder when he wrote it. Mary released this on her 1999 album ‘Almost Home’.
In 2002, Pete Yorn broke out with his acclaimed album ‘musicforthemorningafter’
This captures the mood. The harmonica makes it very contemplative and the piano brings the emotion of the cover to a boiling point.
A few years later in 2006, Tegan and Sara blended their captivating vocals with Bruce Springsteen’s honest lyrics and this was the result. I love their harmonies. The guitar work is a powerful companion. They repeat “There is something happening somewhere” which tells the story. The songwriter feels like they are missing something. Life is passing them by.
Listen to this version by Scottish singer/songwriter Amy MacDonald who explains that this is actually a cover of her own cover. She delivers like it is sage advice with the orchestral accompaniment of The German Philharmonic Orchestra. This is from a live performance in 2010.
One year later in 2011, here is former Straycats bassist Lee Rocker offering his take on ‘Dancing in the Dark’. He keeps it simple and then it builds. This cover has a nice groove like a train picking up speed.
I first heard Ruth Moody’s cover version of ‘Dancing in the Dark’ on Tom Power’s morning show on CBC Radio. Each morning Power did a segment called ‘Under the Covers’ where he offered a quality cover version of well-known songs. So many times, he exposed me to new artists and the breadth of talent that existed far outside of the mainstream. Upon reflection, this may have been the first cover of “Dancing in the Dark’ I had ever heard. So, in this moment I offer my thanks to Tom Power who now hosts the incredible CBC interview show called ‘Q’ which is also a must listen for music and entertainment fans. This segment is among a handful of shows that inspired Ted Tocks Covers. It says here, that Ruth Moody should be a household name in Canada. Check out the work with her band or as part of the Wailin’ Jennys.
Another artist that I first heard on ‘Mornings with Tom Power’ was Vance Joy, who is from Melbourne, Australia. Around the time he burst onto the music scene with ‘Riptide’ he put together this tidy cover of ‘Dancing in the Dark’ which he performed on Sirius XM’s ‘The Spectrum’ channel. This is so good. Just a guy and his guitar. Strip it right down and it bares the soul of the artist who is delivering the message.
Here we have another special message. Enjoy John Legend who enjoys a mutual admiration society with Bruce Springsteen. Legend explains how he came to admire Bruce Springsteen’s work as a result of his association with Jimmy Fallon’s band. During the conversation, Howard Stern captures exactly why I write Ted Tocks Covers.
I love when an artist like yourself takes something that you’re not typically into and you kind of make it your own.”
Quest Love helped him make a cool, jazzy, dark version and the end result was getting street cred from Bruce Springsteen’s loyal fans.
Just listen.
Looking back, it is hard to imagine thirty-five years ago and thinking that we would be listening to an industry giant like Trevor Horn adapting Bruce Springsteen’s iconic release. Here is Trevor Horn with The Sarm Orchestra and Gabrielle Aplin. This is stunning.
Remember ‘Beautiful’? Here is James Blunt and an equally beautiful cover of ‘Dancing in the Dark’. This time the piano becomes the focal point and it delivers the emotional side of Bruce Springsteen’s very personal lyrics. This is from BBC Radio 2 and the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.
Remember the opening clip of today’s feature that addresses the reality that time is simply flying by? Here is a band called The Molly Ringwalds who Ted Tocks Covers has featured on several occasions. They do a great job capturing the nostalgia of the ‘80s. This helps us to accept that almost forty years have passed since ‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘Sixteen Candles’.
I See Me, And I Don’t Like What I See, I Really Don’t.”
One thing is for sure, mental health was a serious issue four decades ago too. It was all in the nuance. It was difficult to come right out and say it. We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.
This segues nicely into a phenomenal Canadian act called Walk Off the Earth who have been huge advocates for mental health related initiatives (see ‘You Don’t Know How it Feels’)
Keeping it north of the border, here is the talented Shawn Mendes who brings The Boss to a whole new generation. Mendes is another artist who has been very open about his mental health issues. He famously opted to take some personal time to revitalize himself. The message keeps getting clearer.
I get up in the evening
And I ain’t got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain’t nothing but tired
Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help”
The current generation does it their way. They have it right.
Before I sign off, there is a song from ‘Born in the U.S.A. that says more about Bruce Springsteen’s career than any other. For that we need to thank Bruce’s blood brother; the great Little Steven Van Zandt. During the recording of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ things got a little tense. There were a lot of pieces to the puzzle and the direction was not very clear for everyone who thought they played a role in the process. As mentioned, Jon Landau and Bruce Springsteen were temporarily at odds. The E Street Band were at the mercy of Bruce’s beckoning. Van Zandt had his heart set on his own solo career which yielded his much-heralded album, ‘Voice of America’ (see ‘I Am a Patriot’). When Van Zandt heard about the final track listing for ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ he told his friend that the album was missing the best song. He was adamant that Springsteen include ‘No Surrender’. Van Zandt felt that ‘No Surrender’ acted as a bridge between Springsteen’s early career and what he was working on in the present moment. Not releasing this track would have been a gross injustice. Bruce listened.
The question related to ‘No Surrender’ was how to present it to his devoted audience.
It was a song I was uncomfortable with. You don’t hold out and triumph all the time in life. You compromise, you suffer defeat; you slip into life’s gray areas.”
As Bruce later stated before a Toronto audience.
This is a song about life when you find someone to share it with.”
One thing that you will note on the album credits is that Van Zandt did not play on the album track that harkens back to the rock and roll style of the early ’60s. Little Steven knew his role. He was Bruce’s confidante and his opinion mattered. This is how this deeply personal track managed to make its way onto ‘Born in the U.S.A.’
Well, we busted out of class
Had to get away from those fools
We learned more from a three-minute record, baby
Than we ever learned in school
Tonight I hear the neighborhood drummer sound
I can feel my heart begin to pound
You say you’re tired and you just want to close your eyes
And follow your dreams down
Well we made a promise we swore we’d always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers in the winter’s night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Well, now young faces grow sad and old
And hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
I’m ready to grow young again
And hear your sister’s voice calling us home
Across the open yards
Well maybe we’ll cut someplace of our own
With these drums and these guitars
Well we made a promise we swore we’d always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers in the winter’s night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Now on the street tonight the lights grow dim
The walls of my room are closing in
There’s a war outside still raging
You say it ain’t ours anymore to win
I want to sleep beneath
Peaceful skies in my lover’s bed
With a wide open country in my eyes
And these romantic dreams in my head
Well we made a promise we swore we’d always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers in the winter’s night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender”
Let’s enjoy a run of quality covers of ‘No Surrender’.
We begin with Bruce Springsteen and his friend Eddie Vedder. This is from twenty years ago. Listen to the New Jersey crowd sing along. Yet another magical Bruce Springsteen moment.
Here is a fun offering from the popular Boston band, Dropkick Murphys who have frequently professed their admiration for Bruce Springsteen. One of their biggest thrills was when The Boss joined them on stage.
Back in 2012, Joel Plaskett dropped by the Q107 Toronto studios to record a cover of one of his favourite Bruce Springsteen songs.
More recently, here is Jake Thistle from 2020. Ted Tocks Covers has shared his work on several occasions, most often with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tributes. Enjoy!
To summarize, in this writer’s opinion, ‘No Surrender’ is the tie that binds the entire ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ album. It is so important. Essential Bruce Springsteen, and in its naked acoustic form, there are few offerings that reflect Bruce Springsteen’s mindset as honestly.
Now on the street tonight the lights grow dim
The walls of my room are closing in
There’s a war outside still raging
You say it ain’t ours anymore to win
I want to sleep beneath
Peaceful skies in my lover’s bed
With a wide open country in my eyes
And these romantic dreams in my head”
Bruce has always had a way of sharing his philosophy in rhyming couplets. It’s a gift he has shared with us all.
To close out today’s feature, enjoy this version where Bruce shares the stage with Steven Van Zandt and the 2013 version of the E Street Band.
They made a promise.
Over fifty years later they still both remember.
Ted Tocks Covers 