Bruce Springsteen released his debut album on January 5, 1973. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. was a critical success but a commercial failure as it sold only in the neighborhood of 25,000 copies during its first year of release. It was not until the release of 1975’s Born To Run that this album would become popular. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it as the 379th best album of all time.
Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. finds a young Springsteen beginning to hone his craft. The lyrics tell poetic stories and have almost a folk feel at times. The music, however, is rock ‘n’ roll driven with keyboards, guitar, drums and sax used to fill in the sound. The problem on many of the tracks was that the denseness of the lyrics sometimes overwhelmed the music and gave the songs a crowded feel.
“Blinded By The Light” was an example of this disjointedness between the lyrics and music. Taken on their own, the lyrics present Springsteen as a formidable master of words and pictures. When laid against the almost funky instrumental track they come across as hurried. Nevertheless it would become a classic song. Manfred Mann would cover “Blinded By The Light” and reach number one on the American singles charts in February of 1977. This would be the only penned Bruce Springsteen song to top the singles charts. “Spirit In The Night,” on the other hand, is a song where the lyrics do fit. It is a powerful song about young people and would give a glimpse into the musical direction that many of his songs would take in the future.
A trio of songs form the basis for the album’s brilliance. “Does The Bus Stop At 82nd Street?” is rock ‘n’ roll. This song about journeying through the city contains no chorus. The lyrics and the music almost overwhelm the listener as it has an energy that Springsteen would become known for in the future.
Article comments
1 - Sam
I think Bruce is horrible for support Osama Joe Biden
2 - Glen Boyd
I think you've got Osama confused with Obama there Sam...
-Glen
3 - Mat Brewster
On a bumper sticker I saw today:
"The only difference between osama and obama is bs."
Had there been a brick around, I would have thrown it through the window.
4 - Mat Brewster
I forgot to add: Awesome series David. So glad to see you're doing Bruce.
5 - Pico
I can't wait to see the ignorant comments expressing misguided rage over "41 Shots."
On second thought...yes, I can wait for that.
Anyway, nice start, David, look forward to your insightful takes on the classics like Born To Run and Nebraska.
6 - JANK
Sorry to say but since Bruce has become so political, my interest in him has waned greatly.