A sweet frickin' mistake, as "Radio Nowhere" whacked me upside the head in the early morning light, pulling "Woah! Turn it up!" right back into the present.
So, yes... I have this song burned onto a CD, and it will repeat all the way to work. Fifty minutes of "Radio Nowhere." Music immersion therapy. It you think this is odd, let me assure you that there are plenty of people out there (and I know one in particular) who let themselves marinate in a song. Think of it as a way to get inside the music... while the music's getting inside of you.
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Article comments
1 - Josh
Indeed.
The bad news is -- and I say this as a former radio goob -- there was something special about radio and these new formats don't have that.
As for the song, it sounds good no matter what medium you use to hear it.
2 - sean
good song, though he stole the riff from 867-5309
3 - Glen Boyd
867-5309? I was thinking more like "Dont Fear The Reaper".
-Glen
4 - Michael J. West
Awesome.
5 - Glen Boyd
It really is hands down the most flat out rocking thing Bruce has done in years. I can't wait for the tour, and am currently making my plans to go broke jetting down to Oakland to see it -- and do the BC thing in Vegas a few days later.
You guys are gonna me a beer at the very least there.
-Glen
6 - Ben
It's funny - as a Bruce fanatic, I'm stunned at how positive the response has been. I'm finding the song to be very mediocre. Not bad, but for Bruce standards, it occurs to me as a stiff.
7 - Mark Saleski
well, you're not alone. i've read a lot of grumbling over at btx and greasy lake.
personally, i think there's a contingent of people (and i'm not necessarily including you, since i don't know you) who will never be satisifed with anything he does. he didn't rock hard enough on The Rising, the folk/Seeger thing was distasteful, and then he comes back and rocks hard and that's no good either.
8 - El Bicho
I am with you, Ben. The lyrics are boring and it needs to have the modifier "for Bruce" whenever someone says it rocks hard.
I am still curious about the album and it's too bad I will miss him in LA since he's playing the same night as the 2nd night of Vegoose where Rage v the Machine will actually be rocking hard.
9 - Glen Boyd
I actually like the lyrics Bicho. They're celebratory of the power of rock and roll in the same way as something like "No Surrender" was":
"We learned more from a three minute record baby, then we ever learned in school..." (From No Surrender) could almost fit the same song as "I want a million different voices speaking in tongues" (from Radio Nowhere).
For me, both of these songs speak to Springsteen's passion for the sort of three minute rock and roll blast that both he, and I, grew up with.
When you see Rage, if they are taking requests ask them to play their version of "Ghost Of Tom Joad." Now, that rocks.
-Glen
10 - daryl d
I KNOW you all have been waiting for my opinion. I think it's catchy, but is this song a remake by some early 80s artist named Tommy Tutone? I can 't remember the name of the song though but remember my sister's name "Jenny" in it.
11 - El Bicho
If I make any requests to Rage, it will be for their cover of Maggie's Farm.
12 - JC Mosquito
Not quite the same chord change as Jenny - Jenny finishes on B while this sounds like F#/E (don't have an instrument at hand to check it for sure).
As has been said before, there's only so many good chord changes. It's what you do with them - nowadays, it's a case of how you can recycle/reconstruct originality from familiarity (re: any White Stripes discussions on bc in the past 6 months).
The modulation into the solo is a neat twist - again - used many times before by most everybody at least once - so it's simply part of the lexicon of popular music.
On two listens (youtube) I'm not sure yet - right now it's neither hear nor there. Maybe real loud on good audio it'll kick. More than anything, I hear it as a teaser - a promise of things to come. Can't wait til October.
13 - JC Mosquito
Sorry - I meant G#/E.
14 - Mark Saleski
plus, Radio Nowhere employs all of those rolling arpeggios, which to my ears makes it sound like Don't Fear The Reaper-meets-8675309.
...except that the melody line is completely different.
15 - Sue
I totally agree with this article. I havent felt so pumped about a song in a long time. I've played it 100 times already, just played it again!
16 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
You forgot Your Love by The Outfield. Especially with those doubleups on the "China-Type" cymbal...
"1-867-Don't Fear Your Love" -LOL, I made a funny.
...NOT!
17 - Mark Saleski
you drummers...always noticing stuff that nobody else cares about! ;-)
seriously, i haven't heard a cd version, so those kindsa details are seriously attenuated.
18 - JC Mosquito
You know, all technical aspects aside, after three or four more plays today,I'd say it reminds me of Bruce's own "Restless Nights" from Tracks. More Rock than Rock 'n' roll - that is to say, very few blues or country edges to it, just straight 4's hammering behind a chord riff. Or maybe even "Downbound Train" from USA. Unfortunately, they're all songs of his that are not really great, just good enough.
You know who I think would've done a great job of this? - Dan Baird and/or the Georgia Satellites. Compare the aforementioned Downbound Train with a similar Satellite's tune - It's All Over But the Crying from their last studio album, and you might see what I'm getting at.
But Radio Nowhere is not necessarily a bad place from which to start - maybe the rest of the album will put this song in its proper context.
19 - Donald Gibson
I got the same reaction from this song that I had when I first saw Bruce & the E Street Band in concert for the first time: "Damn those are a lot of guitars".
I see this song gaining a LOT of momentum in the live shows this year.
-Donald
20 - Bill
I've listened to the song at least 20 times in the past week. Still getting goose bumps. Maybe the naysayers are the kind of people still fixated on their high school sweetheart. I'm trying to live joyfully in the present - and I'm ready to feel some rhythmn. I love the mumbling vocal that yes, reminds me of "Born To Run". Love the guitars with lots of low end punch. Love how the song fades on a quick outro that leaves me wanting more. Love the economical lyric that evokes more emotion than it seems like it has a right to (they call that poetry, people). And I even love the familiar chord sequence obviously chosen for the ironic throw-back. If you think Bruce wasn't aware of the similarity then you aren't nearly as smart as you think you are.
21 - JC Mosquito
Bill - in some ways, you've identified all the parts I DON'T like. And I've played it a few times, too, and the fact is, I'm not sick of it, but it hasn't grown on me yet either. I'm still waiting for Oct 2.
22 - DFIANT1
It's truly sad when an artist makes an actual comment on the current state of music in the U.S. and all I hear are people ripping on the guy! This song harkens back to a time when people listened to the music and the lyrics, not about how this song ripped off this riff, or this is not up to"his standard"? Well guess what kids Bruce released it so I guess it is up to "His standard" I mean come on everyone is entitled to an opinion, but until you can do something better let the man have the stage! end of line...
23 - JC Mosquito
OK, but better is in the ear of the beholder.