I've never been afraid to wear my heart on my sleeve, especially when music is involved. It isn't only sad songs that bring tears to my eyes. If the moment is right, a triumphant chorus like the one in World Party's "Ship Of Fools" can move me in indescribable ways. The sound of two voices in harmony, whether it's Phil & Don, or John & Paul, or more recently James & Kami of The Rails, send the best kind of chills through me, regardless of a song's subject matter. Another recent classic, Springsteen's "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" has a number of triggers, starting with the melancholy lyrics, continuing with the bigger than life production, and finally nailing that sweet spot of the brain with that chord change over the line, "My boy bill" that ends the bridge into the last verse. I will apologize to no one. That moment can send me to my knees.
The second new track from Bruce Springsteen's upcoming release "Letter To You" premiered this morning. I've watched it four times, each time letting go just a bit more, until I finally lost it. My initial thought was to not share this experience. I wanted this to be mine. The last thing I needed was the cynic or the troll with the usual anti-everything anonymous comment to push my buttons or lessen my emotion. But I changed my mind.
We are living like we have never lived before. We once got nostalgic for the good old days, our childhood friends, innocence and happiness without consequence, and of course, great music that made each of us who we are. Now, this nostalgia, this different place and time of joy, the good old days, is only seven months ago. Remember how we used to go to our favorite diner for breakfast, or to our favorite club to see some rock and roll...in February?
Love or hate Bruce Springsteen, he seems to know exactly when to strike. I needed this new song and video more than I realized. The early clips juxtaposed with an obviously aged and grey, present E Street Band are not just startling. They hurt. And yet, the triumphant chorus with a classic high harmony from Miami Steve, made me feel...dare I say it...alive.
Tears of joy? Yes. Some. Tears of sadness? You bet. Here is The Boss, front and center, in black and white, vulnerable and afraid. That's rock and roll.
I want to stand with 20,000 rockers once again, singing "Born To Run" till my throat is sore just one more time and the harsh reality of it all is that it doesn't seem likely. "Ghosts" really did a number on me today. I thought of the past, old friends, playing music, laughing and singing. I thought of some friends I know I will never see again. And I will never apologize for allowing a 5 minute song to do this to me. Everyone should be that lucky.
25 comments:
Sal, that is beautiful. You described the power, the magic, and the ministry of rock and roll in a few paragraphs. The fact that Bruce wanted the E Street Band to sound and play like, you know, the E Street Band is much needed and so, so welcome in a year of gut punches. I'm with you, let the emotions flow!
Bryan
Touche'
Randy
Amen, Sal!
Sal,
You are so right. This one just lets me remember, with all the shit of 2020, all that was good about rock & roll and how it makes me feel. I just watched the video for the first time (played it a few times at work) and it makes this even more of what I need.
I'm diving into my record collection and not coming out again unitil there's live music again.
Thanks for all that you share with us.
Chris
I absolutely love the new song. It's the most invigorating E Street sound since the Magic album, or maybe even the original reunion. I love seeing the E Street Band together today, and to me it doesn't hurt. It feels good, deep and rich in context. And in a way, I can relate.
I'm only in my mid 50s, but have a group of 5-6 couples that my wife & I have been friends with for 35+ years, and the friendships are much deeper than when we were younger. We have been there for each other through the births of our children (and unfortunately a couple of deaths), the loss of many of our parents, health issues, job changes. We've taken vacations together, seen concerts together, and so many more life events -- baptisms, graduations, weddings, funerals. I appreciate those friendships so much, and seeing the E Street Band together is a similar feeling, although more distant because I don't know them personally. But being a fan since the late 1970s, I DO feel like I know them, even just a little. That's the vein that this song, as well as the wonderful 'Letter to You' before, taps for me. And you're right about that chorus, Sal, those Miami Steve harmony vocals give me goosebumps. So does the Professor playing keys that can only be found on E Street, Max bringing the thunder, and Bruce, Steve, and Nils ringing those guitars. Fills my soul and makes me feel alive.
I'm trying hard not to think about how much I miss live music, and how we don't know if we will ever be in an arena surrounded by 20,000 other Tramps, singing our hearts out with Bruce and the band again. But I have hope, and I'll hang onto that as long as I can. Thanks for a great write up about your reaction to the song. I'm right there with you. October 23rd can't come soon enough.
Hell YES!!!
Captain Al
Best E Street band song I've heard in a long time.
Good song! Thought Letter To You was pretty ordinary, but this is not. Great to see that Bruce can still write a good rock and roll song that's just about . . . rock and roll, no small thing. More important, good to see that he still wants to. And I have loved Girls In Their Summer Clothes ever since it came out.
One of the reasons I like this blog and others like it, is that I don't really have any friends or family that get a charge out of music like I do. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some sad bastard or anything like that and my circle has music fans, but not enough and none like me. So to sum up, I really liked this post. Thanks.
brilliant. in a short moment he manages to capture some if not nearly all of the elements of music i like. The les paul etc.
2 of many songs that broke me were ... "who's gonna drive you home" put to a video showing the effects of famine at live aid and "seasons in the sun" by terry jacks.
other songs give you goose bumps like the beatles, buddy holly, jeff buckley, bowie to name a few.
but music always gives an emotion and it is one of the reasons i love it so much.
if you are not feeling something about a song it probably is not right for you.
Bansheeva
It's neither simple nor easy to bare one's soul. Good for you, Sal👍
You nailed it, Sal. Bruce truly is a lion in winter. Seventy years on, he's looking back at all of those who helped make him. Sure, he was the prime mover of "Bruce Springsteen", but this song says thank you to those that helped make him the Bruce Springsteen that created "Bruce."
He reminds us, there are no such thing as "ghosts." There are, however ghosts, the memories of those who enter our lives and touch us in ways that make us who we are. We take them with us and carry them in our hearts. Whether living or dead, it is those people who are part of us.
Pandemic or not, I need this song right now. Preserve your memories; they're all that's left you.
paulinca
Like, I suspect, many... I thought the title track was okay, nothing more, but it was concerning that they were leading with it. This one, however, I like more every time I listen to it.
Funny thing about GITSC is that everyone always cites the Beach Boys b ut, and maybe it's only the registers of his voice, but it always evokes The Walker Brothers to me. It's one that always makes me want to sing along.
Beautifully said, Sal.
To quote a 14 year old girl"OMFG"I heard this on the way to the store on my car radio this morning. i thought it was an outtake from The River sessions I hadn't heard but then i realized it must be a new song. Thank God for Rock and Roll. That's all I got except for shivers all over and a tear in my eye.
Certain songs have the ability to convey so much emotion and longing and this one from Bruce is certainly one of those. The imagery along side the music choked me up and didn't let loose. Had to watch it a second and third time in a row. Though nostalgia can make us yearn for the familiar it can also prompt us to hope for a better future. As Bruce has done repeatedly, he is able to make us feel what is in his mind as if he's speaking directly to each of us ("like it was written in my soul from me to you",indeed.) And being alive is a beautiful place to be and we will get through this pandemic and the tumult that has roiled our country these past four years. Thank you Sal, for being a safe harbor for all of us old and young rock and rollers.
HOLY SHIT!!!
What a song!
My new favorite Bruce song.
And, great post. These are the days to get real.
The hair stood up on the back of my neck before the first line was over and the guitars leapt in. I feel the same way about "The Girls In Their Summer Clothes", BTW.
"I'm alive - I can feel the blood shiver in my bones" Thanks for sharing Sal
I will never apologize for saying a great rock and roll song has thrilled me...
if that song has done that for me, it's flown it's mission...
"Ghosts" is a great song....melodic, crunchy and emotionally powerful, full of those little details that make great Springsteen songs feel so vivid and alive in your imagination (old buckskin coat you always wore/hangs on the back of my bedroom door....etc). My first response to "Letter to You" was more muted -- I liked it fine, since it sounds exactly like Bruce and the ESB, and I love the sound of Bruce and the ESB. And yet it didn't have the whammo of a song like "Ghosts." Not until "Ghosts" appeared, anyway. Heard back-to-back with the newer song, "Letter"'s non-specific references to fears and doubts, hard truths and etc., start to take form.
This gives me a really good feeling about the rest of the album. Especially in the wake of the superlative "Western Stars," which I'd put on the top shelf of Springsteen albums. From what we've heard so far, the fire is burning bright in him these days. I'm so eager to hear more.
Great song and terrific comments you made about the song. Both gave me chills. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Goddamn I love this song!
My mother has been in the hospital for the past week. Two days ago she had a tumor removed from her brain. My whole family is keeping our fingers crossed that the doctors got the whole effing thing.
Got back home for the first time in days a few hours ago and finally heard this song. And it was just what I needed (outside of a doctor's positive diagnosis). I had to listen to it several times in a row. The range of emotions I felt was enormous but the most important was the joy of LIFE.
2020 has been a shitty year. But let's all celebrate that we are here and that Bruce and E Street are as vital as ever. It give me hope.
"Ghosts" certainly sounds like classic E-Street Band material. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Good luck to your mom and family, kevin m. Music can be supportive and consoling so glad it gave you some respite, however brief.
I don't really watch videos, especially since what looks like plastic surgery. (Say it ain't so, Bruce!) But I heard this song once and thought, Alright, I am officially jazzed to hear this album. Could be Wrecking Ball great. Now I'm resisting playing it again (and again) and just want to wait for the album and hear it in context. Still a sucker for the album as a musical statement.
And I feel like hearing a single on the radio is VERY different from playing it over and over again on demand. This is because I NEVER bought singles. So I never could play songs on demand. I just had to luck into them (or catch them on MTV, which outside of a countdown show was also pretty random). Oh I did listen to Casey Kasem and AT40 until I realized i could find out what songs were on the charts by looking at Billboard and seeing them BEFORE Casey told the world.
So it's just a different vibe. It was a thrill to catch that great new song when I could before the album came out. It was even fun after I owned the album. But there's no excitement hitting "play."{ Go figure. Not a plea for the good ole days. It's MUCH better to have so much music at our fingertips. But it is different and just not my habit to gorge on a song.
Dying to hear the album.
Wow! After a couple of listens, I totally get where you're coming from so much. Very emotional to listen to at this time. What a great song, everything Bruce and the E's have done or are about distilled right here. So needed at this moment. Kinda didn't want to think about what we're all missing, I guess there's some self protection in there, but thank you for bringing it out. We need to share these thoughts, feelings and experiences, it is such a healing process, and lord knows I need that now. Your words have changed my perspective this morning. Thank you.
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