‘Born To Run’: Listening and learning after all these years

I happened upon one of my all-time favorite albums, Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen on Spotify yesterday afternoon. It was released in 1975 – 46 years ago – and besides the title track, it also featured seven other songs such as “Thunder Road,” “Teen Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Jungleland,” and a favorite of mine, the very underrated “Meeting Across the River.”

I think all of these songs – heck, the entire album, which has a running time of just 39 minutes and 22 seconds – have withstood the test of time very nicely. Each song is a lyrical masterpiece, full of poetic ebbs and street noir – none more so than the album’s centerpiece and final cut “Jungleland,” at nine minutes and 23 seconds a jazzed-up mini opera that includes one of saxophonist Clarence Clemons’ most recognizable solos. It begins with a beautiful and delicate 23-note violin solo by Suki Lahav accompanied by pianist Roy Bittan. The song is an elegiac tale, a tragic slice-of-life story, one of Springsteen’s best-penned songs. It tugs at our emotions.

“When Bruce Springsteen does those wordless wails, like at the end of ‘Jungleland,’ that’s the definition of rock and roll to me,” singer Melissa Etheridge once said. “He uses his whole body when he sings, and he puts out this enormous amount of force and emotion and passion.”

For those of my friends who weren’t born when this album came out, I say ‘Give it a good listen.’ Whether on vinyl, CD or via Spotify. It doesn’t matter. For those of you who are old enough to remember the hype when Born To Run was released – the Time and Newsweek and Rolling Stone magazine cover stores back in the day – you’ll now what I mean and remember what all the fuss was about.

After recently seeing Springsteen on Broadway at the intimate St. James Theatre on West 44th Street in New York City two weeks ago with my wife, which finished its run on Sept. 4, I can attest that “The Boss” at age 71 remains one hell of a fine singer and songwriter – an entertainer and humanitarian – and a wonderful storyteller, too. On that rainy night, he spun many tales about growing up along the New Jersey shore wanting to be rock-n-roll musician, touring with the E-Street Band, achieving fame, and it all seemed to center around the importance of family and friends.

For those of you who saw Springsteen perform a folksy solo rendition of “I’ll See You in My Dreams” during the 9/11 20th anniversary event at Ground Zero Saturday morning on TV – or in person – it’s the song that he performed at the conclusion of his Broadway shows each night before the house lights came up and the applause rang out. 

Indeed, very poignant and meaningful. 🎸

Born To Run LP photograph by Eric Meola.

Photo of Bruce Springsteen on Broadway by Michael Dickens.