To a lot of younger Bruce fans (you know, the ones who enjoy “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day” guilt-free) the idea of “side one” and “side two” doesn’t mean a whole lot. “BACKSTREETS”: Ah, the masterful end of Born to Run‘s side one. Pretty amazing stuff for one of Born To Run‘s supposed lesser tracks. There’s a short break with a distorted guitar wailing away, amping up the energy that explodes into the song’s conclusion. My favorite part of the song comes right after Bruce Springsteen sings the first two words of “Somewhere tonight you run sad and free” in the last verse. It’s that lack of a traditional chorus, with the refrain ending with several variations leading up to “into the night,” that gives the song its own special forward momentum. Musically though, it’s a true E-Street powerhouse, with relentless drive and a somewhat unusual structure. It’s certainly a lesser song in terms of its relative lack of fame as compared to other iconic entries like Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, and the title track.

“NIGHT”: I’ve heard people refer to “Night” as one of Born to Run‘s lesser songs, as well the album’s “mistake.” Here’s his anniversary look back at Born to Run tracks that are more off the beaten path …

Then there’s “Jungleland,” the album’s titanic closing cut and Clarence Clemon’s signature moment.īut what of the album’s lesser-heard songs, those tracks better known by completists than your average radio-dial twiddler? That’s where Mark Saleski, the resident expert on all things Springsteen at Something Else!, comes in. The semi-autobiographical “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” was, for some reason, never a pop hit but it nevertheless receives consistent airplay. 25, 1975, is dotted with career-making, warhorse tracks – not least of which is its anthemic title cut, a Top 25 hit.Įlsewhere, “Thunder Road,” another concert staple, opens Born to Run with a roaring sense of purpose. Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, released on Aug.

Springsteen born to run