Bruce Springsteen on rock and today's musical landscape

[davideduardo]

That opinion is backed up by millions of records and concert tickets sold. You probably also think that Shakespeare and Hemingway were hack writers.

I was in my high school thespian club, and we both did full plays and also readings. We also did readings of Cervantes and García Lorca. I did a "pilgramage" to Hemingway's home in Key West.

A baloney sandwich is your idea of a gourmet meal.

No, gazpacho and paella would be my first choice, then boeuf bourguignon or Coq au Vin. I tend to like amalgamated dishes with sauces or stews. But my wife is a Cordon Bleu graduate, so I am spoiled.

On the other hand, I prefer Chilean and Argentine vintages to Napa and French wines.

If a baseball pitcher makes the Hall of Fame based on his performance, that's backed up by stats. Maybe you don't have to like that player, but "facts are stubborn things".

Fact: Outside the US, Springsteen is pretty much unknown.

One of the other posts complained about Springsteen not being "Blue Collar" enough. What the hell does that mean? Many(but not all) Blue Collar folks are ignorant slobs. Is ignorance a badge of honour in America? If a Blue Collar guy wins the lottery and gets rich, has he "sold out"? Springsteen came from a humble background and became an international success as an artist. He never compromised his integrity just to sell records...

But he really was not an "international success". He was a successful niche success in the US. And who cares whether his folks had money. It music, not a private bank account application.

 

[victorres43]

I was in my high school thespian club, and we both did full plays and also readings. We also did readings of Cervantes and García Lorca. I did a "pilgramage" to Hemingway's home in Key West.

No, gazpacho and paella would be my first choice, then boeuf bourguignon or Coq au Vin. I tend to like amalgamated dishes with sauces or stews. But my wife is a Cordon Bleu graduate, so I am spoiled.

On the other hand, I prefer Chilean and Argentine vintages to Napa and French wines.

Fact: Outside the US, Springsteen is pretty much unknown.

But he really was not an "international success". He was a successful niche success in the US. And who cares whether his folks had money. It music, not a private bank account application.

Springsteen is perhaps not an icon in Latin America. But, he was pretty successful in much of Europe, at least during his Born In the U.S.A. era. In addition, Streets of Philadelphia was a global hit in 1994.

 

[victorres43]

I happen to like music by Van Morrison and Eric Clapton in spite of their idiotic behaviour during the Pandemic. They both released downright embarrassing songs during the height of COVID. Even the greats have misfires and missteps along the way...

Ha! Wait until you see this:

Did Eric Clapton Once Unleash a Racist Rant Onstage?

In late 2020, internet users highlighted a shocking episode from the legendary blues guitarist's past.

www.snopes.com

 

[tbolt909]

Fact: Outside the US, Springsteen is pretty much unknown.

That is a blatant lie. I could post several sources refuting this, but why bother. You exist in the Alternative Fact realm...

 

[davideduardo]

Springsteen is perhaps not an icon in Latin America. But, he was pretty successful in much of Europe, at least during his Born In the U.S.A. era.

"Moderately" would fit better. And not in Spain or Hungary or Bulgaria. The USA, England and Australia are not "the world".

In addition, Streets of Philadelphia was a global hit in 1994.

"Global" is pretty inclusive. I doubt it was played in Chile or Burkina Faso or Algeria or Indonesia... or where nearly half the world lives, India and China.

 

[davideduardo]

That is a blatant lie. I could post several sources refuting this, but why bother. You exist in the Alternative Fact realm...

You will cite a few English speaking countries and a few other nations where there was a cult following of US and British rock artists, but that is not even 10% of the world.

If you did a random sample of the world, out of every 100 in the sample, nearly 40 would be from India and China. About 6 from Indonesia. About 12 or 13 from sub-Saharan Africa. Out of that group, I'll betcha' none has ever heard of Springsteen.

I could keep on with Pakistan or Iran or Uzbekistan or Bolivia or Mongolia...

If you've read Churchill's History of the English Speaking People, you would know that even he realized that the British / American view of the world is disproportionate.

 

[CTListener]

Your routine slagging of the English-speaking world is getting mighty tedious.

 

[Greg Goodfellow]

That opinion is backed up by millions of records and concert tickets sold. You probably also think that Shakespeare and Hemingway were hack writers. A baloney sandwich is your idea of a gourmet meal.

If a baseball pitcher makes the Hall of Fame based on his performance, that's backed up by stats. Maybe you don't have to like that player, but "facts are stubborn things".

One of the other posts complained about Springsteen not being "Blue Collar" enough. What the hell does that mean? Many(but not all) Blue Collar folks are ignorant slobs. Is ignorance a badge of honour in America? If a Blue Collar guy wins the lottery and gets rich, has he "sold out"? Springsteen came from a humble background and became an international success as an artist. He never compromised his integrity just to sell records...

Wow…you had a couple of good thoughts, but when the insults appeared, you lost the argument and allowed yourself to be taken to school. Class dismissed.

 

[Deleted User]

I was in my high school thespian club, and we both did full plays and also readings. We also did readings of Cervantes and García Lorca. I did a "pilgramage" to Hemingway's home in Key West.

And I made a pilgrimage to Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, on a day where I hit my personal best for most money spent on alcohol in a day.

 

[davideduardo]

Your routine slagging of the English-speaking world is getting mighty tedious.

I only try to put that segment of the planet into perspective.

The fact is that English is the primary language of only about 500,000,000 persons out of nearly 8,000,000,000 on the planet. While it is a common lingua franca, that does not mean that people who also use English as a second tongue in sub-Saharan Africa or India or the Philippines prefer music and entertainment in English.

This is the same thing as calling a playoff of a game only played in a half-dozen or so countries "The World Series" or calling the winner or a fight that only engages fighters in one or two nations a "World Champion".

 

[davideduardo]

And I made a pilgrimage to Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, on a day where I hit my personal best for most money spent on alcohol in a day.

Hint: you have to intermingle the namesake food plate with your choice of spirits.

 

[mjb1124]

From a sonic perspective, I much prefer Springsteen's best works over anything Petty, Seger, and especially Mellencamp ever did. (The latter artist's lyrics also tend to be way too "on the nose" for my tastes - we get it, you were born in a small town.) I do think the Born in the USA album is a bit overhyped, but his earlier stuff is top notch for me, and he's done some good things afterwards as well.

And he's obviously been a highly successful artist with a strong following - whether he's that popular with younger and/or international audiences is irrelevant. I don't take anything he says as gospel, but he generally strikes me as a smart guy with a lot of knowledge about and appreciation of music.

I also find all the arguments about any artist's alleged authenticity or lack thereof to be tiresome. Making art doesn't mean you always have to portray an accurate perception of who you are - quite the opposite in fact. Nor does it mean you have to be the highest authority on a subject matter.

 

[TheBigA]

I also find all the arguments about any artist's alleged authenticity or lack thereof to be tiresome. Making art doesn't mean you always have to portray an accurate perception of who you are - quite the opposite in fact. Nor does it mean you have to be the highest authority on a subject matter.

I agree, especially when the subject is someone else's art.

 

[CTListener]

From a sonic perspective, I much prefer Springsteen's best works over anything Petty, Seger, and especially Mellencamp ever did. (The latter artist's lyrics also tend to be way too "on the nose" for my tastes - we get it, you were born in a small town.) I do think the Born in the USA album is a bit overhyped, but his earlier stuff is top notch for me, and he's done some good things afterwards as well.

And he's obviously been a highly successful artist with a strong following - whether he's that popular with younger and/or international audiences is irrelevant. I don't take anything he says as gospel, but he generally strikes me as a smart guy with a lot of knowledge about and appreciation of music.

I also find all the arguments about any artist's alleged authenticity or lack thereof to be tiresome. Making art doesn't mean you always have to portray an accurate perception of who you are - quite the opposite in fact. Nor does it mean you have to be the highest authority on a subject matter.

Kind of like the putdowns of singers who don't write their own songs. Singing is an art in itself and should be fully respected as one. No one insists that actors write their own plays, right?

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

You will cite a few English speaking countries and a few other nations where there was a cult following of US and British rock artists, but that is not even 10% of the world.

If you did a random sample of the world, out of every 100 in the sample, nearly 40 would be from India and China. About 6 from Indonesia. About 12 or 13 from sub-Saharan Africa. Out of that group, I'll betcha' none has ever heard of Springsteen.

I could keep on with Pakistan or Iran or Uzbekistan or Bolivia or Mongolia...

If you've read Churchill's History of the English Speaking People, you would know that even he realized that the British / American view of the world is disproportionate.

David, I like the stars from other countries too even if they don't sing in English. I'd bet no one here knows of Lilly Lee from China. This song's title translates to Loving Beauty More Than Power.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Speaking of Bruce Springsteen, It was way back in the 1970's when a college girl from New Jersey told me I needed to play his new album and she said her brother played in the band and they practiced in her basement. She soon returned with an autographed copy of Born To Run.

Fifteen years later, the record was on the shelf in an FM radio station that I owned. CNN news said over the air that the record was worth over a thousand bucks. So, I went looking for my album. One of my DJ's had stolen it. Never saw it again.

 

[Kelly A]

Interesting conversation on Howard Stern's show yesterday in which Bruce pretty much confirms what so many here are saying about rock, and popular music in general, in the 2020s.

How does Bruce's statement: "it's just different, and that's it" confirm anything said on this site? Bruce complimented Taylor Swift's music. I've yet to have seen anyone here post that they enjoy Taylor Swift. Quite the opposite.

 

[Kelly A]

I was in my high school thespian club, and we both did full plays and also readings.

So David, you were a 'THESSSSSSPIAN?'

 

[CTListener]

How does Bruce's statement: "it's just different, and that's it" confirm anything said on this site? Bruce complimented Taylor Swift's music. I've yet to have seen anyone here post that they enjoy Taylor Swift. Quite the opposite.

Her fans are mostly female. They're also younger than most posters on this site. I can't say unequivocally that I enjoy everything she's recorded, but her country hits are catchy and perceptively written. Melodically, I find "Ours" very appealing. I don't switch the station when "Mine" and "Love Story" or even the goofy "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" comes on the radio, either. And while I'm not anywhere near the demographic she's writing for -- or about -- I love the delicious meanness of "I Bet You Think About Me." Does this make me a Swiftie? Of course not. But if you're looking for someone to come out and say he enjoys some of her music, here's one.

That said, I gave the new album a listen and it does little for me, but I won't blanket condemn the tweens, teens and young women it connects with as not knowing what "real music" is. That's just "get off my lawn" BS, which I try very hard to avoid being dragged into.

 

[Kelly A]

Her fans are mostly female.

I agree, based on the posts alone, that the majority of poster's here are obviously white males over 50.

They're also younger than most posters on this site. I can't say unequivocally that I enjoy everything she's recorded, but her country hits are catchy and perceptively written. Melodically, I find "Ours" very appealing. I don't switch the station when "Mine" and "Love Story" or even the goofy "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" comes on the radio, either. And while I'm not anywhere near the demographic she's writing for -- or about -- I love the delicious meanness of "I Bet You Think About Me." Does this make me a Swiftie? Of course not. But if you're looking for someone to come out and say he enjoys some of her music, here's one.

In my mind, you shouldn't need to be considered a "Swifty" to appreciate the woman's talent, success, longevity, and market appeal.

That said, I gave the new album a listen and it does little for me, but I won't blanket condemn the tweens, teens and young women it connects with as not knowing what "real music" is. That's just "get off my lawn" BS, which I try very hard to avoid being dragged into.

I've only heard some individual tracks myself. My point being; this whole 'there's no good music anymore' mindset is nothing more than just waxing nostalgia back to when 50+ white males were in the same age bracket as music consumers today.