ALBUM RATING:- ***1/2
Track 1:-
The E Street Shuffle.
Possibly one of the strangest and most likable songs on the album, The E Street Shuffle isn't really easy to deconstruct. There's so much going on in it what with the lyrics, the instrumental arrangement and the sheer speed of it that it's hard to strip down and say exactly what it's about. I don't know whether or not it's open to interpretation but if it is I'd say that it's foreshadowing the song Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out from his 3rd album, Born to Run. I say that because they both refer to the E Street Band (the latter explicitly and the former in title). It's also included in the album title, indicating that it obviously has some significance. So it starts with a horn playing slowly and hypnotically and then builds up to a quick guitar riff which is then accompanied by drums, setting up immediately the pace of the song. This was released in 1973 (only about 6 months after Greeting...) and again catches Springsteen at the begining of an excellent writing career. The writing on this album (and on this song) isn't perhaps as mature as the writing on Greetings... in themes at least, but the tunes, the arrangements, the voice and the tone is perfect. The only problem with this extreme catchy song is that after the first verse I lose interest in the rest of the song. It's a classic mistake of writing one great verse and thinking "I need more like this". That's not to say that the other verses are bad but the best bits of the song happen before the 1:10 mark. Easily worth listening to, I'd highly recommend it. If it's too fast or too energetic for you (then deal with it) you can check out his version at London's Hammersmith in 1975 for a slower, bluesey version.
Rating: ****
Best Lyric: "The kids down there are either dancing or hooked up in a scuffle/Dressed in snake-skin suits backed with Detroit muscle/They're doin' the E Street Shuffle"
Track 2:-
4th July, Asbury Park (Sandy):-
I won't say all that much about this song as I'm not a huge fan of it. It's a decent song and it is good. In fact, it's very good. There's just something about it that doesn't appeal to me and I don't know why. It starts well, the lyrics are very sophisticated, the tune is melodic and calming and his voice is as good as ever. It just lacks something that makes it interesting to me. Along with Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) this is a favourite with most fans from this album. The start of it is accoustic guitar-heavy and slow and sounds perfect for the setting of the song. It's literally about the singer in love with Sandy on the 4th July in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It's been said to sound as if he's "whispering into his lovers ear" and indeed it does, which gives it a more intimate quality. The verses are miserable in their themes but the chorus is warm and hopeful of love. I've changed my mind. I like this song a little more.
Rating: ***
Best Lyric: " Down in the town, the Circuit's full of switchblade lovers, so fast, so shiny, so sharp"
Track 3:-
Kitty's Back.
Okay, I feel bad for saying this, but I really don't care for this song at all. It can boast a very good intorduction on eletric guitar but, although it's brilliant to listen to, it sets up the song for a fall. This is because after hearing such an awesome introduction you're hopes are set up for the song which, sadly, doesn't deliver. As soon as the guitar slows and stops, the lyrics kick in which begin fairly catchy and has a rock-swing feel to them. You hardly have time to get into the lyrical side of the song because it retreats back to a long instrumental break. I like the music, obviously, but I listen to Springsteen for his voice and what he has to say. Not a fan, I'm sorry. Unless you're really into guitar solos and musical breaks I'd say you could skip over this particular track which is the reason the album's rating is so low for me.
Rating: ***
Best Lyric: "And there hasn't been a tally since Sally left the alley"
Track 4:-
Wild Billy's Circus Story.
Here we go, ladies and gentlemen, here we go! I'm excited to be revieweing this song and if the album consisted of just this, Incident on 57th Street and Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) I'd most definitely give it a 5 start rating! I absolutely love this song to death, and I don't know where to start with it! The music, the intro, the instruments, the lyrics, the sound, the story-- it's just so damn cool. It begins really mellow with an awesome slow tuba that has a short blast in a second-long rhythm and then the accoustic guitar comes in. It is literally about the circus and one man, Billy, trying and failing to escape from it. This is where his 2 most used themes combine-- the circus and escape. The song really kicks in at the start of the second verse with the line "Ohh Fat Lady, Big Mamma, Missy Bimbo" where it speeds up and th tuba hits on every syllable. It then continues in this fashion throughout the verse until it slows again and picks up again and slows down again and picks up again. An awesome song! The only problem being that it takes a few listens before its potential is realised.
Rating: ****1/2
Best Lyric: "The circus boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire/And the barker romances with a junky, she's got a flat tire"
Track 5:-
Incident on 57th Street.
As I've previously mentioned, I adore this song. It's best performance is in Barcelona 2002 where it's played soley on a piano by Springsteen himself. The studio version is much the same but with a few more instruments added in including guitar, however subtle. The song is another melodic ballad about Spanish Johnny and Puerto Rican Jane. Like Wild Billy... this song really captures the listener at the chorus just because of the sheer power of Springsteen's voice and tune. The note he hits is big and he holds it perfectly, even now when he's 62. It's a fan favourite and for good reason! I'veo nly recently discovered this song but cannot stop listening to it! I haven't gone into much detail in this despite the fact I love it so much and that's because it's brilliance cannot be described. It's Springsteen's writing (lyrical and musical) at its best.
Rating: *****
Best Lyric: "He tried selling his heart to the hard girls over on easy street/But they said 'Johnny it falls apart so easy, and you know hearts these days are cheap'."
Track 6:
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).
This song has been compared to Blinded by the Light because of its fast paced lyrics which are almost spoken over the quirky music. It's a song about two lovers who are forbidden to see each other by the girl's parents because they think the singer is a deadbeat who won't amount to anything. This is stated in "Your pappa says he know that I don't have any money" to which he retorts "The record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance". This is a massive hit with fans and Springsteen alike, often being a huge piece in his live shows and incorporated with other songs. It's light-hearted but adult, it's fun but truthful and, most importantly, it's sad with a ray of hope. The singer has a record deal and is taking his lover away from it to "a pretty little place in Southern California" despite what her parents say about him. It's very much a 'love conquers all' type of song but it has awesome backings and a killer guitar riff that knows when to stop, unlike Kitty's Back. The song has been both criticized and praised for its complex and quirky lyrics but, unlike Blinded by the Light, they can be broken down and understood. For example, the opening line "Spread out now, Rosie, doctor come cut loose her mammas reighns" is a round-a-bout way of telling the doctor to cut the cord and let Rosalita go out on her own without her mother's guidence. It's a song of maturity and growing up just as much as... well, Growing Up is.
Rating: *****
Best Lyric: "But now you're sad, your momma's mad/ And your pappa says he knows that I don't have any money."
Track 7:-
New York City Serenade.
Sorry, Bruce, but I have nothing to say. I don't like the song, I've never gotten into it and people may strongly agree or strongly disagree with me. It's just... I don't like it at all. Sorry. This can be by-passed along with Kitty's Back and you won't miss out on the album.
Rating: **
Best Lyric: Meh.
