The Audacity of Bruce Springsteen
by Riley Hunter
With his trademark look of severe yet not unwelcomed constipation, his trusty acoustic guitar in hand, working class diva Bruce Springsteen kicked off Barack Obama’s We Are One Inaugural Celebration concert at the Lincoln Memorial on January 18. Indeed, Bruce had much to celebrate. Just a week prior he scored himself a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for the film The Wrestler, beating out the worthy likes of 16-year-old Miley Cyrus and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl Beyonce Knowles. Within the next two weeks, he’d be releasing a new album and headlining halftime festivities at Super Bowl XLIII. Most importantly, on this grand day, he was performing in front of his latest favorite Democrat, helping to usher in a historic new era of something or other (I always forget the required tag line, I just know something is really historic).
While I have no doubt Bruce eagerly slurps up Hope, Change and every other empty, saccharine platitude Obama unloads, I can’t help but notice the marketing angle here. Springsteen debuted Working on a Dream, the first song from the new album of the same name, at a November Obama rally. With its vapid, generic message of hope and something or other, the song seems like the perfect musical score for the feel-good Obama Movement. Given the current international Obama psychosis, aligning himself with The Great Man might actually sell more albums than twelve minutes at the Super Bowl, and help keep him relevant─for the moment, anyway─in a congenitally ADD culture.
Springsteen has had profitable alliances with social causes before. In the early 90s when the luster on his flannels began to fade (remember Human Touch and Lucky Town?), Springsteen didn’t emerge from the $2-And-Under cassette bin until he discovered his heartfelt concern for the gay community in 1994’s Streets of Philadelphia. In the 80s, when the likes of Eddie Murphy and Andrew Dice Clay were ridiculing gays before fawning, sold out arenas and very few celebrities dared taint their image by speaking up, Bruce’s energies were focused on love tunnels and dancing in the dark. But when gays went PC, Bruce went with them.
After producing a string of embarrassing albums to close out the 90s, Bruce again found himself dangerously close to utter irrelevance. This time he took a page out of Al Sharpton’s business plan and went after injustices in the black community. Inspired by the case of Amadou Diallo, the Guinean immigrant who was shot at forty-one times and killed by four NYPD officers, Bruce produced the song American Skin (41 Shots) which decried the evils of racial profiling. The fortuitous timing of the song’s release coincided with a series of shows at Madison Square Garden, the production of the Live in New York City album, and an HBO special.
If one death can sell albums, surely three thousand deaths could move some product. Thus Springsteen weezed out his 9/11 album, The Rising, a predictable, hackneyed collection of mush expressing The Boss’s reaction to the tragedy. In fact, so powerful was this tripe that it prompted equally predictable New York Time’s writer A.O. Scott to dub Springsteen “the poet laureate of 9/11.” I suspect if Springsteen put out an album of belching and vomiting sounds (which he may have attempted with his The Ghost of Tom Joad effort), music critics would hail it as majestic and revolutionary. The Cult of Springsteen and the mythology of his greatness have never waned in the mainstream media. Sounds like a glorified community organizer I know.
TheSmokingGun.com took a bite out of Springsteen’s blue collar, common man’s common man branding when it published a concert rider from his 2002-2003 world tour. With its strict Beluga caviar and linen tablecloth requirements, the 22-page document made Springsteen look more like Diana Ross than Arlo Guthrie on the blue collar-to-diva continuum. The common man’s saxophone player, Clarence Clemons, required a whole roast chicken delivered to his dressing room in the middle of each show. That sax solo in Jungleland must make a man hungry.
Springsteen’s approximately 12 minutes at the Super Bowl will be very expensive ones, presumably too expensive to allow him time to curse the Vietnam War or extol the Glory of The Obama. With NBC charging $3 million for 30 seconds of advertising, Springsteen’s extended commercial is worth over $70 million. That should limit him to pimping just his art, not his politics. Though Springsteen isn’t releasing his set-list before the show, the 2000 extras making up his on-field audience who have been rehearsing their excitement and passionate fist pumps at a Tampa Bay high school may have some idea what’s in store February 1. Hopefully they’ve been pumping Born to Run, not Working on a Dream.
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171 Comments
I love Bruce Springsteen. I guess I’ll have to play the old “I support his (classic) music, but not his policies” card. Whenever I hear him grumbling about this or that, I slap in “The River” and dream about how it used to be.
A friend of mine pointed out something about his newest release (Can’t recall the title at the moment). I believe it’s being sold exclusively at Wal Mart. And isn’t Mr. Springsteen a big supporter of unions? Someone correct me (I’m sure you will) if I’m wrong, but I’m just sayin’…
I think the column is on-point. Bruce has been presenting himself as the champion of the working class for a long time. I’m not intimately familiar with his pre-Born in the USA work, but it seems to me that those everyday/working class themes ring pretty hollow when he does an exclusive deal with WalMart (which has a well-covered history of underpaying/mistreating their workforce), and sells ticket prices that only the moneyed class can afford.
All the ‘drivin my mustang through my ole town at sunset’ platitudes can’t change that fact.
I love the old Springsteen, the (seemingly) unpretentious romanticizing of ordinary American lives and traditions. To my ear, he lost his first love a long, long time ago.
Sure he’s entitled to his opinion. And in response, I’m entitled to ignore him, and pine away for the honesty of his original prose.
Actually, I think Springsteen’s rather mixed output in the 90s had more to do with breaking up with the E-Street Band and going solo, than anything else. Bringing the ban back together for “The Rising,” and then with “Magic” and the new album marks, to me anyway, an artistic pinnacle for the group.
Your description of Springsteen gamely pursuing the latest “cause” to push records is drivel. More recent songs such as “Streets of Philadephia” and “The Rising” are direct descendents of the band’s early works (”Born in the USA,” “My Home Town,” etc.) He has always been that kind of songwriter, and it’s why, for 30 years, he has been one of the most revered and iconic musicians in America.
(By the way, is Big Hollywood basically a forum for conservatives to grip about the entertainment industry? Didn’t we already get that with the now-defunct “Libertas” and “Dirty Harry’s Place”? There seems to be very little in the way of new ideas or critical analysis. Too bad. Seemed like a good concept, at first.)
Riddle: How do you sent 20,000 people to the bathroom at once?
Answer: “Thank you… and now, we’d like to play some songs from the ‘Nebraska’ album.”
It’s a lot easier to take the politics when it takes a back seat to the music. Springsteen wasn’t exactly an avid supporter of Ronald Reagan — he did the same thing to Reagan’s use of “Born in the U.S.A.” in 1984 that several artists did with McCain when he tried to use their songs this year — but the songs were for the most part catchy enough to let you ignore the words.
Now? The muse has pretty much left the building as far as any catchy musical rhythms go, or, like on “Nebraska”, the music is muted to the point it demands you listen to the words. And the words themselves are pretty much what you’d hear if Keith Olbermann had to do “Countdown” every night in rhyme (it’s also interesting that Springsteen brought out “41 Shots” during the 2000 campaign season, but for some odd reason pretty much put it on the shelf for about nine months after 9/11, when it was suddenly the commercially viable thing to do a tribute album to the New York City police officers and others who were killed in the WTC attacks. Then, by the time the 2002-03 concert tour started, the song was back again on the playlist. Nice situational outrage there, Boss).
I am disappointed in The Boss.
I’ve been visiting Big Hollywood for about a month now and this is the first article that actually carries any value. All I’ve seen so far is neocon pissing and moaning. This is what this site should be about. I wish a lot of the other writers on this site would take note. We’ll see.
Hey Lola,
He earned his money and has a right to spend it however he pleases. Isn’t that the Republican way? What’s with the Bruce bashing on this site? And Riley, you’re slamming somebody who’s been touring for more than thirty years – with 24 albums at his back. That’s called working for a living. And if 12 minutes of his time is worth $70M in advertising – it’s a free market.
Although I’m 39 years old, I remember seeing posters plastering record stores promoting Greetings from Asbury Park. People also complained about The River’s popularity and the way Bruce supposedly sold out on that record. Give me a break Riley Hunter… you’re so clueless about the evolution of an artist like Springsteen (probably because you weren’t old enough to listen to Bruce until about five years ago). The truly great rock innovators and artists have been accused of selling out for decades by people like you. Hindsight ALWAYS proves myopic dolts, such as yourself, wrong.
Finally some one call the Diva out, great factual read.
Bravo. Amen. God bless you, Riley Hunter!
This is long, LONG overdue.
I was a huge BS (heh) fan for 20 years. Huge. A true believer, although I never bought into his politics.
He was a gifted songwriter and performer, but that left him 20 years ago–roughly around the time he fired the band. He became so successful that he was no longer the same person. Yachting vacations with Sting and Tom Hanks!
Since then, he’s lurched from one half-assed stunt to another, desperately trying to remain relevant.
Movie about a guy dying of AIDS? Bruce is there, with product to sell and an Oscar to win. 9/11? The same. Katrina? Bruce is there to sing his all-purpose dirge, My City Of Ruins. He’s become a ghoul!
And now, the dawning of the Age of Unicorns? Bruce is there, too. With product to sell. An appropriately happy yet empty little ditty. And the Super Bowl. And Walmart.
Politically, Walmart doesn’t bother me, but it’s a lame-ass thing for any one-time Rock Messiah.
On his last record, this once-great songwriter was reduced to cribbing lyrics from the speeches of John Kerry. Yeah, Bruce. That’s rock and roll, all right.
This so-called champion of the working class has never held a job in his life other than “rock musician”.
If not for the inane (and totally scripted) political rants, he might not have any exposure at all.
He’s an utter tool. GIVE. HIM. HELL.
Gillian – you missed the point. It’s called hypocrisy. Libtards like most of the entertainment industry want lots of money and privileges but rail against the mechanisms that help them obtain their wealth and status. Remember PDuddy’s rant against Sarah Palin? Yep, hates her – the woman who wants more domestic drilling, but wants cheap fuel for his private jet. Seems to think he deserves it.
Time to grab a copy of Atlas Shrugged. Maybe time to put it in practice.
I’ve known Bruce since 1972 in Asbury and Long Branch NJ. I’ve had dinner with Bruce. He was a seriously liberal, egomaniac (do I repeat myself here?) then and he still is. I’m a Jersey girl and never got the jazzed PR about him. He’s probably a great musician, but he’s a self centered creep who thought he knew it all in ‘72 and now has 27 years of people telling him how wonderful he is so why would he, like all stars who have only yes people in their lives (Obama, too) think otherwise? Or bother to think at all?
Right on. I remember back in the 70’s when BS was on the cover of TIME and NEWSWEEK simultaneously. He was hailed as the new “Bob Dylan”, with great songs like For You, Blinded By The Light, etc. His songs said something.
Yes, he puts on one heckuva four hour concert. Back in the day, it was worth the price. Now? Not so much. His whining sounds like overgrown babytalk.
Oh, and my sis-in-law lives just across the bay from his Rumson, NJ mansion.
Once again I’m left wondering, who the hell are these writers on this site? Wow, Riley Hunter has a SAG card so he’s part of the conservative movement in Hollywood. Can’t you guys at least get Ted Nugent or someone I’ve heard of?
Beth,
Trust me… John Galt would’ve disappeared these last eight years.
WAAAAAAA,
actualy Tim Mcgraw is a DEMOCRAT get your facts straight
I never got the Bruce Springsteen thing and I’ve always believed the “working class hero” myth was just that, a myth. This is after all a guy who in his youth wasn’t hanging around ditchdiggers and factory workers, but people like Patti Smith in the Lower East Side.
ah, what a moment has arrived–one that allows me to express my boundless contempt for a ‘musical’ fraud who has continually exploited the bad taste of ‘teenyboppers & immature adults for way too long. But that’s just me; I’m cursed with actually knowing what constitutes good taste/artful pop music/jazz. Yes, I’m an elitist when it comes to what it takes to really create sophisticated, professional musical sounds, and Springsteen and his ilk don’t cut it.& whatever happened to the notion of modern jazz as America’s indigenous art form? Does anybody out there really know who Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Gerry Mulligan, Freddy Hubbard are anymore? And I only scratched the surface of great players, band leaders, composers in this idiom. All but one were all black that I named.I didn’t even mention Stan Getz, Shelly Manne or Buddy Rich. Is it because modern jazz is mainly an African-American indigenous art form that its so ignored? Does this reveal the redneck latent racism that seems to be so much a part of Springsteenism? MARKRITE
I remember the “real” Bruce in the 70’s. Seen him more times than I can remember at a little club in Cleveland called the Agora. Very humble man. I guess that money and power corrupts absolutely. Terrible shame. I still think the “Big Man” (Clarence)is great, though.
Didn’t he write “Blinded by the Light?” Good thing someone who could sing picked it up.
Springsteen may be overtly, irritatingly, or even boringly political. He may have no ability to tell when an audience just wants to pay $100 to hear him sing and not to hear him bloviate. But his worst attribute was to take a collection of really nasty songs (including a paen to a couple of spree killers) and then name the collection after one of the most under-rated places in North America…Nebraska.
For that, this Nebraskan refuses to buy his albums, go to his concerts, or watch him on TV. So halftime will be dinner time for me, and the advetisers who are dropping $3M per spot for ad time won’t get anything from this husker.
How monotonous can his music get. Regardles of his opportunism, his music is just tedious…I did like that time he hauled Coureney Cox up on stage..she was hot!
Okay, so far someone has called this site a downer, has complained about how negative we are, and about how we need to stop whining, us pathetic wastes of flesh.
Real question: Who’s more pathetic? Us who are expressing our conservative concerns/complaints on a website created for us? Or the people who wander into this site to put us down (and apparently don’t have jobs)?
WAAAAAAAA! “let’s see……….i’m looking for a vociferously republican musician they could have booked for the super bowl…………”
What is this? My Musician can beat up your musician? Talk about juvenile. The point being made is Springsteen is overrated as a musician and underrated as a hypocrite. Blue collar? I don’t think so. It’s always amusing to hear the left preach about the evils of corporations, like Walmart, and then see that their own actions belie their feigned outrage at the plight of the working stiff. The guy is an opportunist. Good for him. He’s making boatloads of money and spending it as he sees fit. Good for him. But he is not a “man of the people” any more than Hugo Chavez is. When will mindless idealogues realize the emperor has no clothes? For every Bruce Springsteen there are thousands of struggling musicians with way more talent who will never be heard by most people. There are, likewise, thousands of talented musicians who have come before Springsteen that go unacknowledged by those who were inspired by them. Anyone who thinks Bruce Springsteen is some kind of musical genius has never listened to Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Mozart, Handel, Scott Joplin, Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie or William Hung. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
The reason Springsteen is playing at the Super Bowl is the Sex Pistols weren’t available
I remember way back in ‘76 a guy I worked with played a Springsteen album for me and gushed about how great he was going to be. I couldn’t understand it then and still don’t understand it now.
Never liked him or his work. I never got why people would spend all their money to see him. He is not talented at all.
I love bruce springsteens older songs and music in general. I enjoy it for just that music with some lyrics that ring true and others that do not. I could care less what bruce springsteens politics are and I’m sure they’ve evolved over time like all of ours have. I think the guy believes in causes based on his/country’s mood at the time and he writes songs about it from his perspective.
I personally disagree with his perspective and really can’t understand why grown adults would allow anyone from POP culture shape their political/moral beliefs. I like his music end of story. Instead of listening to music and saying wow bruce likes obama so should I. A concerned citizen should read the paper and internet to try to make up their own mind on what’s going on in the world. Stop spending time and money caring what musical, sport and actors say about politics. Their opinion matters NO MORE THAN YOUR OWN. The fact that networks and media outlet’s publish their worthless comments is because of the idiots on the other end. Unfortunately I believe most of those folks turn out to vote democratic. The fact that people get paid to write articles like the one posted here should make all of us hope for change.
Good Lord, what a hapless thinwit. C’mon, Nolte. Do a little editing. It’s hard to think of a single reason for publishing dreck like this other than the fact that it comes from someone who claims to be a conservative. This, then, is setting the bar very low, and to the detriment of the site.
As to the dreck itself. Wow. You mean Bruce Springsteen, blue collar rock and roll hero, is actually rich?
C’mon, shorty. That was old news in 1985.
I have been a Springsteen fan since Born to Run (even got a letter published in Rolling Stone), but I find the guy confounding and there are a few facts to back me up (To go with my agreement with Riley’s risk) I do think The Rising is his best album since The River, but here are some facts:
1). He fired workers who threatened to unionize
2). Springsteen is spending millions of bucks to keep his daughter in the finest horses for her Equestrian events. Not exactly a sport that your average joe can afford.
3). He endorsed John Kerry. John Kerry is a phony and any real man could see through that.
4). Springsteen has done nothing to make his concerts affordable.
5). Springsteen guards his copyrights like Homer Simpson guards his beer. Infringe and lawyers will be on you like white on rice. He did a promo for WMMR in Philly when he was just starting out (To the tune of “Growing Up.” ) He made them stop using it when he got bigger
6). Everyone made from of Ronald Reagan for using Bruce Springsteen as a prop when he said that “New Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen represents the ‘Hopes and Dreams’ of the people.” It may have sounded awkward (what does an 75 year old know about rock music??) but it wasn’t inaccurate. Badlands is specifically about that theme.
What garbage. Bruce Springsteen has contributed many thousands of times more to the sense of patriotism in this country than Riley Hunter could ever even hope to contribute.
Springsteen=Irrelevant can we have another cup of Kool-aide Mr.Obama? oh and give Brucey a laxative…
This article could not be more negative or “vomit” filled if you tried..When there is a national emergency or position that must be expressed who are you gonna call? Justin Timberlake? Kanye? Tom Petty? Brittney?
Not really and you know it.
And since when does being a rich rock star preclude you from voicing opinions? This is America and EVERYONE gets to voice theirs. Even Bruce. And so you don’t like his music so what? You have to respect anyone who can remain relevant long after their ship has come in. U2, Bruce etc…They didn’t get fat, lazy or bitter. They just kept coming in the face of all those who would rather they didnt…that in and of itself demands respect in ADD America.
I will absolutely NOT watch Bruce during the halftime show.
bruce springsteen was one of the few american recording artists to speak out consistently against the bush administration’s lies and the faked evidence used to justify the iraq war — considering he was almost the only one (green day excepted), why do you right-wingers freak out about him? you’ve got ted nugent, after all, and do you want him muzzled?
Poor Bruce! It is tough getting old and irrelevant. I know, I suffer from both.
However, when you are BS, you can sling BS. I guess there is a certain poetry in there somewhere. If BS writings are considered poetry by some, why not me?
“Born in the USA” and “My Hometown” aren’t early Springsteen. They’re from his seventh album.
Springsteen’s early songs have an obvious genuine quality. He’s recounting, or at least spinning out from, things that happened to him or people he knew. The lyrics are dense and original. His later stuff is just calculated pop music.
To Barton,
Jeez Barton, still believing that Bush lied stuff.
Give it up dude, SH fooled a lot of agents, here and in Europe.
Too bad he was that good, it cost him his life.
I’ve seen a one-armed man, a three-legged dog,
The Boss sees a one-legged dog and it’s him.
Mr. Mumbles for Obama, make the effort!
Bruce the sanctimonious Blue Collar Dude and Political Pontificator. Tired and Lame
What? Bruce says one thing, then does something different in the name of a buck? I’m shocked! Shocked, I tell you!
Next thing you know, he’ll be claiming to be the voice of the struggling autoworker, then screw them over by changing CAFE standards.
Mr. Hunter, what an outstanding post. Called out this vapid ninny for the phony he is. Great job.
To address some of the other posters…
gillian:
“He earned his money and has a right to spend it however he pleases.”
Correct. And we have a right to mock him for his faux populist, would be working man stance. The prick just signed a deal with WAL MART to sell his records, you dope. You know, the eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil Wal Mart that hates the little guy. Rank, jaw dropping hypocrisy much Bruce?
Someone else said:
“On his last record, this once-great songwriter was reduced to cribbing lyrics from the speeches of John Kerry. Yeah, Bruce. That’s rock and roll, all right.”
Believe that was also the record where he resorted to stealing melodies from Tommy TuTone. Forget which droning slice of boredom it was, but there’s a distinct “867-5309″ ripoff happening on Bruce’s latest master(batory) work.
some vapid lefty said:
“repubs are incredible. it’s like you guys want everyone to agree with you or not say anything.”
That’s right- so shut your stoopit pie hole and go away, moron.
john, receiving garbled transmissions from the mothership said:
“This article could not be more negative or “vomit” filled if you tried..”
john, where’s your faith boy? I have every confidence Mr. Hunter could have been much more negative, and the article could have contained probably 37-53% more regurgitational content with little effort on the part of our esteemed author. He didn’t even break out monikers like “brucie mcfacistwalmartwhore”.
“When there is a national emergency or position that must be expressed who are you gonna call? Justin Timberlake? Kanye? Tom Petty? Brittney?
Well, I think that would depend on who had duty in the “National emergency expression service” booth at the time, now wouldn’t it?
“And since when does being a rich rock star preclude you from voicing opinions? This is America and EVERYONE gets to voice theirs.”
Really? Does this EVERYONE you speak of even include people like us?
I mean, we don’t have a million jillion dollars and didn’t steal half our act from Woodie Guthrie or anything, but you did say EVERYONE if I ain’t mistaken.
No question, it’s been a challenge for me to separate ‘the politics’ from ‘the artist’ especially those who have drifted so far to the Left.
I hang in there and try to keep an open mind and look at the quality of the work. At the end of the day, if it manages to somehow inspire me, educate me, or entertain me, I’ll go with it.
Like others, I’ve been a bit disappointed in the latest incarnation of Springsteen, and his latest work doesn’t meet the test.
With that said, I still relish the moments when I can sit in the darkness of my living room and enjoy the sweet sounds of ‘New York City Serenade’ from ‘The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle’
Pure joy.
Also, Gary Eaton @ 9:36 am, Scattered thoughts work for me. Thanks for the link to your page. Good stuff and any man, who digs Wenders ‘Wings of Desire’ is cool in my book.
If you ever get the chance, check out his film , ‘The State of Things’
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084725/
(don’t get thrown by the German title) Excellent film with great cast including my old friend, Allen Garfield, who steals the movie at the end.
mr. thimbleful, on cue and ever stupid, contributes this gem:
“This from the geniuses who failed to see that Born in the USA contained classic liberal criticisms of the Grand Adventure In Vietnam.”
Ah, the Grand Adventure in Vietnam. Pity a “genius” like you leaves off the part that said grand adventure began at the behest of a democrat (Kennedy), was wildly escalated by another democrat (Johnson), and ended by a Republican (Nixon). Classic liberal criticisms- please elucidate.
Guys…you do realize that it’s HIGHLY likely that the right-wing singers that you champion like Toby Keith probably also have idiotic riders in their agreements with concert promoters and also live in gigantic houses.
Perhaps this website should change its name from Big Hollywood to Big Boycott, given the astonishing number of boycotts you’ve called for in the last month.
Bruce Sucks. He should go away. I am boycotting the superbowl because he is playing at halftime.
Celtic Mist, I think that Big Hollywood has been billed as a place where conservatives in Hollywood can voice their opinions. Do you know what an opinion is? Mr. Hunter wrote a commentary about his opinion. And then others posted their opinions about what he wrote. Sorry you’re leaving. Don’t let the door hit you…
“right-wing singers that you champion like Toby Keith”
He’s a Democrat. Numbnuts.
Of course we must keep in mind the Riley Hunter is a loser nobody and Bruce Springsteen is a master musician at the top of his trade, even if you don’t like his work. Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
Haha! I just read the comment from the guy who despises Springsteen because the guy comes from Nebraska and he hates the nasty songs on the Nebraska album. I totally sympathize! One of my favorite bands (please haters don’t even bother commenting) wrote a song with my town in the title. It’s called “West L.A. Fade Away” and it’s about renting a hotel room to do drugs in. I think it’s an awful song and can’t believe that some I respect as much as Jerry Garcia would record it, but then he was a massive dope fiend.
mitch says:
“Of course we must keep in mind the Riley Hunter is a loser nobody and Bruce Springsteen is a master musician at the top of his trade, even if you don’t like his work.”
Master musician at the top of his trade- as evidenced by….. ?
Riley Hunter is somebody who has posted an article on a blog that many people have read, and are in the process of debating and commenting on- including yourself.
If this makes Mr. Hunter a “loser nobody”, what dear boy does that make you?
As a (nearly) lifelong fan of Bruce’s music, I am always disappointed at his leftist leanings. He is so impressed with himself, like so many other celebs, he thinks that he is so much more than a singer/songwriter.
I disagree about your comments regarding “The Rising.” I found it to be wonderfully crafted, but without the proper conclusions. The healthy emotions of 911 gave way to liberal answers similar to those of the great orator Richard Gere.
So much talent wasted on a failed socialist-communist ideology.
tehstupid writes:
“Plus quit pretending that the posts here aren’t designed to enflame. Please.”
The correct word here would be “inflame”.
Guess that job as a proofreader just didn’t work out, did it now stupid?
I went to a B.S. show (no pun intended) many years ago. I believe it was the Tunnel of Love tour. I’d heard about the legendary four hour shows. I wanted to find out what all the hubbub was about. Anyhow, I was bored to tears. Overrated, IMO.
Years later I went to a show by another performer, who IMO, is everything B.S wishes he could be. That would be Tom Petty. Politics never came up during his show, just some good old fashioned American Rock N Roll.
Shut Up and Sing!
He’s a champion of Socialism and anti American and a drunk.
Politics can sometimes derange folks, on the Left as well as the Right. I can think of no better example of this than ‘boycotting’ the Super Bowl due to the political activities of the guy playing at halftime.
Really?
They should have booked the new Axl Rose Band.
Remember the BOSS’s song ‘Dancing in the Dark”? That’s just what Springsteen is doing. He hasn’t a clue. I’m tired of hearing the Bush lied CRAP. That train left the station so get over it people. Clinton LIED as he was too busy getting his knob polished in the back hallways of the White House to be doing his job. That’s why we were attacked so many times with NO response. Bush went into Iraq, liberated 50 million people and we haven’t been attacked again since 9/11. As far as Bruce is concerned I wouldn’t walk across the street to see him or listen to him. My neighbors howling dog sounds better than he does.
The most overrated musician ever.
This “Has been” is just looking for attention. Like Madonna and Mellencamp, They have no clue what they are talking about. Its a feeble attempt to sell albums when they are in the limelight. Give me a break
I used to be such a Springsteen fan, but now with his political views I just ignore his serious side and throw in one of his old records! He is only good for the music. He gets good ratings for that and nothing else!
Bruce is kinda tired and irrelevant. Many of us are, but we know it.
He doesn’t.
Such is life.
Oh tell me why is there such a fuss over Springsteen, the dude can’t sing. Every song the guy sings sounds like Hell, while accompanied by an accomplished garage band. If anyone could do a better rendition of a bellowing, ruptured, cloven hoofed farm animal, I want to hear it. Have peoples musical tastes evolved back to the stone age.
Of course I haven’t mentioned his politics, they also are an equivalent of not being able to sing, a vapid form of overcompensation for his lack of talent, just like Obama, he’s a fraud. Took me a while but I compared Springsteen to Obama.
Riley,
Sorry Sarah P. didn’t make it into the office of the Vice President. Your hair looks great in your publicity photo. You should probably ditch the writing and head back to the financial industry. This is not your higher calling. Don’t be mad at Bruce because he’s a successful American with the freedom to speak up about what he believes in. If you don’t like his music, change ufcking channel. Concentrate on what your are doing wrong. Your bias is transparent and irrelevant.
Again, this is NOT your higher calling. The financial industry will probably treat you better and you could spare the internet of your inconsequential prattle.
Thanks, but no thanks,
SrgntP.
Peeeeaaace
Never seen it, not a fan
I support Bruce…for the most overrated performer ever award.
Real Jersey Guys think Springsteen is a joke. Sure, his first few albums were okay (30+ years ago), but we spotted his “faux” working class act from day one. Being in a rock band since high school, Springsteen wouldn’t know the inside of a factory if it came up and bit him on the ass.
You may have also noticed that he’s strongly influenced that other irrelevant embarrassment from New Jersey, Jon (how’s my hair) Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi is a third rate, hair band from the 1980’s. Quite simply, they suck!
Now little Jon (use an “H” – like a man “Jon”) has figured out Springsteen’s angle and wants in on the action. He’s now carrying water for every Democrat out there. Please people, these clowns represent “Central’ Jersey. Those of us from the Northern and Southern parts of the state dismiss them for the phony opportunists that they are.
[...] he deserves this excellent take-down from my new favorite site, BigHollywood: The Cult of Springsteen and the mythology of his greatness [...]
When are we going to get the conservative workin’ mans hero?
This is a great article. I just wandered in here by accident and thought I’d read it to pass some time and I’m impressed. I thought all “Hollywood types were hopelessly lost to socialism. Moneyed elit and effete snobs like some of the bloggers here. Riley actually sounds like he can think (conservative) and not just emote (goofball liberat). I may come back here again. Thanks.
On January 27th, 2009 at 9:28 am, Mountie Jungle Armstrong said:
Of course Riley Hunter doesn’t mention that Springsteen has played benefits for Vietnam Veterans Of America(VVA),starting in 1981.
VVA founder Bobby Muller says:
‘Without Bruce Springsteen, there would be no Vietnam veterans movement’
You must be joking.
The Vietnam Veterans of America is a sham organization founded by a couple anti-war lefties back in the late 60s. One of the founders was in fact a “wannabe” fraud who never served in Vietnam.
BS’s support of VVAW is a joke.
I AM a Vietnam Veteran (US Army 1968-1971) and VVAW’s anti-war bull $hit never represented me or the vast majority of the Vietnam veterans I served with. Look at their pathetic membership numbers if you don’t believe me. They’re irrelevant.
mr. thimbleful says:
“My point was that Bruce Springsteen was always a liberal and to grouse about it now as if it’s news is not a demonstration of high levels of critical analysis.”
Yo, thimble- here’s a thought, how about trying to comprehend what we are writing before engaging in your particular brand of demented loggorhea?
Springsteen is a DNC tool. The democrats are known as the “liberal” party. A “classic liberal” thought was to wail about Viet Nam. This was a conflict begun and wildly escalated by democrats, as pointed out by myself and one other on this thread. This is contradictory numbskullery- not particularly surprising, given that Springsteen is a leftist, but contradictory nonetheless.
To try to play semantic games about this is well, demented- not unexpected coming from you, just need it to be recognized.
Additionally- my critique of him is that he is phony “blue collar guy” in much the same way Jabba the Moore is a phony blue collar guy. Moore grew up in a nice suburb of Flint (back when they had them) and lasted less than a day on the line- I think springdrone is just as phony.
As regards your assertion that Springsteen has “always been liberal”. How does his recent agreement to have his music sold only at Wal Mart demonstrate that he continues to be liberal? Correct me if I’m wrong, but Wal Mart is the enemy of the working man, and a liberal target of hatred. So why would your “always been liberal” hero do a deal with this devilish bunch?
kevin mcallen says:
“Politically he puts his time and his money where his mouth is.”
kevin, same question- how do you reconcile your statement with the news that springsteen agreed to have Wal Mart exclusively peddle his crappy music? Not very “correct” activity, at least according to the dopey lefties, now is it?
In fact, one could call it positively “double plus ungood”.
I don’t get Springsteen and I never did (except for “Pink Cadillac”). Who is this 3-chord wonder, this pathetic Dylan imitator who couldn’t hold Dylan’s golf clubs, this kid who can’t sing and can’t play the guitar and needs Prozac in the worst way, this community-college dropout who thinks he has something to say and keeps saying it over and over and over while enacting his miserable little rock and roll fantasy. Has anyone ever considered the Freudian overtones of a short little white kid from nowhere, New Jersey enjoying himself [euphemism] all over the place over a big rough black man with a … saxophone? “Blow it, Big Man!” — what is he really saying?
Then again, I never could stand Streisand either. Or Tim Robbins. Or Matt Damon with his piggy little eyes and piggy little nose. Or the Dixie Chicks (that ain’t country). Or Sean Penn. Or any Judd besides Winona. And we all know John Lennon was an anti-Semite. “Imagine” that!
Bruce Springsteen concerts are a sausage fest. P.S. I saw sid vicious sitting on a gravestone next to me, and he told me that rock and roll was better off dead. I can’t believe some douche talked about green day.
I’ve had a long-standing Springsteen Policy in my house for 20+ years: Anything recorded after (and including) We Are The World is strictly prohibited- no exceptions.
There is an amount of truth to this article, sadly offset by the fallacies and condescension. “After producing a string of embarrassing albums to close out the 90s, Bruce again found himself dangerously close to utter irrelevance.” I’m not sure what the author is referring to since the only album after Human Touch and Lucky Town was The Ghost of Tom Joad in 1995… and no “I suspect if Springsteen put out an album of belching and vomiting sounds (which he may have attempted with his The Ghost of Tom Joad effort)”, it didn’t sound like belching and vomiting. I agree that The Rising was lame, though Magic was actually decent. Working on a Dream however is the worst thing that I have heard from Springsteen, nothing more than an obvious cash grab of tripe. And yes, there are actually critics who are Brooooce fans and Obama supporters that say the album sucks.
Hey I just saw that Bruce Springsteen tracks are now available for download in Guitar Hero world tour! Now we can all get our faux-populist, geriatric,white male groove on baby!
Bruce Springsteen fans are liberal bigots (I’m using the Webster definition of bigot “one who is intolerably devoted to their belifs or prejudices”). Bruce is intolerable-I tossed his crap out years ago.
This article is dead on the money
Hey, Rich – nice try, but do you think Riley listened to Tracks?! He listened to Tracks like I read Atlas Shrugged. And I did read Atlas Shrugged. As a novel it’s a great doorstop. But I read it.
It takes more years than Riley’s had to get it. I’ll give him a break, and hope he spends the next couple of decades making associations between music and his own life. Then maybe he can talk about it a little better.
By the way, I haven’t seen a single post about the new album, just a lot of political bashing. The album isn’t political at all.
“The Wild, the Innocent, etc.” is undoubtedly one of the best American rock albums of all time. “Born to Run” is almost pop by comparison. I agree with some earlier writers that things go downhill rather precipitously from that point, although “Tunnel of Love” has some fine moments.
Very, very few rockers write good songs for longer than a few years. The problem may be the lack of musical training, i.e., it’s difficult not to run dry when you’re simply tacking a melody onto a few basic chords. Just look at Paul McCartney. Paul Simon and Dylan are the exceptions.
Art in the service of electoral politics is almost always corrupted. Whether Springsteen just wanted to stay relevant, or he sincerely wanted to do some kind of good, he can’t this close to partisan politics without affecting his legacy for the worse.
I loved some early Springsteen but–dude, get a haircut! He looks just like the homeless guy who hangs around the corner bakery.
owned almost every one of his albums, but I’m afraid his politics has made his music unlistenable…
I never liked “The Boss”, and I never liked “The Assistant Manager”, Johnny Cougar either. They put out some likable tunes, but overall, boringly introspective and too much angst in their pants. (H/T Sparks).
Springsteen’s nothin’.
Ya want somethin’?
Bob.Dylan.
Springsteen will turn 60 this year. Sixty! Time for Gramps to pull up a rocking chair, sit by the fire and reminisce on the good ole days when he could really tell a story.
I just have to say, there’s nothing like driving on the freeway at 70mph blasting “Rosalita” and singing along at the top of your lungs.
Texacalirose, well, sure. But in fairness, pretty much everybody is nothin’ compared to Dylan.
Whom, btw, is a lot richer than Springsteen is. Does that make him a phoney? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go defend John Updike from similar stupidity. (Not yours, but Riley and Shapiro, the Olsen Twins of BH.)
And I thought I was the only one who thought he sounds constipated.
How dare Springsteen have the audacity to hope that America can change! Great intellectual Riley Hunter(?) has decreed that such feelings are empty and saccharine, displaying the kind of cynicism ppl don’t usually acquire until much later in life. This whole article comes off as an angry screed by a guy desperately trying to find reasons to hate Springsteen, when there is only one real reason–the obvious “he’s a liberal and I’m not.” Seriously, if Celebrity X were a conservative, would you criticize him for creative profitmaking or honoring 9/11 or singing a song for the president?
Funny… the author of the John Updike piece on this site got the same cookie-cutter personal attacks: he’s an idiot… what has this nobody done in his life to have authority to criticize this great artist?… he’s too young to understand what he’s talking about… etc. I’m thinking there’s a manual out there for defending iconic liberal artists from criticism.
I have no idea how old the author of this article is, but I wonder at what age does one earn the credentials to find opportunism and hypocrisy enjoyable. You don’t have to be a marginally-employed, bitter, 55-year old liberal to “get” Springsteen. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to better your country and speaking to that point through your art. There is something wrong when that message is rooted in hypocrisy.
So Bruce pretends to be an Average Joe even tho’ he’s fabulously wealthy? You mean he’s just like Dubya?
[...] MIND CONTROL AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY Big Hollywood
Kyle, you put up so many good posts. I\’m in love with you now. Man love.
miley i like u a lot u r the bestttttttttttttttttttt your mom also rocks
I Love Miley
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