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‘B’ is Always for Bruce
A Springsteen-centric answer to a Plethora of Pop challenge
Exactly one month ago, I answered an excellent prompt from Kerry Purvis called “The Pick A Letter Song Challenge.” Though I was tempted to list only Springsteen songs, I resisted and went with other artists whose songs started with the letter “B” (except for Bruce’s “Born to Run;” of course I included that one). At the time, I wrote that I would save a Bruce-only response for when I was suffering from a crippling case of writer’s block.
Well, I’m not blocked, but I have been battling regret for the past 30 days. The ghost of Clarence “Big Man” Clemons even appeared to me in a dream to chastise me about it (several Bruce “B” songs have incredible sax solos). Thus, I am giving into pressure from beyond the grave (it’s not peer pressure as Clarence has no peers, living or dead) and offering ten Springsteen songs that start with the letter “B” for your midweek enjoyment.
1. “Be True”
I still don’t know how this song was left off The River album (it should have replaced “Crush on You,” in my opinion). It’s a love song that’s also a rocker, and features something too often taken for granted on a Springsteen record: a stellar sax solo by Clarence Clemons. This is surely part of the reason Big Man showed up in my dream. Turn this one up loud.
2. “Badlands”
This fan favorite is the song Bruce has played fourth-most in concert all-time; the total currently stands at 1,290, exactly 199 fewer times than “The Promised Land,” 243 behind “Thunder Road,” and a whopping 538 fewer times than “Born to Run” (The Greatest Song Ever has been played live 1,828 times). It’s an absolute scorcher with yet another classic Clarence sax solo.
