Bias or Empirical Truth? Springsteen Is So Good He Gets Two Lists
Tuesday June 19, 2007
Recently on this site I granted an exception that I hadn't even considered for prominent '80s music legends like Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson. In consideration of Bruce Springsteen, a genuine, constantly working rock and roll legend across three decades, I decided to compile a pair of top songs lists instead of my customary one. And I've got news for you: I could have easily done three.Now, a question lingers in my head regarding the justification of that decision: Is it just because Springsteen appeals more to my personal taste than the aforementioned artists, or is it because the quality of his music, track by track and album by album, is simply that much better than the output of even the most popular, beloved stars of the '80s? It's probably clear where I stand on that query, but I'd like to hear what you think. After all, there's no accounting for taste, and, what's more, there's no measuring how much influence taste has on our opinions, especially when it comes to music.
Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Columbia Records
Comments
I love every one of them – I can never understand the scorn from that certain group of “purists” who swear Bruce never did anything good after the first four albums.
Three I might sneak on the list by somehow swapping three of these gems off would be “The Ties That Bind”, “Stolen Car”, and “Mansion on the Hill”.
I didn’t truly understand/appreciate the Boss until this decade, when I reached my 30s, but I always knew that he’s one of America’s most important rock artists ever. As far as favorite hit/non-hit songs, the title track to Tunnel of Love is my all-time favorite tune by him, followed by his slow, acoustic version of “Born in the USA.”