Hungry Heart: The Music of Bruce Springsteen
by
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Been Up So Long, It Looks Down To Me
By the start of 1987, Bruce Springsteen appeared to have it all. Over the prior three years, Born in the U.S.A. sold well over twelve million copies worldwide. His subsequent two-year world tour grossed nearly one-hundred-million dollars. In 1986, the multi-set Live/1975-85 exceeded expectations with sales totaling over three-million, though the pace did drop considerably after the opening frenzy. He'd become one of the most recognized and influential entertainment figures of his time. And to cap off the storybook, he'd met and married a beautiful Hollywood actress. Most definitely top of the world, ma! It was therefore somewhat surprising- and to some, fairly disconcerting- when Bruce released his next studio album, Tunnel of Love, which despite its carnival title, proved a dark and somber dissection of romantic relationships, especially the lawfully-wedded kind. (The biggest initial surprise was that this made three albums in four years from Springsteen, a positively dizzying pace for a notorious tortoise.) Overall, critics hailed Tunnel of Love for its mature and honest perspective- as well as some damn fine tunes. Though sales never approached Born in the U.S.A.'s stratospheric levels, Tunnel of Love's sales were solid- it reached number one within four weeks and spawned three Top Twenty singles- while the tour which followed turned into another difficult ticket to obtain. And by the end, Bruce's marriage was in shambles and for the first time in his career, he appeared the bad guy. Well, we all know what happened to Cagney in White Heat. No other Springsteen album benefits- perhaps even unfairly- from hindsight as much as Tunnel of Love. Justly or not, it's become impossible to separate the torment of the album's characters from the problems we now suspect existed within Bruce and Julianne's marriage. Along with John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band, Tunnel of Love is perhaps the most painfully honest album ever made by a major rock'n'roll artist. But while Lennon's record rejected the past in favor of the future, Bruce's rejects the present and despairs for tomorrow. It's ultimately a very sad album, with barely a hint of the defiance or hopefulness found on his other releases. Tunnel of Love tests Bruce's strongest conviction- that love and relationships are essential in dealing with the worst life throws at you- and suddenly, terrifyingly, finds it wanting. What's left when love itself becomes the problem? On Tunnel of Love, an unflinching Bruce Springsteen holdsa mirror to himself. He'd held that mirror before, but usually peered around his own reflection to see how the rest of us were getting on. This time he gazes straight into his own face as well, and doesn't care much for what he sees. The emotions the album conveys- guilt, terror, loneliness- sting the listener with their intensity. 'Will we ever be satisfied?' the record asks. Or more precisely, 'can we ever be satisfied?' There's a fear of settling throughout Tunnel of Love. And a fear of seeking too much. Making it Springsteen's most complex album. And a masterpiece. There's nothing complex about the arrangements, though not to the album's detriment. Recorded mostly in his home studio in New Jersey, Bruce plays nearly everything, including bass, guitar, keyboards and percussion. Various E Streeters appear, but wind up playing little Bruce couldn't have himself. The production is layered, though far from the boisterous wall-of-sound normally associated with Springsteen. Instead, it's like eavesdropping on an apartment building in which lonely tenants on each floor play an instrument- and they happen to be playing the same song. But rather than sound sterile and unfeeling, it somehow comes together. Tunnel of Love hits like a gun with a silencer. It's much more painful without the bang. And if the pace tends to range towards mid-tempo, this does not conceal the fact that Tunnel of Love sports some of Bruce's most beautiful, tightly-written melodies. It's no wonder an ever-growing number of artists have chosen to cover songs off this record. Bruce has said that Tunnel of Love's intimacy was addressed to his 'long-time fans' almost as a counteract to the canyon-like scope of Born in the U.S.A., and that he wanted to reintroduce himself as a songwriter. Judging by the response to the record by this 'core audience,' he succeeded.
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About the Book
Of all veteran rock and roll stars, Bruce Springsteen has perhaps most been able to retain a special, reciprocal relationship with his following, a connection which transcends fanaticism and goes beyond that of mere fan to artist. For over a quarter century, Springsteen has never changed his belief that his music should at least attempt to offer something tangible and meaningful to the listener. Hungry Heart: The Music of Bruce Springsteen explains the reasons for Springsteen’s unique relationship with his fans, the mutual feeling that the other is "one of us." As the title suggests, the emphasis is on Springsteen’s music, whether heard on recordings or in concert. While enough historical data is included to ensure narrative flow and provide background information relevant to his music, the book is not intended as a biography. Instead it’s an in-depth, critical study of Springsteen’s entire recorded output as heard over sixteen albums, plus assorted singles, film songs and one-offs. Besides official releases, the book will also discuss the more generally well-known of his unreleased songs. There is also a chapter on cover versions of Springsteen’s songs as recorded by other artists, including renditions of cuts Bruce has recorded, tracks he never released himself and songs he expressly wrote for or with another performer. Hungry Heart: The Music of Bruce Springsteen is written with passion, humor and insight, from a fan’s perspective but with a critical eye. It is a book to be enjoyed by both hard-core and casual Springsteen enthusiasts, and one to be referred to time and time again.
About the Author
Jeff Horn has been writing about popular music since 1978, which coincidentally was the year he first saw Bruce Springsteen in concert. Hungry Heart: The Music of Bruce Springsteen is his first non-fiction book. A Joyful Noise, Mr. Horn’s first novel, will be published in 2000.