BORN TO RUN is the album that turned Springsteen from a phenomenon into a superstar. His first couple of releases found Bruce working out his fascination with Dylan and Van Morrison on earthy, wordy, folk-rock-R&B tunes full of soul and punch. On BORN TO RUN, Springsteen became even more ambitious, synthesizing Spectorian production with Orbison-esque drama and Duane Eddy-influenced guitar work, creating something grand enough to be called rock opera but too proletarian to ever claim that title.
BORN TO RUN was also the first album where the Boss began to crystallize his recurring theme of working class America's doomed-but-passionate rage against its circumstances. With the earnestness and emotion that bursts forth from Springsteen's street poems, the album is never less than exhilarating, and songs like "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" (a tongue-in-cheek history of the E Street Band) provide humor. "She's The One" puts the Bo Diddley beat to its most effective post-'50s use, and the title track is Springsteen's quintessential underdog epic.
Recorded at The Record Plant, New York, and 914 Sound Studio, Blauvelt, New York.
Personnel: Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar, harmonica, alto horn); Steven Van Zandt (vocals, guitar, alto horn, background vocals); Clarence Clemons (vocals, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Danny Federici (vocals, organ, keyboards); Mike Appel (vocals, background vocals); Suki Lahav (violin); David Sanborn (saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone, horns); Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn, horns); Wayne Andre (trombone); Roy Bittan (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, harpsichord, organ, keyboards, glockenspiel, background vocals); David Sancious (keyboards); Garry Tallent (bass guitar); Ernest Carter, Max Weinberg (drums).
Track Listing:
01. Thunder Road
02. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
03. Night
04. Backstreets
05. Born To Run
06. She's The One
07. Meeting Across The River
08. Jungleland
