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Bruce Springsteen's prog album

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jamesbaldwin View Drop Down
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    Posted: November 22 2018 at 15:01
Do you Know "The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle"?
Risultati immagini per the wild the innocent
It is the second album by Springsteen, released in 1973, when the progressive spread. It is composed of 7 songs, 4 of which are the best, with a duration between 7 and 10 minutes. it is an album that mixes rock with folk, blues, tex-mex, soul and jazz. The music, as well as the Bruce band, is mixed: partly white, partly black, partly hispanic (I think it's the first musical band to have such a great ethnic mix: two white, two black and one mexican). 

The first song is a shuffle with the winds, with Spanish cadences. The second song, Sandy, is magnificent, with an accordion solo and a xylophone solo: in fact, a folk-prog. The third song is a rock blues with a decided progressive instrumental interlude, which reaches a dissonant paroxysm. The fourth song is another folk-texmex, with accordion and tuba. 
End first side. 

On the second side there are three long songs. Incident on 57Th street is again a song that combines more musical genres, with the presence of two pianos (one for cash) and an organ. It is mixed, as if it were a single suite, with Rosalita, another 7-minute rock-blues-soul. The album ends with the masterpiece New York City Serenade, which opens with a three minute piano jazz solo (by David Sancious) and ends with a melodic crescendo. 

It's an album that has street texts: the protagonists are prostitutes, pimps, Spaniards, little scammers, blacks, street boys but also young boys and girls chasing a romantic dream. And music is a fusion of all American popular music, and it is overflowing music, which in its generosity has very progressive-rock passages.

I recommend it to those who can appreciate this fusion of American popular music, and to those who want to know another face of Springsteen.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2018 at 15:48
I've been a huge Bruce Springsteen fan since the late 70s, but on this forum I've rarely mentioned him, as frankly he does not fit the prog style to any extent. However, I do admire your attempt to put a 'progressive' gloss on the 2nd album - The Wild.....!

He was still finding his own style after the Dylanesque debut, Greetings.... and it would only be with Born to Run that the
template was found. However, you are right to highlight the whirl of different genres and styles on The Wild... album. It is very jazz-orientated in places and very few artists brought out that mix of folk, rock, blues, Latin/Spanish, jazz and soul influences along with long-form improvisation, at the time (Steely Dan, perhaps?) It was actually that eclectic mix that made it a difficult sell at the time to the record-buying public and threatened his career with Columbia etc. However, retrospectively if was a daring mix and 'progressive' in its scope, if not with the 'prog' overtones we tend to judge the genre by (rightly or wrongly).

'Incident...' is a true classic and the prequel to the sublime 'Jungleland', while 'Rosalita' was the workhorse of live concerts for decades to come. I've shouted out "The record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance!" too many times to mention at concerts over the years!

Anyway....nice to discuss the Boss on PA for a change - although don't think we'll be doing it too much more in the months to come, though!

Edited by Squonk19 - November 22 2018 at 15:52
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Manuel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2018 at 15:58
I frankly neve got into Bruce Spreengsteen, and I didn't know about this album. It sounds intersting and I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sean Trane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 05:53
Originally posted by Manuel Manuel wrote:

I frankly neve got into Bruce Spreengsteen, and I didn't know about this album. It sounds intersting and I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.
 
it's one of his better ones... I could imagine make an OK compilation CD-r of his first four albums (from Greetings to Darkness) , retaining the tracks I like, but >I'm not sure I'd be able to fill it to the brim (80 minutes) without resorting to second-rate stuff..... but even if I did that, I probably would never listen to it, since all the selection-process would've dried up my patience for Bruuuuuuuce for the next century to come. Big smile
 
 
 
 
I started disliking him and his over-exposure from The River onwards ... and TBH, I have no idea what he's done in the last four decades.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Quinino Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:11
Today I only listen to the acoustic Nebraska but was a huge fan in the seventies/early eighties - still great respect for the guy, though.

(and The Wild... was one of the best, agreed !)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:19
Springsteen? I'm still waiting for Yoko's prog album to come out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote micky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:26
^ still waiting for Mellencamp's long rumored prog album haha.

respect for Springstein..though he loses Micky points for bringing Courtney Cox on stage and unleashed a plague on popular culture for a number of years...

but was always a Mellencamp guy. He was genuine heartland rock.. Springstein was something different. A product of cynical side of the music business
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jamesbaldwin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:34
Originally posted by Squonk19 Squonk19 wrote:

I've been a huge Bruce Springsteen fan since the late 70s, but on this forum I've rarely mentioned him, as frankly he does not fit the prog style to any extent. However, I do admire your attempt to put a 'progressive' gloss on the 2nd album - The Wild.....!

He was still finding his own style after the Dylanesque debut, Greetings.... and it would only be with Born to Run that the
template was found. However, you are right to highlight the whirl of different genres and styles on The Wild... album. It is very jazz-orientated in places and very few artists brought out that mix of folk, rock, blues, Latin/Spanish, jazz and soul influences along with long-form improvisation, at the time (Steely Dan, perhaps?) It was actually that eclectic mix that made it a difficult sell at the time to the record-buying public and threatened his career with Columbia etc. However, retrospectively if was a daring mix and 'progressive' in its scope, if not with the 'prog' overtones we tend to judge the genre by (rightly or wrongly).

'Incident...' is a true classic and the prequel to the sublime 'Jungleland', while 'Rosalita' was the workhorse of live concerts for decades to come. I've shouted out "The record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance!" too many times to mention at concerts over the years!

Anyway....nice to discuss the Boss on PA for a change - although don't think we'll be doing it too much more in the months to come, though!

I'm a fan of Springsteen since I saw him in concert in Italy in 1988. Even today, his concerts of three and a half hours are authentic moments of pathos, in which we see a man put his soul. I have not yet experienced similar emotions with other artists. Only when I saw in concert Nick Cave, the Van der Graaf Generator and Roger Waters I felt something that could come close.

Anyway, It's clear that The Wild... is not a prog album. But It is a great album of folk-blues-jazz- rock fusion. And I note that on this site there are Steely Dan (jazz-rock/fusion) and Tim Buckley (prog folk). I think both are very far from progressive, as usually understood. I guees that Kitty's Back and Incident on 57th Street are closer to the prog of any song by Steely Dan - and maybe even Buckley (except Lorca and something else).


Edited by jamesbaldwin - November 23 2018 at 07:17
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jamesbaldwin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:47
Originally posted by Manuel Manuel wrote:

I frankly neve got into Bruce Spreengsteen, and I didn't know about this album. It sounds intersting and I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.

Hi, Manuel, if you listen to the record, in my opinion Kitty's Back and New York City Serenade are masterpieces. And Sandy and Incident on 57th Street are remarkable.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jamesbaldwin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 07:06
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

.... Springstein was something different. A product of cynical side of the music business


In fact, for almost twenty years (seventies and eighties) Springsteen has never produced discs for commercial purposes, but according to his tastes and his inspiration. Only when his feeling was in tune with that of the times has been very successful (The River, Born in the Usa). And after the success, out of prudence, out of fear of ending up Elvis, he always retired from the scene for a few years, then came back with acoustic folk albums completely alien to commercial music (Nebraska and Tunnel of Love).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fuxi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 08:28
Surely BORN TO RUN is proggier still?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote siLLy puPPy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 08:53
I used to hate Springsteen until i discovered his early stuff which started with this album. So you think this is prog, huh? Not really. Keep in mind that jazz-rock doesn't necessarily mean proggy jazz-rock. There are many bands that have been labeled as such that don't make it onto to this site otherwise any rock band that adds a saxophone solo would be given the golden key to enter this prog kingdom. 

Heartland rock isn't my thing really mostly because i'm from that area originally but nevertheless i still have managed to find most Springsteen albums, some Bob Seger, John Cougar Mellencamp and Tom Petty in my collection more for a few select tracks rather than an album listening experience. This album is probablly the best of the lot though, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fischman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 09:25
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

^ still waiting for Mellencamp's long rumored prog album haha.

respect for Springstein..though he loses Micky points for bringing Courtney Cox on stage and unleashed a plague on popular culture for a number of years...

but was always a Mellencamp guy. He was genuine heartland rock.. Springstein was something different. A product of cynical side of the music business


Actually, introducing us to Courtney was the closest thing Mr Mumbles ever did to anything worthwhile. With video, you can turn off the sount and at least enjoy the last 30 seconds.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 09:55
Springsteen put out some nicely eclectic-sounding stuff early in his career, but it's firmly Americana.

Now Santana? Caravanserai.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote omphaloskepsis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 09:58
I've worn out 4 separate copies of " The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle". Every song a jewel.  Wink    

Edited by omphaloskepsis - November 23 2018 at 09:59
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jamesbaldwin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 10:42
Originally posted by siLLy puPPy siLLy puPPy wrote:

I used to hate Springsteen until i discovered his early stuff which started with this album. So you think this is prog, huh? Not really. Keep in mind that jazz-rock doesn't necessarily mean proggy jazz-rock. There are many bands that have been labeled as such that don't make it onto to this site otherwise any rock band that adds a saxophone solo would be given the golden key to enter this prog kingdom. 

Heartland rock isn't my thing really mostly because i'm from that area originally but nevertheless i still have managed to find most Springsteen albums, some Bob Seger, John Cougar Mellencamp and Tom Petty in my collection more for a few select tracks rather than an album listening experience. This album is probablly the best of the lot though, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

I agree with you. Is The Wild prog? Not really. In fact, in my short review, I wrote it is fusion of folk, blues, soul, texmex, rock with some passages very progressive. 
And then I wrote, in a comment: It is clear it is not progressive, but, are Steely Dan (jazz-rock/fusion) and Tim Buckley (prog folk) true prog? 
If you considere Steely Dan Jazz-rock-fusion, is it proggy jazz-rock in your opinion?
Hmmm I really dont know... Maybe a just a little...

If I took Kittys Back and New York City Serenade from The Wild, I'd find more prog passages than any song by Steely Dan. Am I wrong? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote TCat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 13:44
Springsteen's early music was definitely more complex than most of the top 40 of the time, or anytime, and those earlier, rougher albums by him were the best.  For that I have total respect for The Boss.  I also like his more stripped down, acoustic music too, but overall, he pays the bills with commercial music.  But, the excitement he brings to his shows and his songwriting ability is amazing and is why he is always relevant.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote twosteves Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 23 2018 at 17:23
are you into him because he's Italian American? lol

Just kidding I really dislike even though I'm Italian American too---but will check out the album. His whole trying to copy the wall of sound of Phil Specter is yeah ok--but you not black from the ghetto.
Not that I hate all of it---he has some good songs---I find his angst ridden blue color Jersey thing tiring --but may be because he grew up in a stable middle class family in New Jersey or Could be as a cynical New Yorker sort of find it all to be a tad put on.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote octopus-4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 24 2018 at 03:55
Many years ago I decided to buy a random album of the Bruce, and it was Greetings from Ashbury Park. I never reached the B side of the vynil.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote micky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 24 2018 at 07:02
^ funny.. you missed what some, including myself consider to be his single best song.

oh crazy Janey... singing those birthday songs while doing the horizontal bop on a matress of ol' mother earth.. umm hmm
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