The Best Boss in the World (Key of J)

Key of J: Well that's how I always play it

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The Best Boss in the World

Two of my favourite artists fall into that category of "you either get it or you don't". One, who I'll talk a lot more about later, is Neil Young. And the other is "The Boss", Bruce Springsteen. When I tell people I listen to Bruce and the E Street Band, I keep getting a negative reaction (much to my surprise). Whether they don't care for the voice, can't relate to the music, or conjure up unflattering images of men in their forties in white t-shirts and bandanas belting out "BAAAHRN IN THA U-S-A!" some people just don't like Bruce.

To me, of course, Springsteen's appeal is obvious. First off, the sound of his music is unbelievable. The sheer size of the E Street Band creates a wall of music that could easily blow your speakers. And it's not just quantity of musicians; it's quality as well. Each member of the band is legendary in their own craft; after all, there is only one Max Weinberg, one Clarence "Big Man" Clemons, and only one Stevie Van Zandt.

The songs themselves are masterful too. Bruce has created an entire world within his music. There aren't many songwriters who are storytellers of his calibre, and the distinction suits him. Almost every song is a narrative with distinct and separate characters, and the listener is really brought into the world of the protagonist. All the hopes, fears and challenges that they face becomes familiar, and you can identify with them. The fact that they are almost entirely about a blue-collar character is the real key to how he became the hero of the working class. The great thing is that not only are the stories meaningful, they are credible. They tell of things that can and do happen; they also have a grandiose feel to them. Rather than a pop song about meeting a girl at a party, the songs are more about sacrificing to make a life for a family.

The backdrop for the songs can only be described as an industrial utopia. He sings of lovers who meet "in the field behind the dynamo", or a "giant Exxon sign" which gives light to a "fair city". It's about finding those small scraps of beauty within a world of grime and despair. Even the people are realistic. In Thunder Road, he sings "you ain't a beauty, but hey, you're alright." Not a goddess, not a Barbie doll, but an average looking woman who means everything.

The biggest divide between lovers and haters is energy. When I first started listening to Springsteen, I pictured a stoic man rasping out these songs of yearning and hope in the darkness. But then I saw live footage of Bruce and the E Street Band, and it changed my life. Never before have I seen such raw energy and power coming from a group of performers. All of them look as if they're playing a local rowdy bar: dancing around, standing on the pianos and speakers, pumping their fists; you almost forget they are in front of a thousand people in a stadium.

Rest assured, I will be reviewing actual songs and albums in the near future. And I'm very excited to say that Bruce and the band are releasing a new album in early-mid October, called "Magic". And there are rumours of a tour. And here I thought I'd never get to see the Boss and the E Street Band live. I guess when it comes to Bruce Springsteen, whether in his songs or in real life, there's always hope.

Until next time,