The Top 8 Bruce Springsteen summer songs
Summer means Springsteen in New Jersey.
It's been that way even before Bruce Springsteen became known around the world. In the summers at the Shore, in the early 1970s, Springsteen and his mates would often play big outdoor shows, including at the former Clearwater Swim Club on Route 36 in Middletown.
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As the Boss' fame grew, so did the summer stages. He played multiple nights at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford in 1985, 2003 and 2009, and at its replacement, MetLife Stadium, in 2012 and 2016.
A Springsteen song often has a certain something that evokes summer at the Jersey Shore. The songs express the joy of driving with the top down, wind in your hair, to a welcoming place, or they can convey the first slight touch of autumn on a late summer day. An echo of yesterday's glories.
In honor of the Summer of 2017, we now present to you our Top 8 Springsteen summer songs:
'Born to Run' (1975)
What was beach and the "Circuit" of Asbury Park like during summertime in the 1960s and '70s?
It's all here in "Born to Run." Hot rodders and fellow travelers rode around and around the Circuit of Ocean Avenue and Kingsley Street, under the wink of Tillie on the Palace Amusements. While on the surface it's appealing, the protagonist of "Born to Run" desperately wants to break free.
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"Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard. Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors and the boys try to look so hard. The amusement park rises bold and stark, kids are huddled on the beach in a mist. I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight in an everlasting kiss."
The song grows in stature with each passing year.
'Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)' (1973)
Springsteen paints a romantic portrait of summer in Asbury Park in this track from "The Wild, the Innocent and the E street Shuffle."
"Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" shimmers with lyrical and musical touchstones of summer boardwalk culture, from Dammy Federici's accordion to the famous reference of Madam Marie "finally busted ... for telling fortunes better than they do."
Like the protagonist in "Born to Run," Sandy's lover wants to leave Asbury Park, but here he concedes that "this pier lights our carnival life forever."
For Springsteen, and for us, it is true.
'Girls in Their Summer Clothes' (2007)
A great addition to the rock 'n' roll canon of girl watching songs that includes "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones and "Girl Watcher" by the O'Kaysions.
The "cool of the evening light" suggests the song does not take place in an idyllic setting, but still the music is exquisite, with Spector-ish strings, Beach Boys harmonies and majestic bass rolls by Garry Tallent. The track won a 2009 Grammy for best rock song.
A video by Mark Pellington starring Springsteen was shot at the Jersey Shore, including Asbury Park and the Roadside Diner in Wall.
'Jungleland' (1975)
Where "Born to Run" depicts a desperate summer on the Asbury Park beachfront, "Jungleland" conveys the oppressive heat of a city. It's the kind of summer heat that triggers a deadly spontaneity. But first ...
"Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge; Drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain. The Rat pulls into town rolls up his pants; Together they take a stab at romance and disappear down Flamingo Lane."
'Racing in the Street' (1978)
A summer lament. All the steel, rubber, chrome and horsepower can't take you to where you want to go if you don't have the vision to get there.
"Racing in the Street" depicts the ones who never got off the Circuit. He's a street racer, she's in love with him, but their horizons are only as far as the next race. The track has a wonderfully sparse arrangement and mournful vocals by Springsteen.
"Summer's here and the time is right for going racing in the street."
'Seaside Bar Song' (1998)
"Seaside Bar Song" was first released on the 1998 "Tracks" box set, but it was originally recorded in 1973 for "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle."
The song's sprite Farfisa organ wonderfully captures the aura of a seaside bar setting — a balance of the whimsical and the ominous.
The song references a Bo Diddley performance at the Osprey Nightclub in Manasquan. "I had my first drink there, first ever," said Springsteen during an introduction of the song in Philadelphia in 2012. "I thought it was the greatest night of my life."
'Sherry Darling' (1980)
We have to be honest. "Sherry Darling" was not included as one of the Boss' best summer songs in the original version of this article, but after seeing the song performed several times as part of the River Tour 2016, we were hooked again. The raucous backing vocals are obviously inspired by the great Gary U.S. Bonds hits and the lyrics paint a portrait of a summer getaway.
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We're betting city dwellers Sherry and her beau are headed to the Jersey Shore -- where else?
'Spirit in the Night' (1973)
"Spirit in the Night" is a summer night by a lake with couplings and capers, mud fights and the joy of young love, consummated under the stars.
It's a cool jazzy romp that features great stick work by Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez and smokey sax undertones by Clarence Clemons.
A version of this article was originally published in 2015. Chris Jordan:cjordan@app.com