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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Few albums are as fuelled by hope, possibility and the lure of the open road as Born to Run, a virtual concept album about small-town New Jerseyites in search of a better life via hot-rodding out on the turnpike, scoring some small-time hustle or blowing out of town altogether, either across the river to New York City or west for parts unknown. Songs such as "Jungleland", "Thunder Road", "Backstreets" and the title track are epic productions, both sonically and lyrically, borrowing from Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and West Side Story. When Born to Run was released in 1975, it earned the then-unknown Springsteen the rare honour of simultaneous covers on both Time and Newsweek in the US. The attention was warranted then, and it still is now. --Daniel Durchholz, Amazon.com
Review
Born To Run’s eight songs run to less than 40 minutes in length, but comprise a whole as satisfying as a portion of exquisitely rich chocolate cake. It seems Springsteen truly went for broke in 1975 after his first two albums had been critically well-received but less so commercially. Music critic Jon Landau became his producer and joined Bruce with his E-Street band in the studio to make what remains a classic, honest musical expression of hope, dreams and survival.
The colossal wall of sound production would make Phil Spector proud. Clarence Clemons’ triumphant yet bittersweet saxophone wailing and Roy Bittan’s nagging piano riffs augment the tough Telecaster guitar sound, while chiming glockenspiel and Max Weinberg’s drumming cement the heady mix.
Lyrically, it’s a dramatic collection of blue-collar tales of love and making ends meet that could only come from New Jersey’s favourite son. He clearly took a few ideas from storytellers like Van Morrison and Bob Dylan but also forged his own uplifting style. In ''Meeting Across The River'', a street tale Lou Reed would be proud of, listeners can ponder on a great deluded hustler’s line: 'That two grand’s practically sitting here in my pocket.' ''Thunder Road'' meanwhile, is almost effortlessly cinematic. In two lines there’s imagery more striking than most songwriters can manage on a whole album: 'In the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets… Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet.' On the excellent title track familiar BS motifs are returned to, particularly running away and the allure of fast cars, 'Chrome-wheeled, fuel-injected and stepping out over the line…We gotta get out while we’re young.' Few tunesmiths can make a bad situation sound so good.
Like Ry Cooder, over a lengthy career the working-class NJ hero has proved himself to be a remarkably versatile operator. He’s taken on rootsy American folk material, written about 9/11 and, of course, had gargantuan commercial success with Born In The USA. Contemporary bands are never slow in praising him and his influence is still keenly felt. In songwriting terms alone Arcade Fire, REM and Mercury Rev have all clearly borrowed his ideas down the years and it’s unlikely they’ll be the last. --Lou Thomas
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why only five stars?,
By Simon Yates (London England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Born to Run (Audio CD)
One of the greatest rock albums ever. A work of art. Most artists would kill to have written the weaker tracks, and to have Thunder Road, Backstreets, Born to Run itself and Jungleland all on one album is unbelievable. An album for all ages, all moods, all time. Too many five star reviews are handed out too easily. 25 years on, this is worth every star and more. It's easy to forget that when he wrote this masterpiece Bruce was barely known. The confidence and authority is astonishing. Rolling Stone were famously moved to say they'd seen the future or rock n roll, and how right they were. I know some take The River as their favourite Bruce album but for me - like many doubles - it has a bit too much padding. This is the one.
23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Springsteen's breakthrough album,
By A Customer
This review is from: Born to Run (Audio CD)
It is difficult to find the words to write about this album. Released in 1975, when Bruce appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek simultaneously, it was an album that musically and lyrically did something that no other rock artist had done for quite sometime. Combining a powerful, thrilling, Phil Spector style "wall of sound" with heartfelt, genuine, intelligent lyrics, it proved to the world what Springsteen already knew: that rock n' roll has the power to save your life. Despite two earlier LP's which were critically acclaimed but sold poorly, this feels like the start of Bruce's search for himself and his sense of community. Simply one of the greatest rock n' roll LP's of all time. Buy it and find out why.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
born to run? i am now,
By
This review is from: Born To Run (Audio CD)
the very first time i heard this album was later in the same week i first saw bruce and the e street band live at newcastle in 1985.wow,what a show after all the build up and hype.my knee jerk reaction was to buy a couple of his albums to investigate further.born to run the album proved to me to be his best.a classic!both musically and lyrically from the opening chords of thunder road to the epic and dramatic effects of jungleland (with its memorable sax solo,courtesy of clarence "big man" clemance)and everything in between,the consistency is solid.the youthfull exhuberence and escapist feel of the title track is the ultimate feelgood track.other musical influences like bo diddely with his trademark riff du du du du du du (you know the one)are there on the blistering shes the one.and the phil spector production style makes its mark throughout.nb:he did not produce this album though.the more mellower track meeting across the river is thought provoking,apperently about a failed drugs deal i belive.i have heard other bruce springsteen albums in the meantime of course,some classics too.but this is my favourite without a doubt.london was indeed ready for bruce sprinsteen (sic)when he came there on his first uk tour at the same of born to run,s release.what a backdrop.
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