quote:

I’ve never cared for Springsteen. Dave explains why, better than I ever could. I admit that I never looked at Chuck Berry’s song like Dave does, I mostly just appreciated his guitar playing.

Same here, never really liked (or disliked) his music > way before I knew his anti-American political persuasions.
Chuck Berry was one of the greatest guitar players, a bit before my time but immense appreciation for the sound.

According to some music writers, Springsteen’s rise came as a result of a motorcycle wreck that rocked the music industry: Bob Dylan’s accident on his Triumph.

The first time I heard a Springsteen song, it was being played faintly as background music at a restaurant where I was having lunch. I thought: “I haven’t heard that Dylan song before!” As I began to concentrate on the faint music I realized it wasn’t Dylan, but an imitator who was trying to sound and write like Dylan. I thought: “Whoever this is, he ain’t no Dylan!”

In 1966 Dylan was injured in a motorcycle accident. He was at the peak of his career and positioned to launch into unknown heights, fame and money. Instead, he essentially withdrew for eight years. I read that he only performed 4 public concerts in 8 years. It’s said that he really wasn’t seriously injured. He hated the press, the music industry, phonies and stardom. He wanted to raise a family and write music. He said “screwem” and withdrew at the height of his career.

Writers say that music industry producers panicked. They were desperate to find the “New Bob Dylan”. They found several candidates. Springsteen was one of them and they promoted the hell outta him. He was no Dylan . To his credit he developed his own style and stopped imitating. He is a very talented guy, but he is no Dylan.

Lounden Wainwright III summed it up in his song “Talking New Bob Dylan Blues” (partial lyrics shown):

“Hey, Bob Dylan, I wrote you a song
Today is your birthday if I'm not wrong
If I'm not mistaken, you're 50 today
How are you doin', Bob? What do you say?
Well, it musta been about '62
I heard you on record, you were brand new
And some had some doubts about the way you sang
But the truth came through and loudly it rang
Yeah, you were hipper than Mitch Miller
And Johnny Mathis put together
So I got some boots, a harmonica rack
A D-21, and I was on the right track
But I didn't start writing until '68
It was too damn daunting, you were too great
I won a whole lot of Bob Dylan imitation contests, though, huh

Had a commission at a motorcycle wreck
Holed up in Woodstock with a broken neck
And the labels were signin' up guys with guitars
Out to make millions, lookin' for stars
Well, I figured it was time to make my move
Songs from the West Chester County Delta country
Yeah, I got a deal and so did John Prine
Steve Forbert and Springsteen, all in a line
They were lookin' for you, signin' up others
We were new Bob Dylans, your dumb ass kid brothers
Well, we still get together every week at Bruce's house
Why, he's got quite a spread I tell ya, it's a twelve step program”


“We were new Bob Dylans, your dumb ass kid brothers” about sums it up as far as Bruce is concerned.

^^^^ Really?

Suggesting Prine was riding Dylan's coat tails is just silly.

I didn't say that. The subject of the discussion was Springsteen.

Springsteen is a liberal jackass.

quote:

Originally posted by maxdog:
I didn't say that. The subject of the discussion was Springsteen.

No, sorry. I was aiming my derision at the lyrics to the song, not you.

ain't a fan of old BS

Saw what you did there

I'll give Springsteen credit, he does have a few good hooks in his songs, otherwise, he's the very definition of limousine liberal. He claims (and his fans amplify) that he's the voice of the working class and his songs are about their lament, Morrison points out he's never worked a job that can relate to whom he's allegedly speaking about. If anything, Springsteen may appeal to white-collar clerks and low-level managers however, he's no blue-collar voice.

When I was in high school and the first couple years of college his “teen angst” stuff resonated. Then I grew (at least a little) and he turned negative and political. Lost all interest. Dave’s video explains why. I will sometimes find myself in a “glass half empty” funk, but I make an effort to live “glass half full, full it up!”. Part of that is avoiding negative influences like BS.