Bruce Springsteen doubled down on The River. Releasing two albums of music allowed The Boss to go deeper in terms of variety than he ever had before. This release also showcased the sparkling versatility of the E Street Band.
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Springsteen tells some fascinating stories within these songs. But what about the stories behind the creation of this landmark piece of work? See if you know these five trivial tidbits about The River.
The Ramones Almost Stole the Big Hit
There’s an interesting dichotomy that has popped up now and again in Bruce Springsteen’s career. On the one hand, he loved the singles-oriented music of the 60s. But he has occasionally written radio sure shots of his own that he then tried to give away, feeling the accessible stuff might fit his thematic concerns. Luckily, Jon Landau, his manager/producer, often convinced him to hold on to songs like “Hungry Heart”. Instead of being a track for the Ramones, which is what Springsteen originally intended, it became his first US Top 10 hit.
Family Matters Popped Up in Certain Songs
Bruce Springsteen has always been the type of songwriter who attempts to resonate with his wider audience. As a result, he tends to cloak autobiographical elements in his work. In the case of “The River”, however, he based the story on someone very close to him. His sister Ginny’s pregnancy inspired the tale of a young couple struggling with the weight of adult responsibilities. You also get a glimpse of his father in “Independence Day”, one of several songs in his career where he explores that relationship.
The Second Single Disappointed
One wonders how Bruce Springsteen’s trajectory on pop radio might have differed if he had chosen better when it came to the second single from The River. He possessed momentum galore on the radio following the success of “Hungry Heart”. But “Fade Away” was a strange choice for the follow-up. Maybe Springsteen’s camp thought it would work because it’s focused on romance, always a popular topic in hit songs. But the song is a muted affair that doesn’t necessarily show off the depth of his songwriting. It reached No. 20 but quickly fell by the wayside.
A Dusty Country Song Inspired One Title
“Wreck On The Highway” is one of the more fascinating album-closers in the Bruce Springsteen catalog. The two albums up to that point had encompassed so many different facets of life that perhaps the only way the record could end was with a death. The narrator happens upon a tragic auto accident. It makes him ponder how his own mortality could easily be snatched away from him. Although the music and lyrics are original, Springsteen makes an allusion here to the country classic of the same name, written by Dorsey Dixon and made popular in a 1942 version by Roy Acuff.
Some Classics Missed the Cut
Springsteen fans probably felt like they hit the mother lode when the artist offered up 20 new songs within The River. What they likely didn’t know at the time was that there was even more excellence being held back. The original idea was for a single album titled The Ties That Bind. It wasn’t that far off from being prepared for release when Springsteen had a change of heart. As a result, the title changed, the single album became a double, and some superb songs disappeared in the shuffle, including the hard-charging, coulda-been-a-hit “Loose Ends”.
Rob Verhorst/Redferns
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