3 Sad Bruce Springsteen Classic Rock Songs We Still Love Today

When music fans think of Bruce Springsteen, they often think of the bombastic, electric guitar-playing classic rocker. Whether he’s singing about being born in the U.S.A. or about breaking off the shackles of some small town, Springsteen is as passionate and hard-hitting as they come.

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But there have been times throughout his career, of course, when The Boss has quieted the rock side and been more solemn or subtle. And that’s just what we wanted to explore here below. Indeed, these are three sad classic rock songs from Bruce Springsteen we still stan today.

“Streets Of Philadelphia” from ‘Philadelphia Official Soundtrack’ (1994)

Written and released for the Academy Award-winning movie Philadelphia, which starred Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, this Bruce Springsteen track is all about the underbelly of the American city. Sure, there is always glitz and glamour going on somewhere nearby, but more often there is average and everyday living. The American way of life allows for so many to slip through the cracks, and it’s these folks that Springsteen sings about so well, both in general and on this offering.

“The Wrestler” from ‘Working On A Dream’ (2009)

Speaking of Springsteen songs that were used in films, this track was a major part of the 2009 film, The Wrestler, which starred Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. The movie and the song are about the same thing—beaten-down figures who have lost more than they’ve won. And yet they all exhibit the same thing, a continued sense of hope, resolve, and desire to keep experiencing this thing called life. It’s the dynamic that Springsteen knows best how to write about—the downtrodden continuing to move forward despite the tall odds stacked against them.

“Youngstown” from ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ (1995)

Speaking of the downtrodden, Springsteen highlights the plight of those in the Midwest here in this song called, “Youngstown”. He tells the story of Youngstown, Ohio, a town that helped to win many wars throughout American history, from the Civil War to World War II. The presence of iron in the area was a boon. But then the town went broke when it was too costly to run the iron plants. That’s when Springsteen sang about it, telling the sad tale of the city too many forgot.

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