Like most teens in his generation, Bruce Springsteen took an instant liking to the Beatles. The foursome launched onto an unsuspecting music scene in the early ’60s and, soon after, they amassed a fame that had never been seen before–or likely since.
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Springsteen once recalled hearing the Beatles for the first time. It was a life changing experience for the aspiring musician. Find out which Beatles song helped to spark Springsteen’s love of music, below.
[RELATED: The Story Behind “She’s a Woman” by The Beatles and How the Band “Turned On” to Create It]
The Beatles Song That Changed Bruce Springsteen’s Life
Oh, yeah, I’ll tell you somethin’
I think you’ll understand
When I say that somethin’
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
Like many who were witness to the dawn of rock n’ roll, Springsteen first fell in love with Elvis Presley. The legendary rocker prompted Springsteen to pick up a guitar, however he quickly lost interest.
No, it wasn’t until The Boss heard the Beatles that he decided to dive head first into becoming a musician.
“I saw Elvis on TV, and when I first saw Elvis, I was nine but I was a little young, tried to play the guitar, but it didn’t work out, I put it away,” Springsteen once said. “The keeper was in 1964, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ on South Street with my mother driving.
I immediately demanded that she let me out, I ran to the bowling alley, ran down a long neon-lit aisle, down the alley into the bowling alley,” he continued. “Ran to the phone booth, got in the phone booth and immediately called my girl and asked, ‘Have you heard this band called The Beatles?’ After that, it was nothing but rock ‘n’ roll and guitars.”
Oh, please, say to me
You’ll let me be your man
And please, say to me
You’ll let me hold your hand
You’ll let me hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
It’s lucky for us that Springsteen heard that early Beatles cut. The simple, yet effective tune was the ignition behind a worldwide movement. As such, Springsteen once called it a song he couldn’t live without.
“This was another song that changed the course of my life,” Springsteen once said of “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” “It was a very raucous sounding record when it came out of the radio. It really was the song that inspired me to play rock and roll music – to get a small band and start doing some small gigs around town. It was life changing. It’s still a beautiful record.”
And when I touch you
I feel happy inside
It’s such a feelin’ that my love
I can’t hide
I can’t hide
I can’t hide
Photo by Busacca/Mediapunch/Shutterstock
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