Was watching the news this morning and it mentioned that this album was released 30 years ago today. It transformed Bruce from a star into a superstar. I remember Dancing In The Dark was on heavy rotation on MTV then all the subsequent singles off the album which stretched well into 1985. Saw him in October 84 in Vancouver.
I look back on that era around 83-84 when I was in high school and all the albums released which made the artists big or even bigger: Thriller, 1984, Born In The USA, Purple Rain, Like A Virgin, Pyromania, Synchronicity, etc. Time sure flies!

Also David Bowie was bigger (in terms of sales) than ever with Let's Dance (1983).

Lionel Richie (Can't Slow Down), Bryan Adams (Reckless), ZZ Top (Eliminator).

Interesting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-04 22:27 by BowieStone.

Let's Dance was huge. I remember he was the first artist to play in the new BC Place in Vancouver in 1983. 50000 people which was the biggest crowd ever in Vancouver. ZZ was huge with all their awesome videos and Adams is from Vancouver so he was pretty popular locally to begin with but Reckless made him a huge star. Ironically both ZZ and Lionel Ritchie have both played here within the past month.

OK

This is modern in my mind. Jeez I'm getting old!

No kidding time flies D and I remember those day's like they were yesterday. Have also seen some great show's in Vancouver with The Band at the Venus or Orpheum (never can remember which) and the Stones in 89. Also saw Keith there with the winos but they were so loud it ruined the whole show. Saw Steppenwolf and Neil Young there in the early 80's. Man what a time and what an era! Thank's for posting.

Hate the drum sounds on that album--like trash cans hitting the sidewalk from a two-story drop.

Never even noticed the drum sounds, actually.

This was the Bruce album for the idiots. I remember those dopes running around the stadiums during the song 'Born In The USA', waving their flags like it was the 4th of July. A fantastic song totally misunderstood by the public. I loved Bruce, and saw him often, but I don't think I could take hearing 'Glory Days' ever again.

I remember getting a collection of outtakes a few weeks/months after its release and being astounded at how superior the songs were that had been omitted.

An alternative album featuring most (or all) of the following songs - "Murder Inc", "This Hard Land" (one of the best half dozen Bruce songs ever), "Frankie", "My Love will not let you down", "Shut Out The Light", "A Good Man is hard to find", "The Klansman", "Brothers under the bridges", "County Fair", "Richfield Whistle", "None But The Brave" and "Richfield Whistle" would have made for a very different and darker album which probably wouldnt have sold as well, but which would have been far superior.

In many ways, its a sort of 'flip' to Darkness, where he ditched the pop material (a lot of which ended up on 'The Promise' and 'Tracks') in favour of the darker songs.

At the time it came out, I found many of the songs trite and overproduced compared to what I'd heard from him before and still do, to some extent (I wouldnt put it in his top 12 studio albums). My next reaction on hearing it was to realise that the genie was out of the bottle and this was the album that would make him a megastar.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-05 01:30 by Gazza.

I was fortunate to see him play this entire record live on his concert at Rock in Rio last year, in Rio de Janeiro. It was a big time and it's nice to remember this moment.

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Gazza
I remember getting a collection of outtakes a few weeks/months after its release and being astounded at how superior the songs were that had been omitted.

An alternative album featuring most (or all) of the following songs - "Murder Inc", "This Hard Land" (one of the best half dozen Bruce songs ever), "Frankie", "My Love will not let you down", "Shut Out The Light", "A Good Man is hard to find", "The Klansman", "Brothers under the bridges", "County Fair", "Richfield Whistle", "None But The Brave" and "Richfield Whistle" would have made for a very different and darker album which probably wouldnt have sold as well, but which would have been far superior.

In many ways, its a sort of 'flip' to Darkness, where he ditched the pop material (a lot of which ended up on 'The Promise' and 'Tracks') in favour of the darker songs.

At the time it came out, I found many of the songs trite and overproduced compared to what I'd heard from him before and still do, to some extent (I wouldnt put it in his top 12 studio albums). My next reaction on hearing it was to realise that the genie was out of the bottle and this was the album that would make him a megastar.

Any of those songs in place of "I'm On Fire" would have made that album even better than it was

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Cristiano Radtke
I was fortunate to see him play this entire record live on his concert at Rock in Rio last year, in Rio de Janeiro. It was a big time and it's nice to remember this moment.

The songs are invariably very good when played in concert. I've never been a big fan of 'My Hometown', for example, but the version I saw him play of it in Limerick last July gave me goosebumps in a way its never done before.

I just think half the songs could have been ditched in favour of better ones. Downbound Train, No Surrender, Bobby Jean and I'm Going Down are songs I still enjoy very much.

I saw him in '78. 'Nuff said!

Hey Rob51, I've seen all the Stones shows in Van since 89 and I also saw the Winos concert at the Orpheum, I was around row 3 center and that was an awesome show!
Gazza, I remember reading an interview with Max Weinberg after the album was releaased and he said that some of his favorite songs didn't even make the album. One of my favorite non album tunes back then was the popular Pink Cadillac which was on the Dancing In The Dark single. I remember he played that in concert.
Bluz, I love I'm On Fire, actually I think I like every song off that album. I remember when the video first came out, MTV played it at the top of every hour I think for a full weekend. I'm just waiting for a deluxe remastered version of the album to be released!

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MileHigh
I saw him in '78. 'Nuff said!

'81 for me. Still the best gig ever.

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Gazza

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Cristiano Radtke
I was fortunate to see him play this entire record live on his concert at Rock in Rio last year, in Rio de Janeiro. It was a big time and it's nice to remember this moment.

The songs are invariably very good when played in concert. I've never been a big fan of 'My Hometown', for example, but the version I saw him play of it in Limerick last July gave me goosebumps in a way its never done before.

I just think half the songs could have been ditched in favour of better ones. Downbound Train, No Surrender, Bobby Jean and I'm Going Down are songs I still enjoy very much.

Indeed. When you are at a Bruce Springsteen concert it's always fun and his songs are played with such an energy that sometimes it sounds better than his studio recordings.

yeh thats the difference between him and the Stones my favorits anyway, bruce Plays mostly over 3 hours and every Show on the same tour is different, bc he Change normally 12-15 Songs on every Show. For one time the setlist for Israel was ok, bc, that was the very first time for Stones and unfortunately i think also the last time,most People from there it was the first stonesshow in life, exept for the die hard fans.

Never understood why "Cover Me" was popular.

...... Percy had a good one .... ...








ROCKMAN

I was admittedly a big fan of Springsteen before this album, but
never really cared for it or how his career changed thereafter. Obviously, the album was both an artistic and commercial success and made Da boss a household name. Like the Stones, he became a stadium act and is probably as popular or even more in certain parts of Europe . I thnk the best Springsteen show I saw was 1980 The River in Jacksonville . He was really authentic and not as preachy . That is the one thing I respect about the Stones- they have been one of the most influential acts both during and after the cultural revolution , but rarely ( with some notable exceptions) try to politicize their audiences. As they say, " it's only rock and roll".

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Gazza
I remember getting a collection of outtakes a few weeks/months after its release and being astounded at how superior the songs were that had been omitted.

An alternative album featuring most (or all) of the following songs - "Murder Inc", "This Hard Land" (one of the best half dozen Bruce songs ever), "Frankie", "My Love will not let you down", "Shut Out The Light", "A Good Man is hard to find", "The Klansman", "Brothers under the bridges", "County Fair", "Richfield Whistle", "None But The Brave" and "Richfield Whistle" would have made for a very different and darker album which probably wouldnt have sold as well, but which would have been far superior.

In many ways, its a sort of 'flip' to Darkness, where he ditched the pop material (a lot of which ended up on 'The Promise' and 'Tracks') in favour of the darker songs.

At the time it came out, I found many of the songs trite and overproduced compared to what I'd heard from him before and still do, to some extent (I wouldnt put it in his top 12 studio albums). My next reaction on hearing it was to realise that the genie was out of the bottle and this was the album that would make him a megastar.

I picked up a similar collection of outtakes a few years after and I must say "Frankie" and "This Hard Land" quickly became my two favorite Bruce songs ever.

I was a big fan at the time, but Nebraska was Springsteen for me. So USA's slick, bombastic production was quite a shock at first. But I liked it, and still think it is one of his best works.

Yet it includes one of his wors songs ever - that "dancing in the dark" (and its abysmal video) is so cheesy that even Bon Jovi would have been embarrassed to release it!


C

Hey, the Dancing In The Dark video made a star out of Courtney Cox! As far as many other songs on the album go, I actually like the live versions found on the Live 75-85 triple album. I'm On Fire, My Hometown, Cover Me, No Surrender, Darlington County, etc.

love Bruce and the E-street band !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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trainarollin
Never understood why "Cover Me" was popular.

Me neither... "I'm on Fire" is a far superior song!

And that vid by the great John Sayles : when the posh lady in white drops the car keys in Bruce's hand, and in return Bruce drops the keys in the lady's mailbox, so he won't have to see her again!

Wow that's saying a lot in such a subtle way!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-05 15:45 by dcba.

I liked Born In The USA back then, and I still do!

Never mind the production, the commercialisation of songs or the stadium choruses. None of those things matter when the songs are bloody good, imo

Songs like Cover Me, Working On A Highway, Darlington County, Downbound Train, No Surrender, Bobby Jean, I'm On Fire or My Hometown simply can't be dated - they still sound excellent today!

it has a bad rep with the hardcore fans, but it's an amazing record. not a weak song on it and has a fantastic flow. it basically features 12 potential hit singles.
I am personally not a big fan of Darlington County and Glory Days, but whatever...
great great record.

Does anyone have an idea whether there will be a re-release of the album due to the anniversary?

"Highwire" is the better track for this issue! "We sell 'em missiles, we sell 'em tanks."