Our album of the month this September was chosen by our shop manager Iain. It is Born to Run.
Three strikes and you are out!
We're all familiar with the concept of the first album and whether or not you'll gain any sort of traction. Then you have the difficult second album, that's if you do have success with the first one. How would you react if your were told by your recording label that you'd be binned if your third album bombed? Last chance saloon, three strikes and you are out! A term which Bruce Springsteen would be familiar with, being a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees (occasional visitor to see the Philadelphia Phillies but we all have our cross to bear... isn't that right, Bruce? You know who you are!).
With Bruce Springsteen is was as simple as that. The first two albums were liked by the critics but made very little impact with the audience and consequently very little return for the record company. He needed to pull the rabbit out of the hat and oh my word did he do it with style. 'Born to Run' was released on August 25th 1975 and he nailed it big time. A subtle change of style and he gained the audience attention. But not just a base in North America, he achieved worldwide attention for what he was trying to do.
The first two albums were recorded and released in quick succession in 1973.
'Born To run' was conceived and produced between January 1974 and July 1975. The intention was multi-faceted. To create a collected piece of work which was sonically and commercially attractive whilst maintaining a dedication to the core objective – It's an album of real world lyrics about real world people and their situations. Blue collar dreaming and the desire for community and the individual to better their situation. Does it have a particular genre? That's an emphatic no. It encompasses lots of singular styles... Folk Rock, Rock n Roll, R&B with a touch of Pop and a bit of Funk. Springsteen co-produced the record in conjunction with his manager, Mike Appel. Jon Landau was hired by Springsteen as the professional in the production booth and in an article penned by Landau in 1974 he stated:
“I saw rock and roll's future and it's name is Bruce Springsteen”
They were to work together from 1975 to 92.
In 75, the world was moving from the tail end of trippy Psychic via Prog towards Punk and Metal. None of that finds itself on 'Born To Run'. Springsteen wanted to draw on the concept of Phil Spector's 'Wall of Sound' amongst other things. That all encompassing top to bottom, side to side soundscape which sucks you in, engages with your senses and spits you out the other end thinking 'what the fuck just happened to me?'. As a pre-cursor to the album, the single 'Born to Run' was released in the autumn of 74. They had worked on that track alone for almost 6 months in an attempt to make sure it was exactly what the potential audience would latch onto. It was quite literally an overnight success on the radio and with critics. With that track alone Springsteen had saved his career with Columbia Records and gave them the confidence to rubber stamp the third album. Fifty years later Springsteen and the E-Street Band played to 35,000 on Asbury Park Beach, a short distance from the street circuit where:
'Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard'
Certified seven times Platinum to date, it achieved what it set out to do. It catapulted a very talented individual and his band to the forefront of popular music. A position which has been occupied since and has spanned generations of music fans who appreciate his work. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine placed 'Born To Run' at no. 21 in the top 500 all time Greatest Albums. I'm not going to disagree. It's been in my fluid top 10 for many years whilst other albums drift in and out. It's end to end entertainment of the highest order. It has also spawned numerous cover versions, all of which pay subtile homage to the man. Unsurprisingly, I'd draw attention to the version of 'Born to Run' on Frankie Goes to Hollywoods 'Welcome To The Pleasure Dome'... refreshing, uplifting and enjoyed by Bruce himself.
Just a couple of last points as a foot note. I'm not going to talk about the tracks, they talk for themselves, but I would like to highlight the contribution and joyous performances of Clarence Clemons on Sax. He left the stage in 2011 leaving a huge void in both studio and in live performance. If I never hear another sax player then I'll do that contented in the fact I've heard him play.
Probably one of the best known album covers 'Born To Run' features the young Bruce leaning on Clarence and is shot in Black and white, you need to open the gatefold for the full effect of that wonderful image (see below my copy pictured). So wonderful that on a shopping trip with my nephew Scott (I took him and bought him his first proper guitar) I bought my own telecaster too, just to have one like Bruce Springsteen. I couldn't get the natural Oak one so settled on the best alternative, my Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster. Many years later he recounted that story last week to customer and friend Keith who was in the shop at the time.
'Well, I got this guitar and I've learned how to make it talk'
You know the rest... Go have a listen to one of the most marvellous albums laid down in a studio, one that was born out of a need and desire to perform. One which has stood the test of time defying a genre tag with tracks which Bruce still performs live. Let's face it, he's not allowed not to perform them.
Do check out the first album 'Greetings From Asbury park NJ'. It's a stunner too and his One man Broadway show recording which gives a great insight into the man, his personality and inspirations.
Iain, September 2025
You can buy your copy of Born to Run here.
And here is Iain's Butterscotch Blonde Telecaster:
