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Bruce Springsteen - The Essential Bruce Springsteen Audio CD

A fair review of the Bruce Springsteen "The Essential Bruce Springsteen" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Bruce Springsteen reviews here, or go back to the Bruce Springsteen tabs.

Bruce Springsteen Band: Bruce Springsteen
Title: The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Rating:
Release Date: 2003-11-11
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Blinded By the Light 2: For You 3: Spirit In the Night 4: 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) 5: Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 6: Thunder Road 7: Born To Run 8: Jungleland 9: Badlands 10: Darkness On The Edge Of Town 11: The Promised Land 12: The River 13: Hungry Heart 14: Nebraska 15: Atlantic City 16: Born In The U.S.A. 17: Glory Days 18: Dancing In The Dark 19: Tunnel Of Love 20: Brilliant Disguise 21: Human Touch 22: Living Proof 23: Lucky Town 24: Streets Of Philadelphia 25: The Ghost Of Tom Joad 26: The Rising 27: Mary's Place 28: Lonesome Day 29: American Skin (41 Shots) (Live) 30: Land Of Hope and Dreams (Live) 31: From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) 32: Big Payback 33: Held Up Without A Gun (Live) 34: Trapped (Live) 35: None But The Brave 36: Missing 37: Lift Me Up 38: Viva Las Vegas 39: County Fair 40: Code Of Silence (Live) 41: Dead Man Walkin' 42: Countin' On a Miracle (Acoustic)

A Great Beginner's Compilation For Casual Fans Despite Some Glaring Omissions
For every "Born To Run" and "Dancing In The Dark" that's included, there's a "Growin' Up" and "Backstreets" that's missing the cut. As the most important voice in music over the last 35 years, compiling the most important recordings in Bruce Springsteen's career to three discs (including one including never before released outtakes as opposed to some truly important cuts that missed inclusion on the first two discs) is in no way an easy task.

"The Essential Bruce Springsteen" is the compilation in question, and despite the glaring omissions, it does a pretty good job on the whole. You get the timeless rock anthems that helped shape Bruce into the almost mythical figure he is today ("Born To Run," "Badlands"), the epic narrative pieces with unforgettable characters and locale ("Thunder Road," "Jungleland"), the classic hit singles ("Hungry Heart," "Glory Days"), and latter day accomplishments ("The Rising," "Lonesome Day"). In between, we get a host of forgotten gems such as "Blinded By The Light," (far better than the more famous Manfred Mann cover), "For You," "Tunnel Of Love," and a few from Bruce's underrated 1992-97 period (the haunting "Youngstown," unfortunately, is another missed gem from this era). To throw a few more superlatives upon this collection, the songs are remastered and sound amazing.

The third disc also includes some very welcome treats. Two songs that, up until this collection's 2003 release, remained available only through diehard collectors finally pop up, "County Fair" and the sublime "Born In The U. S. A. " outtake "None But The Brave. " The "The River" outtake "Held Up Without A Gun," with shared vocals by Bruce and Little Steven Van Zandt, is presented in its (until 2008) only live performance ever, from the famous 1980 New Years Eve show at Nassau Coliseum. Other gems include "From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)," the ethereal "Lift Me Up," written for the John Sayles film "Limbo" but never available on Bruce compilation until now, and "Dead Man Walkin'," a haunting composition from the Sean Penn / Susan Sarandon film of the same name.

As mentioned, a host of classics from Bruce's career failed to make the cut, and their absence is definitely notable and noticeable. However, this doesn't take away from the fact this is still solid primer for beginning Springsteen fans, a crash course to some of the greatest music ever recorded.


Not Exactly Essential
It does however include some songs from his first two albums, which I would not call "essential. While this collection includes most of Springsteen's classics, several important ones are missing (My Hometown, I'm On Fire, Better Days, Secret Garden, Waitin' On A Sunny Day). " If they are going to call a collection THE Essential, then it should include every top 40 single the artist has released to date. This album does not do that. .


MISSING GREAT SONGS
I give this collection 3 stars because don't include two greatest 80's hits: I'M ON FIRE and MY HOME TOWN not even in the GREATEST HITS album.


Essential Bruce Springsteen CD
Thanks. thank you for sending a wonderful CD, a great collection of Bruce's music over the decades.


Essentials but missing a few old favs.

It missed a few old favorites, like Growing Up, Seaside Bar Song but it was a good mix, wish it had Something in the Night, and Tougher Than The Rest. This is a great album for getting a taste of the Boss from all eras of his career except the most recent of course seeing as this cd was done in the early 90's. The third cd has some not so often heard music on it.
It is a great addition to your Bruce Springsteen Library
.


You can see a complete list of all Bruce Springsteen discography, or go back to the Bruce Springsteen tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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