Bruce Springsteen broke through to the mainstream with 1975’s Born to Run. But before his breakthrough, he released a couple of albums that flew under the radar. He started as a singer-songwriter with Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. He introduced the E Street Band to the world with 1973’s The Wild, The Innocent, and The E Street Shuffle.
In my opinion, it’s the second-best album Springsteen ever made (just behind the raw, urgent 1978 masterpiece Darkness on the Edge of Town). It captures a romantic, musically adventurous sound that Springsteen largely abandoned after Born to Run.
It’s packed with classics, especially the second side with ‘Incident on 57th Street’, ‘Rosalita’, and ‘New York City Serenade’. Side one features the fun grooves of ‘The E Street Shuffle’ and ‘Kitty’s Back’, as well as the fan favourite ‘4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)’.
It’s a great album, and I don’t want to mess with it too much. But there’s one dead spot – ‘Wild Billy’s Circus Story’, the closer to side one. It’s oddball, with a meandering melody and weird lyrics (“Jesus, send some good women to save all your clowns”. Gary Tallent is a terrific bass player, the often-overlooked pillar of the E Street sound, but his tuba playing is awkward. It’s easily the least-streamed track on the album, although, surprisingly, ‘Incident on 57th Street’ is next.
All we need to do here is to substitute another song for ‘Wild Billy’s Circus Story’. Otherwise it’s a terrific album, so we don’t want to disturb the album’s flow.
Side One
- “The E Street Shuffle”
- “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”
- “Kitty’s Back”
- ??????
Side Two
- “Incident on 57th Street”
- “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”
- “New York City Serenade
There are plenty of choices for the missing slot. The Tracks box set features a bunch of excellent 1973 outtakes. Most notable is ‘The Fever’, but it’s too long for this slot. Its torch song vibe doesn’t fit the album’s mood.
‘Zero and Blind Terry’ is another celebrated early outtake, and it feels like an interesting transition from the earnest singer-songwriter of Greetings from Asbury Park to the full band sound of this album.
But I think the best fit is ‘Santa Ana’. It leaves the East Coast location of the album’s other songs, but it fits musically with the joyful, carnival sound. Springsteen would recycle some lines on ‘She’s The One’ on Born To Run.
French cream won’t soften those boots, baby
French kisses will not break your heart, oh!
Do you have any Springsteen favourites from this era? Should it have been a double album?
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I like that you have Tunnel of Love’ in the top 5. “In the wee wee hours, maybe baby the Gypsy lied…” Agree about Darkness at no 1. Not sure I would have The Wild ahead of Born to Run, Born in the USA, The River, Greetings, etc. Manfred Mann’s Blinded By The Light remains the greatest rock cover in history. Thanks!
Wild probably goes to number one for me if he’d ditched Wild Billy’s Circus Story for something better. I was massively disappointed by The River – lots of stuff that’s just OK.
Having grown up in New Jersey in the 1970s, “Born to Run” is definitely my favourite Springsteen, though I have great affection for “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”
Oh cool! Have you heard The Wild, The Innocent? Maybe his most New Jersey album with Sandy.
And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but the Lord had mercy
And my machine, she’s a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Hard to pick a fave Boss album, but Born to Run is the one that knocked me out long ago. I like Tallent’s tuba. Just a few notes, for color only, to provide a circus atmosphere. But the song arrangement, I think, is awkward. He had so many ideas in his head, all competing for attention.
If it was left off the album, it would probably be a holy grail outtake for Springsteen fans. Lots of interesting imagery. But yeah, not very streamlined, lots of ideas and no strong vocal melody.
Fun post! As somebody who has listened to Bruce Springsteen since 1984, I probably don’t know this album as well as I should. That said, “4th of July”, “Incident on 57th Street” and “Rosalita” already are worth the price of admission.
I don’t have a super strong opinion about “Wild Billy’s Circus Story,” though I do agree the tuba does sound a little odd. “Santa Ana” would be a fine substitute. Your awareness of early outtakes is impressive.
Wanna petition the Boss to update the album? 🤣
The three that you named are the big ones, really. But ‘Kitty’s Back’ and ‘New York City Serenade’ are also excellent.
All of the songs are on Tracks (or 18 Tracks in the case of Fever). Lots of good outtakes from the early years – Springsteen has talked about picking tracks to fit a mood, and leaving some of his favourites as outtakes.
This album has grown more and more in my estimation and ranking of Springsteen’s albums over the years. Wild Billy’s Circus Story stays exactly where it is for me though, I bloody love that song. E Street Shuffl, however….
E Street Shuffle is the next weakest IMO, but I think it works there as an opener. Sets the tone, even if it’s not a great song in its own right.
I love this album but the Live 75-85 versions are my cannon versions as I had that first. Rosalita is the crowning glory of it all. So so good. I’m also a big fan of Fire.
I like the pretty colours, the bright lights the cleansing… no. I meant the song.
I’ve never actually heard that live album, but sounds like I should. Triple live album is a lot.