Born To Run
by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's most iconic album, and his breakthrough. It's amazing to think now, that he could have been dropped from his record label if this album had flopped. Fortunately for Springsteen and for us, it didn't, and we have one of the greatest careers in rock/pop music to enjoy. Born to run, Bruce Springsteen's most important record kicks off with the stunning, thunder road, my all time favourite track, ever, but this is different to it's predecessor. Bruce isn't happy treading the boardwalk anymore, he wants to get out, 'cos he's scared he ain't that young anymore. Next up, it's the semi-autobiographical, tenth avenue freeze out, where the E street band gets together, where the 'big man' joins the band. The frantic, night, gives way to the friendship epic, backstreets. The title track shows Bruce with a little more faith, as he still believes he is still young enough , but he still wants out, although to what?, he doesn't know, after all, he thinks of himself as a tramp. After what's gone so far, she's the one, feels a little lightweight lyrically, but it's still an excellent bluesy rocker. Meeting across the river, shows two down on their luck hustlers, determined to make it right this time, show 'em all, especially the narrator's love interest . This brilliant album ends in breathtaking style, with the epic, jungleland. It's Bob Dylan and Phil Spector re-writing west side story. It's glorious, and features surely Clarence Clemon's greatest and most iconic solo on a Springsteen track. And that's it, that's what all the fuss is about. It's a masterpiece, it's a highway 61 for the seventies, it's born to run.

I know I'm biased, but this album is magical. I live in Central New Jersey and was exposed to Bruce at a young age thanks to my dad playing really his Lucky Town and Human Touch records which came out when I was 3. But I also heard a bunch of other Bruce songs thanks to my dad and I have loved Born to Run (the song) ever since I was little. But as a little kid, you don't understand the lyrics but listening to them as you get older, you realize how great the lyrics are and how they capture the spirit of wanting to break free and just go anywhere on your own so well. This to me is the best song ever made by a US musician. It is such a powerful song and descriptions are great. "Sprung from cages on highway 9, chrome wheeled fuel injected and steppin out over the line" It's great.

A large theme on this album is growing up and trying to rebel and not be stuck in a dead end life that Bruce thought many adults were living and there may not be an album where it shines through more than this. Thunder Road, Backstreets and Jungleland are the other great tracks. Night and She's the one are both solid. And Tenth Avenue Freeze Out while not classic status in my opinion is still up there with the better songs this album has to offer. The one throwaway track is Meeting Across the River, but the rest of the album is so good in theme, significance and quality of song, it can easily be overlooked. I mean one bad song and it closes out with Jungleland which has to be one of the most unheralded songs of all time is fine by me. It may not be Bruce's best. Nebraska in theme and execution may be better. Born in the USA had more hits, but this album really showed you what Bruce was about and knew for himself there was a time his career would come to a make or break crossroads and he made it, thanks to this album, big time.

There is no single album in my collection that better evokes a feeling as this one. The desperate desire to escape, to better yourself, to change your situation. It's all here. Truly a classic.

Thunder Road and Jungleland are the best opener/closer combo of all time

This record opened up the world for me. So epic, so bombastic, so real but yet so theatric and romantic. And has a piano ever sounded better?