If you were going to cover a Springsteen tune . . .

[sunvalleylaw]

as a part of your setlist, which song would it be?

Was watching the old '78 concert footage that comes with the "Darkness" boxed set, and think it would be "Prove it All Night". It has some really fun distorted tele noise to play.

The whole album shows more of the guitar side of Springsteen and there are several strong contenders.




P.S. If your answer is "none", so be it. But any haters that feel like spouting off about why they hate springsteen rather than discussing a song to cover will simply be ignored.




Promised Land would be really cool too.





". . . the dogs on main street howl, 'cause they understand . . ." :R

 

[Katastrophe]

"Born to Run" would be a blast to play live, I would think.

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Rosalita!!!!

 

[R_of_G]

Without question it'd be this...

 

[Pickngrin]

For You... Adam Raised a Cain... good post, Steve!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

All good suggestions. I was day dreaming last night of how I could put together a stripped down version of a band to cover an "E Street" song, as opposed to one of Bruce's songs without the band. Sure would be fun!

 

[piebaldpython]

For the most part, hearing Springsteen on the radio means it's time to change the channel. That said, "Pink Cadillac" could be a fun tune with some slightly overdriven slide (think Ry Cooder-ish) running all through it. There is another tune of his that I feel the same way about but the name escapes me. lol

 

[Tig]

Wow, tough choice. I'm looking at the singing more than the guitar in my choices.

"Point Blank" always grabbed me with it's dark, moody feel.



"State Trooper" might work better.

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

For us old farts, Glory Days would be a good one.

 

[R_of_G]

"State Trooper" might work better.

It's always worked well for Steve Earle...



Justin Townes Earle does a nice version of "Racing In the Streets" (another favorite of mine)

 

[davewrites]

I'd cover "Nebraska" on an electric, speeding up to tempo just a little and adding some overdrive. Instead of a harmonica at the end, I would insert a distorted humbucker wash.

 

[davewrites]

I'd cover "Nebraska" on an electric, speeding up to tempo just a little and adding some overdrive. Instead of a harmonica at the end, I would insert a distorted humbucker wash.

It just occurred to me that the subtext of my post could be: "if only Bruce Springsteen was more like Neil Young."

 

[R_of_G]

I'd cover "Nebraska" on an electric, speeding up to tempo just a little and adding some overdrive. Instead of a harmonica at the end, I would insert a distorted humbucker wash.

It just occurred to me that the subtext of my post could be: "if only Bruce Springsteen was more like Neil Young."

The inverse (converse?) is also true.

One could take a Neil Young acoustic tune like "Out on the Weekend" and cover it electric with a full band, and instead of the harmonica bits have a horn player, or a guitar player that plays like one (see also Sharrock, Sonny). In that case, the subtext would be "if only Neil Young was more like Bruce Springsteen."

Part of why I love both of them so much. Their music works well in various contexts, and both have enjoyed playing songs differently live than they appear on records.