BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. "I spent most of my life as a musician measuring the distance between the...
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Transcript of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. "I spent most of my life as a musician measuring the distance between the...
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
"I spent most of my life as a musician measuring the distance between the American Dream and American reality."
—Bruce Springsteen
• Born September 23, 1949 in Long Branch,
New Jersey
• Working-class parents
• At age 7, inspired by Elvis Presley
• Received first guitar at age 13; It cost $18
• Got his start in a band called The Castiles
(1965)
• Earned “The Boss” nickname while playing
with a band called Earth.
THE EARLY YEARS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Released 17 Albums
• Received 20 Grammy Awards
• Won Two Golden Globes:
• “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994)
• “The Wrestler” (2009)
• Received One Academy Award
• “Streets of Philadelphia”
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999)
• Rolling Stone’s 23rd Greatest Artist of All Time (2004)
TALENTS
• Guitar
• Harmonica
• Vocals
• Composition
• Lyrics
Songs written for other artists:
“Blinded by the Light” by Manfred Manns Earth Band (No. 1 in the US in 1977)
“Because the Night” by Patti Smith (No. 13 in 1978)
“Fire” by The Pointer Sisters. (No. 2 in 1979)
Heartland Rock: Developed in the 1970’s, Heartland Rock is defined as a “straightforward musical style, a concern with the average, blue collar American life, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment.”
COMPOSITION STYLE
Instrumentation:
• Guitars, drums, keyboards and occasional horn sections like a saxophone.
• Lyrics are often raspy and unpolished.
Folk Influence
• Heavy emphasis on guitar
• Story-telling, imaginative lyrics
• Songs based on current events
• Harmonica
Urban Blues Influence:
• Piano and/or keyboard, saxophone, bass and drums
• Subject matter covers a range of human experience: Work (or lack of), Love and Loss, Depression
INFLUENCES
• Bob Dylan• Woody Guthrie
• Elvis Presley
• Chuck Berry
INSPIRATIONS
BORN IN THE USA (1984)Album: Born in the USA
• Widely mistaken for a patriotic song.
• Written about mistreatment of Vietnam veterans.
Listening Guide
Lyrics that tell a story, ostinato in keyboard, strained vocal quality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPhWR4d3FJQ
BORN IN THE USA (1998)Album: Tracks
• Re-recorded in acoustic format to convey message more clearly.
Listening Guide
Acoustic: Protest music more obvious with clearer projection of lyrics and message, somber tone.
Blues-influenced bottleneck technique on guitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYinX7XpG2U
MY FATHER’S HOUSE (1982)Album: Nebraska
• Recorded at home on a 4-track cassette recorder.
• Originally meant as a demo tape
LISTENING GUIDE
Raw, unproduced quality.
Story-telling lyrics with vivid imagery.
Sentimental lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbA_5IpiAyU
SOURCES• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_springsteen
• http://rockhall.com/inductees/byyear/1999/
• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0819803/bio
• http://www.biography.com/people/bruce-springsteen-9491214?page=1
• http://www.mtv.com/artists/bruce-springsteen/biography/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartland_rock