The Boss???

JennaG · 02 Jul 2013, 21:43

I've been wondering if there's a story behind Bruce Springsteen being called 'The Boss' and since I know there are quite a few fans of his on this forum, I thought it was worth asking.

Sebastian. · 02 Jul 2013, 21:59

From wiki answers:

"Bruce Springsteen got the nickname 'The Boss' when he was much younger and playing gigs with a band in the 1960s. It was his job to collect the money from these gigs and distribute the money with this band members. The nickname stuck although Springsteen disliked the nickname but has since come to terms with it."

Wario · 03 Jul 2013, 08:56

Ugh springsteen. Ive tried to get into him, cause alot of you love him and I can respect that.

Wrecking Ball's an OK album (Its comes off as a poor mans hell in a handbasket imo), other then that i cant stand him and think hes immensely overrated.

Julie in the rv mirror · 03 Jul 2013, 09:13

That's pretty much the "official" story as I know it, including that he didn't really like the name. He'd joke about it, though, for instance in this intro to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" from 1978:

I got to tell you this story. It was about, it was about 1970 and me and Steve were workin' in this bar in Asbury Park called "The Student Prince" and we were like, we were making no dough, you know, doing nothing, just sitting around, waiting to be discovered or something.... but nobody can discover you in Asbury Park, you know! Gotta get on the Turnpike, at least! Anyway, - bring it down a bit - anyway, we were sitting there one night; matter of fact, it was right around this time of the year, wasn't it, Steve? You know, it was a night - I think - I think it was just like tonight, except it was about 15 degrees outside: it's cold...
It's 3 o'clock in the morning and we're sitting there at this table, everybody's gone home, rest of the band's all gone home, and we're saying "Man, what we gonna do? Here it is - we already did that! - it's like: here it is, this is Christmas time!" I say:"I ain't no money to buy no presents. You ain't got no money to buy no presents, how you gonna buy me a present?" So we made a deal: I wouldn't buy him nothing if he didn't buy me nothing. We were feeling really down, you know, we were going "some Christmas". Do you ever hear people say that? "some Christmas". Right! So we start to walk home down along the boardwalk. Now it's snowin' like crazy out, right? He's carrying the guitars, and somehow I got stuck carrying the amps. I don't now how, I'm supposed to be the Boss, I got stuck carryin' the amps. So, anyway, we were walking down the boardwalk, I got the amps... shit, goddamn... he's got the guitars. And we're goin'on , we're goin'... "Man, I've had it with this Santa Claus stuff, that's a bunch of junk. I don't believe any of that stuff, you know. What are we gonna do? Gonna go home and watch the late show, it's Christmas Eve, and get into bed by myself, pull the covers up, everybody else is havin' a good, I didn't even get a Christmas tree, did you get one?" So anyway, we were feelin' real down about it, you know, then, all of a sudden, it was funny, we seen this light, shootin' around the moon shiftin' into forth scootin' down towards the boardwalk, and all of a sudden, there he was! Steve, look!

Of course, many of his stage stories were just that, but I recently saw an old picture of him lugging an amp (can't find it now), so he wasn't making that part up.

Julie in the rv mirror · 03 Jul 2013, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wario

Ugh springsteen. Ive tried to get into him, cause alot of you love him and I can respect that.

Wrecking Ball's an OK album (Its comes off as a poor mans hell in a handbasket imo), other then that i cant stand him and think hes immensely overrated.

That's OK, Wario, you're entitled to your opinion. Too bad, though- just think of all the bootlegs you're missing! We're a bunch of setlist geeks too- endless discussions.

Oh well!

AndrewG · 03 Jul 2013, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie in the rv mirror

That's OK, Wario, you're entitled to your opinion. Too bad, though- just think of all the bootlegs you're missing! We're a bunch of setlist geeks too- endless discussions.

Oh well!

The problem perhaps is if Wario were to do a Wario Springsteen YouTube channel and really get in to him he would need about 10 lifetimes to be able to listen and post all the amazing bootlegs of Springsteen onto YouTube.

How I got into Springsteen (true story):
In 1998 I started University in Glasgow and was sharing a student flat with a student from Norway.
I was messing about with some music ideas on the synthesizer and computer and put a song together called "Time after Time". Perhaps influenced by "out of the Frying Pan" I thought. The flatmate from Norway commented saying "Man that sounds like a Springsteen song." Interesting how influences worked in reverse there.

This in turn led me to look into Bruce's music and got all the albums. Over the next 5 years I collected tons of Bootlegs, even set up my own trading website and culminated in May 2003 with seeing Bruce for the first time 3 times in a row. Great times.
Springsteen is the most prolific song writer (after Bob Dylan - though I feel many of his songs don't make as much sense to me) and most consistent entertainer I know of. The fact no shows are ever the same with regards to setlist is rather special in my opinion, plus the 3-4 hour show lengths. I think he has definitely made the most out of what he can do.

Sure you can not like him or his music but to slate him on effort or anything is a bit like saying Einstein was a terrible scientist in my opinion.

Mr. Happy · 03 Jul 2013, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wario

Ugh springsteen. Ive tried to get into him, cause alot of you love him and I can respect that.

Wrecking Ball's an OK album (Its comes off as a poor mans hell in a handbasket imo), other then that i cant stand him and think hes immensely overrated.

Just out of curiosity, does this opinion apply to his epics as well? Like Jungleland, Backstreets, Drive All Night, New York City Serenade or Racing in the Street? I don't think they're that different in terms of genre to the best of Meat's catalogue, which is why I ask. Dramatic, piano driven and vaguely theatrical, all of what makes For Crying Out Loud, Objects in the Rear View Mirror and Anything For Love amazing

Sebastian. · 03 Jul 2013, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wario

Ugh springsteen. Ive tried to get into him, cause alot of you love him and I can respect that.

Wrecking Ball's an OK album (Its comes off as a poor mans hell in a handbasket imo), other then that i cant stand him and think hes immensely overrated.

Live Bruce > Albums.

LucyK! · 03 Jul 2013, 18:47

Wario....can I recommend that you track down some of the live stuff rather than the studio albums.

I was telling Sebastian, the albums are like demos compared to the live versions - give 'em a go

Sebastian. · 03 Jul 2013, 18:54

My Lucky Day is really good on the album. This is what we got on Sunday:

YouTube Video

Amazing just amazing.

Julie in the rv mirror · 04 Jul 2013, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebastian.

My Lucky Day is really good on the album. This is what we got on Sunday:

Amazing just amazing.

Very cool!

The last time I saw him, we got a solo acoustic "Surprise, Surprise", which he played for a little girl at the front of the pit:

YouTube Video

His voice has been outstanding this tour. Say what you want about the song (a masterpiece!

), but he sang the hell out of "Queen of the Supermarket":

YouTube Video

I love E Street, but I really hope the next tour turns out to be a solo one.

stretch37 · 04 Jul 2013, 09:19

omg, he's sounding better than he has in decades

Wario · 04 Jul 2013, 20:46

I can commend the set lists and perfoermances and band and the sheer amount of bootlegs..... but the songs just dont do it for me

Infact im uber jealous so much live material exists for him. Even more so then Billy joel!

Julie in the rv mirror · 04 Jul 2013, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by stretch37

omg, he's sounding better than he has in decades

He really is, especially considering how rough he sounded by the end of the Dream Tour, with the Hyde Park DVD being one of the worst examples. He definitely did something, I have no idea what, during the two years between tours that made a tremendous difference.

The first I heard him after the break was in November of 2011, when he did a couple of shows with Joe Grushckey and the Houserockers in Pittsburgh; I heard parts of the first show streamed through someone's iPhone

(I went to the second show), and even at that sound quality, I was absolutely stunned at how great he sounded. (It was even better in person, obviously)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wario

I can commend the set lists and perfoermances and band and the sheer amount of bootlegs..... but the songs just dont do it for me

Infact im uber jealous so much live material exists for him. Even more so then Billy joel!

I'm really curious, though, Wario, just how much of his stuff you've listened to, because there really is a lot, and all the albums are different. Sometimes songs might take a few listens to click, also.

Like Lucy (and others) have said, the live versions of songs are much better. Maybe try watching the "Live in New York City" or "Live in Barcelona" DVD' s. The Hard Rock Calling DVD is good, too- it looks and sounds great, and has some great songs on it, but his voice was pretty shot.

Julie in the rv mirror · 13 Jul 2013, 20:55

A peek at what we all missed in Rome the other night (unless you were there, in which case, color me green with envy-Kelley green, preferably

):

I skipped "Kitty's Back" and Rosie because Kitty's too long and he plays Rosie all the time.

YouTube Video

YouTube Video

02 Jul 2013, 21:43	#1
JennaG Mega Loafer Join Date: 09.02.2010 Location: Posts: 1,934	The Boss??? I've been wondering if there's a story behind Bruce Springsteen being called 'The Boss' and since I know there are quite a few fans of his on this forum, I thought it was worth asking.

02 Jul 2013, 21:59	#2
Sebastian. Biggles Join Date: 15.02.2011 Location: Texas Posts: 2,025	From wiki answers: "Bruce Springsteen got the nickname 'The Boss' when he was much younger and playing gigs with a band in the 1960s. It was his job to collect the money from these gigs and distribute the money with this band members. The nickname stuck although Springsteen disliked the nickname but has since come to terms with it."

03 Jul 2013, 08:56	#3
Wario Monstro helps me spell things... Join Date: 05.01.2007 Location: Masculine, Pennsylvania Posts: 9,105	Ugh springsteen. Ive tried to get into him, cause alot of you love him and I can respect that. Wrecking Ball's an OK album (Its comes off as a poor mans hell in a handbasket imo), other then that i cant stand him and think hes immensely overrated.

03 Jul 2013, 09:13	#4
Julie in the rv mirror Spirit in the Night Join Date: 23.07.2008 Location: On the edge of town (in the Darkness...) Posts: 1,559	That's pretty much the "official" story as I know it, including that he didn't really like the name. He'd joke about it, though, for instance in this intro to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" from 1978: I got to tell you this story. It was about, it was about 1970 and me and Steve were workin' in this bar in Asbury Park called "The Student Prince" and we were like, we were making no dough, you know, doing nothing, just sitting around, waiting to be discovered or something.... but nobody can discover you in Asbury Park, you know! Gotta get on the Turnpike, at least! Anyway, - bring it down a bit - anyway, we were sitting there one night; matter of fact, it was right around this time of the year, wasn't it, Steve? You know, it was a night - I think - I think it was just like tonight, except it was about 15 degrees outside: it's cold... It's 3 o'clock in the morning and we're sitting there at this table, everybody's gone home, rest of the band's all gone home, and we're saying "Man, what we gonna do? Here it is - we already did that! - it's like: here it is, this is Christmas time!" I say:"I ain't no money to buy no presents. You ain't got no money to buy no presents, how you gonna buy me a present?" So we made a deal: I wouldn't buy him nothing if he didn't buy me nothing. We were feeling really down, you know, we were going "some Christmas". Do you ever hear people say that? "some Christmas". Right! So we start to walk home down along the boardwalk. Now it's snowin' like crazy out, right? He's carrying the guitars, and somehow I got stuck carrying the amps. I don't now how, I'm supposed to be the Boss, I got stuck carryin' the amps. So, anyway, we were walking down the boardwalk, I got the amps... shit, goddamn... he's got the guitars. And we're goin'on , we're goin'... "Man, I've had it with this Santa Claus stuff, that's a bunch of junk. I don't believe any of that stuff, you know. What are we gonna do? Gonna go home and watch the late show, it's Christmas Eve, and get into bed by myself, pull the covers up, everybody else is havin' a good, I didn't even get a Christmas tree, did you get one?" So anyway, we were feelin' real down about it, you know, then, all of a sudden, it was funny, we seen this light, shootin' around the moon shiftin' into forth scootin' down towards the boardwalk, and all of a sudden, there he was! Steve, look! Of course, many of his stage stories were just that, but I recently saw an old picture of him lugging an amp (can't find it now), so he wasn't making that part up.

03 Jul 2013, 18:47	#9
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Wario....can I recommend that you track down some of the live stuff rather than the studio albums. I was telling Sebastian, the albums are like demos compared to the live versions - give 'em a go

04 Jul 2013, 09:19	#12
stretch37 Mega Loafer Join Date: 28.06.2008 Location: Posts: 2,119	omg, he's sounding better than he has in decades

04 Jul 2013, 20:46	#13
Wario Monstro helps me spell things... Join Date: 05.01.2007 Location: Masculine, Pennsylvania Posts: 9,105	I can commend the set lists and perfoermances and band and the sheer amount of bootlegs..... but the songs just dont do it for me Infact im uber jealous so much live material exists for him. Even more so then Billy joel!