tisdag 27 Maj 2008, 12:30

Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Track: Candy's Room
Tags: rock, classic rock, singer-songwriter, drums

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zoH6NgwI7_Q/default.jpg Video, Live in Passaic, New Jersey, circa '78.

Last Thursday, at around 3pm, I discovered Bruce Springsteen.

I've been reading Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock 'n' Roll, by Sarfraz Manzoor. I was about half way through when it happened.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5165pb1x9JL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

From Amazon:

Sarfraz Manzoor was three years old when he emigrated from Pakistan to Britain in 1974 with his mother, brother and sister. They came to join their father, who worked on the production line at Vauxhall, and settled in the Bury Park neighbourhood of Luton. Sarfraz's teenage years were a constant battle to reconcile being both British and Muslim. Frustrated by real life, he sought solace in TV and music. But it was when his best friend introduced him to Bruce Springsteen that his life changed forever. In this perceptive, affectionate and timely memoir, Sarfraz Manzoor retraces his journey from Lahore to Luton to Ladbroke Grove, from the minor frustrations of his childhood to his response and analysis of the tragedies of 9/11 and 7/7. Original, darkly tender and wryly amusing, it is an inspiring tribute to the power of music to transcend race and religion - and a touching salute of thanks from one working-class Pakistani Muslim boy to the father who died too soon for his son to make him proud.

I am roughly the same age as the writer so there was a lot for me to identify with, except for this love of Bruce Springsteen. I've grown up hearing all the hits, enjoying a few of them too, but I never really looked any further. Last Thursday, with a little time on my hands, I picked up my book and logged into Last.fm. Bruce Springsteen is fully streamable (where I am) so I took the opportunity to hear what was so special. I wasn't expecting what I heard.

The first album I played was Darkness On The Edge Of Town because that was the first one Manzoor heard. It's nothing like the hits. There's another layer. The next album I tried was The Ghost of Tom Joad. Not only is there another layer, it's in another league. Dark, thoughtful, reflective, morose, deep, sad. I never thought I'd attribute these words to Springsteen. I thought he was all Born in the USA, upbeat, easy listening and good fun.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414DFFXDBZL._SL160_AA115_.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T1T3Q8ZPL._SL160_AA115_.jpg

Reading the book, I learnt there's an integrity to Springsteen's lyrics. They're about being true to yourself and being the best you can be. They're about poverty, politics, society, relationships especially between fathers and sons, they're about factories and cities, surviving in an urban environment. They're philosophical and they're about life. His closest musical relative is Bob Dylan.

You can't listen and not want to study the lyrics. Here's your new best friend - Bruce Springsteen official site.

Where Dylan uses a folk style to deliver his messages, Springsteen uses classic rock. It's masculine and hard-edged, apart from the hits which are enormous fun. This is why Candy's Room jumped out at me. It's nothing like any of his other tracks.

The first thing that struck me was the drums. I had the volume on low so I could read at the same time. I love drumming but I don't think I've ever heard a track where the drums carry all the emotion. It's the drums that drive the song, conveying passion and frustration. There's a guitar solo but I suspect it's to give the poor drummer a break. It must be extremely painful to go at that speed.

The song is about the thrill of a kiss. The drums describe the rush of blood and the excitement the guy feels. I'm not sure if he's fantasising or if it's a girl he's just met. Looking at the lyrics, he's someone without much experience, young, a bit shy with not that much to offer, whilst Candy has any number of rich suitors to choose from. The guy doesn't know how to compete but is convinced he's the right one for her.

Lyrics

In Candy's room there are pictures of her heroes on the wall
but to get to Candy's room you gotta walk the darkness of Candy's hall
Strangers from the city call my baby's number and they bring her toys
When I come knocking she smiles pretty she knows I wanna be Candy's boy
There's a sadness hidden in that pretty face
A sadness all her own from which no man can keep Candy safe

We kiss, my heart's rushes to my brain
The blood rushes in my veins fire rushes towards the sky
We go driving driving deep into the night
I go driving deep into the light in Candy's eyes

She says baby if you wanna be wild
you got a lot to learn, close your eyes
Let them melt, let them fire, let them burn
Cause in the darkness there'll be hidden worlds that shine
When I hold Candy close she makes these hidden worlds mine

She has fancy clothes and diamond rings
She has men who give her anything she wants but they don't see
That what she wants is me,
oh and I want her so
I'll never let her go, no no no
She knows that I'd give
all that I got to give
All that I want all that I live
to make Candy mine
Tonight

Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)

The video I've chosen is in black & white, filmed around 1978. You can see the drummer really well, and doesn't Bruce Springsteen look young! I think the drumming comes across much better in the recorded version. I hope wherever you are, Last.fm has the fully streamable track for you.

Springsteen is currently touring the UK, appearing in Manchester tomorrow. Have a great time, all of you who are going. Come and tell us how he was!

Thanks to Last.fm for the fully streamable albums.
Thanks to my family for recommending the book.

Babs My Gang

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/2627218.jpghttp://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/2420075.jpghttp://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/2420014.jpghttp://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/127891.jpg

Admin - Stats as of today:

Video:
Date Added to YouTube: May 01, 2006
Comments: 44, Favorited: 324 times, Honors: 0, Links: 5, Ratings: 110, Views: 27,538

Last.fm listeners of this track - 11,966 (fully streamable)
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 43,996
Position in Top 10 Last Week: n/a
Position in Top 100 Tracks: 77 / 3,889

Stats after 7 days:

Video:
Comments: 46, Favorited: 324 times, Honors: 0, Links: 5, Ratings: 111, Views: 27,791

Last.fm listeners of this track - 12,118 (fully streamable)
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 44,565
Position in Top 10 Last Week: n/a
Position in Top 100 Tracks: 77 / 3,889

226 Unique Visitors
315 Page Views

http://www.e-zeeinternet.com/count.php?page=180481&style=small_black&nbdigits=5 Unique Visitors
http://www.e-zeeinternet.com/count.php?page=180483&style=small_black&nbdigits=5&reloads=1 Page Views