THE RIVER REALLY A BRIDGE TO BRUCE'S RISE

The River
Released 1980

751 Miles To Go

Bruce Springsteen's The River is really more a bridge from his two greatest works - Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town - to the commercial superstardom that came five years later with Born In The USA and the era of one name rock royalty - Bruce, Michael, Madonna, Prince and Whitney.

Less opera than Born To Run and more hopeful than Darkness, The River lets loose the E Streeters on two albums (disc) worth of originals.

Hungry Heart (reputedly written for the Ramones) was a hit single, while Independence Day, The River and Cadillac Ranch became live show staples.

Sherry Darling, Crush On You, I'm A Rocker and Ramrod still exude an irresistible drive-in party innocence.

My brother-in-law who got me back into running used I Wanna Marry You as part of his marriage proposal. I'm sure he wasn't the only one. 

Conversely, Stolen Car, Point Blank and Wreck On The Highway foreshadow the stark and moody brilliance that was coming with 1982's acoustic detour to Nebraska.

My first of several Springsteen concerts was on The River tour at a Cincinnati show when I was 17 and Drive All Night was the achy end song when the imaginary credits rolled on my last teen years love affair.

More than three decades later, this river remains worth running through.

Song for the Soundtrack Disc I: Crush On You

Song for the Soundtrack Disc II: I'm A Rocker

The Rising
Released  2002

(This day's run was one of those "planning for six and hoping to get 10" types. My endurance held up and The Rising was only two clicks up on my iPod when The River ended.)

Of all the music inspired by 9/11, Springsteen's The Rising had to be the most expected given his geographic ties and place as the public's conscience.

In his first studio album with the E Street Band since Born In The USA, Bruce stayed humanistic when many others went jingoistic.

More than 10 years removed from that Lonesome Day, the songs' characters still feel hauntingly real even if many of them are never coming back.

"Pictures on the nightstand,

TV's on in the den

Your house is waiting,

your house is waiting

For you to walk in,

for you to walk in"

   - You're Missing

Meanwhile, the title track is the tough and lovely statement song you would expect from Springsteen.

Not everything on The Rising is dour or 9/11 related. Mary's Place has a Southside Johnny vibe that would have fit on The River and Let's Be Friends (Skin To Skin) is just as perky as the title sounds.

Song For The Soundtrack: The Rising

Running Data for Saturday, April 6

10 Miles

2 Hours "10" Minutes