It’s safe to say that Bruce Springsteen has never gone out of style. With a music career that spans six decades, the New Jersey native has released 21 studio albums and still sells out enormous stadiums with his hours-long shows. And this year, his star has shone even brighter in light of the release of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. The film, which stars The Bear actor Jeremy Allen White, delves into the making of Nebraska, Springsteen’s 1982 acoustic solo album.
In addition to garnering Springsteen new fans, Deliver Me From Nowhere has also renewed interest in the artist’s long musical catalog—particularly his earlier, oft-overlooked work. Now, this living legend can finally gain recognition for more than just hits like “Born In the U.S.A.” and “Born to Run,” but also for his more experimental work, which explored genres such as folk, hard rock, and even punk. Read on for 10 flawless Springsteen songs spanning every chapter of his career, from his starving artist days through his transformation into a global sensation.
10
“Darlington County” (1986)
Several of Springsteen’s songs celebrate freedom, but few more so than “Darlington County.” The ultimate song to drive to, it inspires images of driving off into the city to forget all of one’s troubles. In it, Springsteen and a friend travel to New York City to forget their troubles and flirt with women. Throughout the story of their antics, Springsteen weaves in details of their working-class background and private preoccupations.
As with so many of Springsteen’s songs, this turns a would-be simple song of youth and revelry into something more complex. By hinting at their private anxieties and highlighting the difference between the city and the suburbs, Springsteen points out the disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Dynamic in its instrumentals and laden with references to historical Americana, “Darlington County” is perhaps the smartest road trip song of all time.
9
“Adam Raised a Cain” (1986)
Springsteen is best known for the quintessential ‘80s rock sound of Born in the U.S.A., but he also had a hand in the punk rock movement. Not only did he frequent the punk dives of New York City’s Greenwich Village throughout his early career, but he also wrote Because the Night (made famous by Patti Smith) and integrated the genre’s sound into his own work.
In no other song is this influence more evident than in the 1978 track “Adam Raised a Cain.” A modern, working-class retelling of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, this hard rock anthem teems with resentment, delving into Adam “work[ing] his whole life for nothing but the pain” and eventually passing that rage onto Cain, who ultimately killed his brother, Abel. In the song, Springsteen oscillates between sympathizing with Adam and comparing himself to Cain, backed up by heavy percussion and hard rock guitar riffs.
8
“I’m Goin’ Down” (2014)
Catchy and energetic, “I’m Goin’ Down” is a masterclass in contrasts. It lends itself to dancing and head-bopping, with its crackling snare drum, descending chord progression, and chorus of “I’m goin’ down, down, down, down.” Its lyrics, however, detail sexual frustration and romantic disappointment.
This makes “I’m Goin’ Down” one of Springsteen’s most relatable songs, eschewing the artist’s suave lover-boy aesthetic for a more confused, impatient one. Yet, at the same time, this song’s instrumentals—and perhaps its universality, regardless of its sadness—make it one of his most fun. Who but Bruce Springsteen can make a person dance to a song about rejection?
7
“I’m on Fire” (1984)
Released as a single off of Springsteen’s 1984 hit album Born in the U.S.A., “I’m on Fire” contains the soft synthesizer-heavy instrumentals that characterized the era—and that have made Springsteen’s name so synonymous with ‘80s rock. However, this song is slower and more foreboding than its contemporaries, especially when paired with anxious lyrics about Springsteen waking up with “the sheets soaking wet and a freight train running through the middle of [his head].” Given these lyrics and Springsteen’s low, murmur-like delivery, one can just about hear the metaphoric freight train and imagine Springsteen’s dark, anxious desire waking him in the middle of the night.
Indeed, as with all of his best work, what truly sets this song apart is Springsteen’s unique, poetic lyrics. In addition to flirty, cheeky asides, the song contains darker, edgier references that lend Springsteen’s yearning more urgency and depth. Rather than leaning into cliché’s about star-crossed lovers, for example, Springsteen compares his longing to an “edgy and dull” knife that “cut a six-inch valley through the middle of [his] skull.” “I’m on Fire” seamlessly weaves together darkness and light, playfulness and impatience. In doing so, it demonstrates Springsteen’s ability to showcase the full, complicated breadth of human emotion—especially when it comes to love.
6
“Atlantic City” (1982)
Another of Springsteen’s trademarks is his unwavering loyalty to his home state of New Jersey, which he often depicts with unflinching honesty and clarity in his songs. “Atlantic City” tells the story of a couple that visits Atlantic City for vacation. However, upon their arrival, the narrator is consumed with existential dread. Once again, Springsteen hits a universal nerve in this song that resonates with anyone who’s found themselves too preoccupied with their own thoughts to appreciate the present moment.
Springsteen also highlights these themes of anxiety and decay by exploring the seedier aspects of the shore. For example, he opens the song with the line, “Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night”—a reference to a 1981 murder ordered by the Philadelphia mafia. He also alludes to the narrator making money through illicit means after being unable to find a job. By juxtaposing such details with the narrator’s stream of consciousness, Springsteen truly captures both the narrator’s persistent anxiety and Atlantic City’s dark, unseen underbelly.
5
“Rosalita” (1973)
“Rosalita” is the ultimate celebration song—a favorite at weddings, birthdays, and family reunions—for a reason. Its lyrics are a love letter to a woman named “Rosalita,” who the narrator loves against all odds even though they both lack money, means, and the approval of Rosalita’s family. The lyrics tap into the earnest hopefulness of young love, and they’re a testament to enduring connection.
But “Rosalita” is also perfect from an instrumental standpoint. Its tempo shifts during several instances in its seven-minute runtime, even stopping altogether towards the end before speeding up again. At various points, it features a full brass band, clapping, call-and-response singing, and Springsteen singing in a hushed, stripped-down solo. It’s with good reason that it’s counted among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
4
“Spirit in the Night” (1973)
“Spirit in the Night” channels the same joy as “Rosalita,” but this time it revels in the unexpected beauty of a debaucherous night out. Springsteen makes even the mundanity of coordinating plans sound romantic with these lyrics, tapping into a celebration of youth culture similar to movies like American Graffiti. Nostalgic and rosy-eyed, “Spirit in the Night” is perfect for both setting a mood in the present and looking back on the past with fondness.
This song also shows off Springsteen’s versatility. Rather than tapping into the rock and folk sounds that influenced most of his music in the 1970s, “Spirit in the Night” has a distinctly jazz-like sound. Reliant on the piano and saxophone, it evokes the feeling of a jazz bar, juxtaposing unexpectedly—and delightfully—with its bacchanal-like lyrics.
3
“Thunder Road” (1975)
Much like in “Rosalita,” “Thunder Road” consists of a narrator trying to convince his love interest to take a chance and come away with him. “Thunder Road,” however, is far more melancholy in its delivery—and far more poignant. It boasts unforgettable imagery such as, “Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays.” In this song, Springsteen subtly evokes a working-class community like the one he grew up in, tapping into its beauty as well as its heartbreak.
Where “Rosalita” celebrates youth, “Thunder Road” acknowledges aging and disappointment with lyrics like “maybe we ain’t that young anymore,” which are offset by hopeful promises that there’s still “magic in the night.” Furthermore, Springsteen’s narrator in “Thunder Road” is driven more by loneliness than by desire, begging his love interest not to make him “face [himself] alone again.” Far from rendering it a depressing song, these lyrics render “Thunder Road” unparalleled in its beauty.
2
“Backstreets” (1975)
Out of all of Springsteen’s work, “Backstreets” is one of the best demonstrations of his vocal talent. Wordier than most of his songs, it’s delivered with a steady, unending rhythm that makes Springsteen’s voice sound almost like a percussion instrument. It then opens up into his signature belting during its bridge and chorus, culminating in the repeated wails of “hiding on the backstreets” that cap it off.
“Backstreets” is another of Springsteen’s nostalgic tracks, conjuring memories of sandy beaches and romping through, well, backstreets. The song mourns a since-deteriorated friendship, alluding to an unresolved falling out and meditating on broken promises. But the genius of “Backstreets” lies not in its message but its delivery—one that demonstrates, yet again, how much Springsteen can thrive outside of his comfort zone.
1
“Born in the U.S.A.” (1984)
“Born in the U.S.A.” is perhaps Springsteen’s most clever and most misunderstood song. Often played on the Fourth of July and hailed as the pinnacle of modern patriotism, it is, in reality, an anti-war song. It tells the story of a man with the odds stacked against him, born into poverty and forced into the military “to go and kill the yellow man.” In just two brief verses, Springsteen thus condemns socioeconomic inequity, the American military, and the implicit racism of the Vietnam War.
Later in the song, Springsteen recounts his main character’s return to the states, which is marked by poverty, unemployment, and haunting memories of Vietnam. The story renders the song’s chorus and final lyrics—particularly “I’m a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.”—wry and satirical. This song is far from the mindlessly patriotic anthem it’s misunderstood to be. Rather, it’s a critical look at what American identity has become.
