By Ken Rosen
January 23, 2018
Cover Me: 'Spanish Harlem

“Spanish Harlem,” originally recorded by Ben E. King in 1960 and written by Jerry Lieber and Phil Spector, covered live by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on October 19, 1974 (and only three other times ever).

This is one of my favorite covers, with Bruce’s vocals soaring above Danny’s keyboard, Roy’s piano, and Suki Lahav’s violin.

The original is beautiful as well–one of many Ben E. King songs Bruce would cover over the years.

Spanish Harlem
First performed: October 18, 1974 (Passaic, NJ)Last performed: November 1, 1974 (Philadelphia, PA)

Posted In cover me Tagged ben e king , spanish harlem
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2 Replies to "Cover Me: 'Spanish Harlem"

Paul Haider's avatar
Paul Haider
January 23, 2018 at 03:35 pm
Without a doubt, Spanish Harlem is my second-favorite cover version performed by Bruce after The Ballad of Easy Rider from August 20, 1981. This is high praise for the great song by Ben E. King given my love for Bruce’s version of Bob Dylan’s “I Want You” in 1974 through 1975. Yet, Spanish Harlem from October and November of 1974 will always have a special place in my heart as someone who was born only a few month earlier in 1974. Kudos to Suki Lahav in the fiddle, as she was the first of three Jewish women who Bruce fell in love with as a recovering Catholic; Lynn Goldsmith and Joyce Hyser were waiting for Bruce to have more success and much less of his Gentile gypsy beard.
vitorfg's avatar
vitorfg
October 19, 2023 at 05:30 pm
The Mamas & The Papas covered the same song beautifuly too.