By Ken Rosen
October 11, 2018
Cover Me, Ryan Adams: Streets of Philadelphia

For reasons that I don’t have time or even the curiosity to fathom, BBC Radio declared a “1994 Day” last March and invited Man of Many Covers Ryan Adams to help celebrate it. (I’m having trouble coming up with a single enduring musical classic from that year, but I’m sure there are some.)

Ryan chose to perform Bruce’s contemporary Oscar-winner, “Streets of Philadelphia,” and his affecting, intimate performance was captured for prosperity. It’s pretty great.

For the record though, while the single may have been released in early 1994, the song debuted in the movie Philadelphia in 1993. So I still maintain that 1994 was kind of a lost year.

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Posted In cover me Tagged ryan adams , streets of philadelphia
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2 Replies to "Cover Me, Ryan Adams: Streets of Philadelphia"

Paul Haider's avatar
Paul Haider
October 11, 2018 at 01:25 pm
Coincidentally, I have seen Ryan Adams in concert only once; his performance was at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby next to Philadelphia in October of 2002. In fact, I saw Bruce in concert on the following night at the Wachovia Center in Philly on October 6, 2002. Ryan played solo acoustically for his concert at the Tower, and I saw Bruce in the same format there on May 13, 2005. So, I have been to the Tower Theater twice in the 21st century for both Bruce and a younger musician who was inspired by Bruce.
Paul Haider's avatar
Paul Haider
October 11, 2018 at 01:28 pm
Oops! My only experience of Bruce at the Tower Theatre was actually on Tuesday, May 17, 2005. I had forgotten the exact date for a minute but not the fact that Bruce played an incredible version of “The Iceman” in its debut alone on the piano. I was feeling a lot like the iceman in those months after my divorce in March of 2005, and Bruce’s song was quite comforting for my cold heart at the time.