Southside Johnny’s Hearts of Stone album could almost be considered a Little Steven album, too.
Steve Van Zandt is all over Southside’s 1978 LP–Steve not only plays and sings throughout the album, he also produced it and wrote or co-wrote all but two of its songs. And although it’s hard to pick a favorite track from such a great album, if you pressed me I’d have to go with “This Time Baby’s Gone For Good.”
“This Time Baby’s Gone For Good” is classic Little Steven, reflecting his R&B influences and perfectly tailored for The Asbury Juke’s brassy Jersey Shore sound.
It seemed a lock that Bruce would perform it with Steve and Southside in one of their many appearances together, and in 1998 that finally happened. At a benefit show to raise money for the family of a slain local police officer, Bruce and Southside took rare supporting roles while Steve sang the lead on his twenty-year-old song.
The trio performed Steve’s song together twice more since then, and for the final occasion they were joined by a friend.
At Bruce’s Asbury Park holiday show on December 7, 2003, Jon Bon Jovi joined Bruce on backing vocals while Southside and Steve traded lead vocals on a magnificently captured performance of “This Time Baby’s Gone For Good.”
This Time Baby’s Gone For Good
First performed: January 31, 1998 (Red Bank, NJ)
Last performed: December 7, 2003 (Asbury Park, NJ)
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