On the 25th anniversary of American Babylon, Joe Grushecky and I take a look back at the making and meaning of Joe’s landmark album and his decades-long friendship with producer, co-writer, and collaborator Bruce Springsteen.
Author:
Ken Rosen (2080)
The closes thing to an E Street Band track on The Ghost of Tom Joad, this post-romantic ballad points the way to Western Stars in more ways than one.
One of the rare outtakes from the Seeger Sessions, “Hobo’s Lullaby” features Bruce and Pete Seeger in one of their few studio recordings together.
It’s not nearly as well-known as its famous A-side, but “Shut Out the Light” is every bit as powerful (and even more harrowing) than “Born in the U.S.A.”
Pittsburgh rockers The Ghost Hounds team up with Sasha Allen on a terrific cover of one of Bruce’s greatest hits.
Patti’s title track for her third album makes clever and strategic use of her husband’s musical talents.
Twice only: Bruce paid tribute to Wilson Pickett with his own version of “Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do).” Just don’t call it a cover.
Will the real “Seeds” please stand up? Let’s take a listen to the many forms of this unreleased but vital entry in the Springsteen catalog.
BOOM a LOON, Robert J. Hunter, and Eddy Smith reinvent Bruce’s greatest hit with a cool funk groove.
Bruce debuted his cover of “When You Walk in the Room” at his legendary stand at the Bottom Line; he reprised it more than thirty years later.