Back in '85, when My Hometown gave Bruce his 7th top-10 hit from the BitUSA LP, I had a thought, and I wonder if any of you thought the same. One by one, release the other 5 songs as singles so that BitUSA would be the first album composed entirely of hits (outside of compilations, of course). Keep in mind what a fantastic roll Bruce was on, and that there were plenty more unreleased songs to put on the B-sides. I have no doubt that the non-album B-sides (think Pink Cadillac) added to sales in a big way. I sure wasn't the only one who bought the 7 singles for the extra tracks.
No Surrender was a no-brainer. It would have been a huge hit. Bobby Jean, Darlington County, same thing. Working On the Highway? Sure. That leaves Downbound Train. Maybe it wouldn't have jumped off of your car radio like the others, but by then there'd be plenty of publicity over releasing every song as a single. Add in an especially good B-side, and it at least reaches the top-25.
It's a great record that made him a super star, and without it Tunnel of Love would never have been.
I still think the BITUSA sessions are richer, more varied and overall better than The River ones.
Even with the seven singles as released, they got a year and a half of radio play out of that album at a time when most pop artists would put out a record each year with three singles released.
Getting back to the idea of an all-singles Born In The USA, the first single was released in May, 1984 and the seventh in November 1985 with a two to three month window between each single. There wouldn't be another Springsteen single until a year later in November 1986 when War ushered in the live set. If the remaining five tracks from USA had been released with the same 2 month interval, that would have filled the long gap between My Hometown and War with a lot of airplay.
I think Shut out the light is right up there in the Bruce pantheon,love it.
That Dancing In The Dark single got played a lot ....well ...at least one side did 🤣
So yeah, it stands as is and there's no shame in that.
Without a doubt, between this album and Dire Straits Brothers in Arms brought my wife and I together that summer(s).