Inspired by @Scott Peterson comment on Reno on the Tower Theatre thread. Let me see if we can create a playlist that will make me wanna slit my wrists.
I mean, I think if you squint, well over half of his songs fit, in some fashion, given that I'd say over half are at least sad if not actually tragic in some sense, and that he said all songs ultimately come to "and will please take off your pants." :)
But when I was thinking about which ones fit my personal criteria, I chose ones that make me feel more sad when they're over than pumped up. Since that's the key to so much of Springsteen's catalog, right? The lyrics say "this is heartbreakingly awful" but the music yells "fuck yeah!"
Queen of the Supermarket, to me, is a hopeful song.
I see it as two single, sad, stuck in a rut, people, sort of ships in the night.
Maybe divorcees, maybe folks of "a certain age", but not necessarily.
I don't see the guy as a stalker, going into a supermarket near enough daily, buying meals for one......when I lived alone in my bachelor pad I went through periods when I ducked into my local Tesco, that I passed on the way home from work, if not nightly then close. (Very small fridge, no freezer )
Anyway, in my back story the guy has noticed this girl......no real suggestions of an age gap (is there? Thinking about the Kevin Spacey reference) and has a "distance crush" on her.
Then at the end, their eyes meet and she smiles.......and you think, maybe these two sad souls make a life together.
Or maybe they just smile at each other and make their respective lives better for just a moment.
For the record I didn't have a crush on any of the girls who worked in that Tesco.
The barmaid in the pub along the road, however......... 😁
@MagicRatAFC similar to Tucson Train - he might be waiting every day for the train and she's never on it, or she is on it and we have a rare, in Bruce's case, happy ever after song.
I've been thinking about adding this song since yesterday and the more I considered it, the more I realized it might be the most tragically romantic song he's ever written.
@Scott Peterson aren't all of us here in love with @Jerseyfornia , to a greater or lesser degree? Hell, this whole forum came about pretty much because of him... 😁
She quit school, married Johnny and had two kids young, left Johnny for a wealthier man, murdered the guy she ran off with and Johnny waits for her to be released, raising their kids alone.
I mean, I think if you squint, well over half of his songs fit, in some fashion, given that I'd say over half are at least sad if not actually tragic in some sense, and that he said all songs ultimately come to "and will please take off your pants." :)
But when I was thinking about which ones fit my personal criteria, I chose ones that make me feel more sad when they're over than pumped up. Since that's the key to so much of Springsteen's catalog, right? The lyrics say "this is heartbreakingly awful" but the music yells "fuck yeah!"
Do you think For You fits the criteria?
Girls in their summer clothes
Downbound Train.
Put on my jacket, I ran through the woods
I ran till I thought my chest would explode...
Ah, no....sorry.
Queen of the Supermarket, to me, is a hopeful song.
I see it as two single, sad, stuck in a rut, people, sort of ships in the night.
Maybe divorcees, maybe folks of "a certain age", but not necessarily.
I don't see the guy as a stalker, going into a supermarket near enough daily, buying meals for one......when I lived alone in my bachelor pad I went through periods when I ducked into my local Tesco, that I passed on the way home from work, if not nightly then close. (Very small fridge, no freezer )
Anyway, in my back story the guy has noticed this girl......no real suggestions of an age gap (is there? Thinking about the Kevin Spacey reference) and has a "distance crush" on her.
Then at the end, their eyes meet and she smiles.......and you think, maybe these two sad souls make a life together.
Or maybe they just smile at each other and make their respective lives better for just a moment.
For the record I didn't have a crush on any of the girls who worked in that Tesco.
The barmaid in the pub along the road, however......... 😁
If what Starkweather and Fugate had between them can be considered a romance, then I'll add Nebraska to the list.
I've been thinking about adding this song since yesterday and the more I considered it, the more I realized it might be the most tragically romantic song he's ever written.
Queen Of The Supermarket.
Brilliant Disguise.
The Wish -
If pa's eyes were windows into a world so deadly and true
You couldn't stop me from looking but you kept me from crawling through
Independence Day -
Papa now I know the things you wanted that you could not say
But won't you just say goodbye it's Independence Day
I swear I never meant to take those things away
Stolen Car.
The list of tragically romantic songs would be incomplete without a Joad song.
Dry Lightning
Tucson Train (unless we believe she was on it)
From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come).
She quit school, married Johnny and had two kids young, left Johnny for a wealthier man, murdered the guy she ran off with and Johnny waits for her to be released, raising their kids alone.
Tragic.
Down In The Hole.
"Bobby Jean"
You're Missing.
Point Blank
Meeting ....
Reason to Believe.