Born To Run

This was a great album will now have to go look for more by him.

Another great album. This is better than Born in the USA in my opinion. I'll have to listen to this more. 5/5

Genial! Volle Punktzahl!

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Thunder road, Night, Born to run, Backstreets, She’s the one, Jungleland

This is his best album

This album feels deeply personal to me. As a 90s kid, I was into the grunge scene big time. I loved it. Everything about that time was brilliant. It was new, and exciting, and angry, and it fucking slapped. We all felt like we were part of something, even if it was just a collective love of music & baggy clothes. But, in truth, it was albums like "Born to Run" that truly spoke to me. The moment I heard, "The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves" my ears perked up. This song grabbed me by the collar, jumped into my earholes, and set up permanent residence in my soul. Then when Bruce hit me with, "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays", and I was mesmerised; instantly a fan for life. "Thunder Road" was a staple of mixtapes & burnt CDs throughout my youth. Last year it was my most played song on Spotify. It's not just my favourite Springsteen song, but it might be my favourite song full stop. The way Bruce delivers "Roll down the window, and let the wind blow back your hair" still chokes me up to this day. The subtle shaking in his voice suggests a little sadness or anxiety as he projects a vision of youthful optimism. The contrast is beautiful. I sing that lyric full blast while alone in my car and, more often than not, my eyes full up. "Thunder Road" is a perfect song. I grew up in a small harbour town in Newfoundland. A dying town due to the Cod Moratorium and lack of industry. A shit hole, basically. I was eager to leave from an early age and "Born to Run" was inspirational to me. "It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we're young" felt like he was speaking directly to me. Songs like this emboldened my inner vagabond. This 8 track album is a masterpiece. It's fucking timeless. Powerful music supporting an expert storyteller. A generational talent at his best. 10/10. Plus, the album art is iconic. Does anybody personify Rock & Roll better than Springsteen? I don't think so. Legend. 👍👍

I was fully prepared to not like this as much as I used to. I haven’t listened to it in several years, but it’s still great. Can’t say I’d like it if I didn’t have a nostalgia for it, but here we are.

A classic. Already in my library. Every song is amazing

Classic start to finish. Almost perfect. 4.5

this is the one that kicked off my love for rock music. I know it inside out and have worn out at least 3 x copies. I had just turned 16 and just played it continually. I passed on old copies to younger folk in the hope they would discover the same joy that I had found. It really is that good. Perfect sleeve and printed lyrics too. An easy 5.

Really liked this album!

Delightful chiming throughout. Haven’t listened to this in ages and it is So.Good. First five, couldn’t be anything other than a five.

B O S S

Classic

This is about as close to a perfect record as anyone can produce. Not a misplaced note.

just a great album, front to back. of course, i've listened to this one countless times and know it back to front. the only song on here i am always iffy on is 'meeting across the water' which never has really landed for me. but the rest of the album is just balls to the walls great, that it easily overcomes that one blip. it's a classic for a reason!

Kanonskiva.

Classic album

Bruce has so much energy and it’s incredibly infectious. I find it very difficult not to get sucked into his little New Jersey world. Every song is a bop and every other is a Springsteen classic. I have nothing bad to say at all. It has range and originality all complemented by The Boss’ unique voice. Fun shit. 5/5

Wow what an album. 8 songs and 4 all timers (Thunderoad, ten ave freezeout, Born to Run and Jungleland). In 40 minutes no less!!

Meh, then I was BOOORRRN TO RUUUUNNNN

Fuck it, ik doe het gewoon. 5/5 voor the Boss! Opener Thunder Road is geweldig en de opbouw van de nummers daarna naar Born to Run vind ik gewoon heel gaaf. Backstreets is een hoogtepunt. Jungleland is een magische plaatafsluiter en heel eerlijk: ik smul gewoon van de swingende E-street band en de saxofoon solo's van Clarence (shout-out). Het nummer Born to Run 'an-sich' heb ik nooit zoveel mee gehad en ik begrijp niet dat het nummer op de B-kant staat, juist door die opbouw ervoor. She's the One (ik kreeg Meat Loaf-vibes) is eigenlijk het begin van de deel 2 van het album. Tevens zwakste nummer van de plaat. Blij toen die was afgelopen, zeg. Absoluut geen perfectie, maar mocht de pret niet drukken! Noem me een boomer, dadrocker, Meat-loaf-versteher, 'murican' of bruce-boy. Ik ga er gewoon voor: 5/5. Highlights: Thunder Road Backstreets Jungeland

This is a great album!

bruce serving cunt until the end of time

The Best.

One of the greatest collections of songs on one album, ever.

This gave me HEAVY The Killers vibe, which makes me think that they were derived from Bruce Springsteen in some way. I loved this album, to be honest. All of the songs gave me this tingle. I will definitely listen to it again.

Took me back to my college days!

Backstreets, Jungleland, tenth avenue freeze out Such a great album

*****

I discovered "Born to Run" in full back in 2015. It's still the Bruce Springsteen album I know and love the most, partly down to limited knowledge of his wider discography and partly down just how bloody good this one is. "Born to Run" comprises eight vast, epic songs driven by the pounding hearts of America's 1970's youth, channelling Phil Spector's wall of sound into rock, folk and Americana. Springsteen's intention was to sound like Orbison singing Dylan songs, produced by Spector (as a side note, this makes me think he'd have been an incredible addition to the Traveling Wilburys. Imagine…). The characters in these songs are constantly trying to break free: from their tired old streets, their dead-end jobs, their broken hearts, their own narratives within the lines of these songs. Just try not to feel pumped up by album-opener "Thunder Road", the desperation of the two central characters ready to cut themselves away from their "town for the losers", "running out tonight to case the promised land". It's such a basic rock and roll concept, but I don't think I've ever heard it expressed so purely and earnestly as I have here: the cathartic saxophone coda is enough to send me into the stratosphere. And then of course, there's "Born to Run", with its iconic guitar line, pummelling snare, and its "highway jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive". Goosebumps every time. The other heavyweight, closing out the set, is "Jungleland", the final track and a miniature epic. Damned are the critics who might argue Springsteen's songs are shallow and repetitive: this one has a symphonic piano intro, colossal instrumental scope, multiple movements within it, all set to rich, vivid and heartbreaking storytelling. By the time the shimmering piano coda is done, the dream is over. The rest of the tracks are a little less transcendent, but are still endlessly enjoyable. I never used to care for "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out", but on return it's a terrific tune which makes tremendous use of the brass section. "Backstreets" boasts some of the most fluent piano work on the record, with a gut-busting build-up towards the end. "She's the One" and "Meeting Across the River" veer more towards the subdued side, but they're a very astute change of pace from the full-throttle material in the first half of the record: high-octane thrillers don't go all the way. Altogether, "Born to Run" is such an triumphant and joyful sounding record that I was surprised to read that the recording process was a laboured and joyless effort. Production lasted for ever eighteen months as Springsteen obsessed over every note, rewrote lyrics midway through sessions, changed personnel, managers and locations, and threw the original acetate into a swimming pool in frustration. He must have been an absolute nightmare to work with, so it's a good job he redeems himself with an absolutely all-time-great record.

Great album, great artist, great music. Springsteen live is even better - compared to the studio albums. In combination with the E-Street band -> wow! For sure: 5stars

I really love most of Springsteen's early stuff, and Born To Run is no exception. Just an absolutely fantastic record from start to finish, and the opening and closing songs bookend the album perfectly. My favorite songs are probably "Thunder Road," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," "Backstreets," and "Jungleland," so basically almost the whole album. I don't think there's a song on here I don't at least somewhat like. Overall just amazing stuff here.

Thunder Road - Okay Harmonica! Always loved a harmonica. Nice song like this, upbeat bit of fun, cool piano. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out - His voice is ridiculous, what a guy. Could see myself being a Bruce fan! I likeeeeee this album so far. Bit of fun Night - Big chords, sounds like another song but I cannot think for the life of me. Again, vocals are just !!!!! Backstreets - Bass is wicked on this one. Want to listen to the lyrics he's singing more. ooooo key change! Great tune. Born to Run - OFC I KNOW THIS ONE. Feel like I'm in AMERICAAAAAAAAAA She's the One - She is the one and this album is the one. One of the coolest songs I've heard on this album a day journey. Meeting Across the River - Weird, saw Eddie next to the sea last night, so kinda the same thing. Chill, love the piano and the sax. Super relaxing song, could listen all night long. Jungleland - Lyrics feel very American, love shit like this. Barefoot girls sitting on the hood of a dodge, what a line, so America.

Quintessential Bruce! He’s bringing the heat, he’s bringing the intense songwriting and storytelling combo that makes him magical, and he’s peak 70s sexy before his big 80s rock hard butt revival. Loves it!

Track 1 (Thunder Road): I like the piano and harmonica in the intro. There is a great drum fill at roughly 3:50. Overall a good opening track. 7/10 Track 2 (Tenth Avenue Freeze-out): The horns are a nice addition. A bit repetitive but in a good way. Definitely more jazzy then Thunder Road. 8/10 Track 3 (Night): I love the intro the guitar and drums work well. I like the lyrics. Shortest song on the album and so far a pretty good one. The ending fade-out is great. 8/10 Track 4 (Backstreets): The intro is a great instrumental piece. I really like the yelling vocals during the chorus. Definitely feels more of an anthem than the other songs on the album so far. The great guitar solo adds to the song further and it has a great tone to it. The lyrics are probably the best part of the song and the piano adds even more to it. 9/10 Track 5 (Born To Run): The drums on this album are really good and it goes into this song with a great drum intro. Even more anthemic than Backstreets. I find it interesting that there isn't a true chorus to the song but there is a hook that basically repeats at the end of each verse. The vocals getting more intense as the song goes is an interesting choice. The lyrics are amazing and very inspired and unique. 8/10 Track 6 (She's the One): I like the bass and the piano riff stands out. The electric guitar kicking in is a surprise but it really fits and it adds to the tension of the song. The backing vocal adds a depth to the song. I like the guitar and drums at the end of the song. 8/10 Track 7 (Meeting Across the River): It opens with a haunting trumpet that is great. The vocals in the beginning sound truly sad. The piano adds an extra degree of emotion on top of the vocals and lyrics. I realize it is about an upcoming drug deal and the song sounds kind of hopeless. Probably my favorite song so far. 9/10 Track 8 (Jungleland): I like the instrumental in the beginning and it transitions into a really good piano riff. When the guitar kicks in it definitely adds to the song. I believe the lyrics about the city referred to as Jungleland are a look upon crime in major cities and how the poor are treated. The long instrumental section is a nice touch, I like how it starts to wind down and goes into a lone piano until the vocals rejoin but in a much more tender way. The vocals start to yell and the other instruments then the vocals start going into a more conversational tone. 9/10 Whole album ranking: 8.5/10

Awesome!

Enjoyed all the songs, felt like the last one went longer than it should’ve

Pretty close to a perfect record. I had so much I wanted to write, I listened to this several times over the weekend, but at the end of the day I just enjoyed the hell out of it. Even the tracks I wasn’t as into have incredible lyrics and a great sound. Yeah it came out a long time ago, but it transcends any kind of classic rock sound. Bruce’s music will forever be relevant for as long as Rock in any form is appreciated. Top tracks: Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Night, Born To Run, She’s The One, Jungleland

Okay this is so freaking good. I need to know who this wendy is. Imagine having bruce springsteen write "together wendy we can live with the sadness i love you with all the madness in my soul.... WOAAH"

Say what you what about Bruce, but my guy feels! Every song has so much passion and love in it, it’s honestly shocking. Born to Run along is enough to give this a 3 if every other song sucked, but every other song is just so great I have to give 5

It's a weird album cover, no? I mean we're all just used to it as one of the more famous albums in history - not really a bold statement - and I know you're supposed to unfold the LP to reveal Clarence but it just kinda looks ridiculous in the post-vinyl era (wait now we're in a/the post-post-vinyl age which is actually translated into: "What was once sold new at $7.99 is now $43!"). It's a great picture for sure when you see the whole thing, but damn - poor Clarence got merely one elbow and half of his ass on the display shelves. Unfair. As a teen in the 80s I thought Bruce was hopelessly uncool - Born In The USA my ass, man that sucked - but I did like him as a kid and rediscovered this one after my anti-classic rock rebellion and well shit who was actually the uncool one in the end? Best part: the middle section of "Born To Run" - headphones reveals more than you ever heard in the back of a station wagon. Intentionally great flow to the entire album, too. Clear beginning/middle/end. I'm not a member of the cult of Bruce but this is awesome. Duh. 9/10 5 stars.

Gotta love Bruce!

This is similar to the Eagles for me, in that they're both firmly in the "dad rock" category in my mind (Spotify is recommending I listen to a "Dad Rock" playlist with Springsteen's face on the cover). It does not feel particularly cool today as a result, but screw that. It's good. It's popular for a reason, it's fun and relatable and interesting enough. It's definitely a bit generic at times, but so what. "Born To Run" (the song) still kind of slaps even if you're hearing it for the thousandth time. I'm curious to see how I like his other albums. This is his first one that got big and it's actually fairly short and tight (39 minutes). This feels about right to me, with really not that many low points (only 8 tracks). I feel like I might tire of his stuff, but this was solid (though a slight bit weaker on the back half). As expected, it's piano-heavy with the horns on a lot of songs. It works, and it's not overly formulaic at this point in his career. A few high points with "Born to Run", "Thunder Road", "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out". Random thought, but he almost sounds a bit Elvis-like on "She's the One". Probably just the deep voice, but this is the first time I'm hearing it. Favorite song: Born to Run Other: Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Night, Backstreets, She's the One, Jungleland 1/7/24 (we've probably crossed the date line by now, so it's not breaking my one album per day rule)

Thoughts before listening: One of the greatest albums of all time. Not a weak song on this album and includes Springsteen's 2 most iconic anthems in Thunder Road and the title track. Review: This album just hits so hard right out the gate with Thunder Road. I love the imagery in this song (and the album as a whole for that matter) where Bruce paints a picture of idealistic youth when a car means freedom and running away with the love of your life is the only thing that matters in life. Bruce's talent is in portraying the ultimately mundane hopes and dreams of the everyman in a way that makes it seem like the most important story that's been told. While the lyrics are the star here, the album wouldn't be the classic it is without the music that accompanies the words. The piano and sax take the lead and create an epic sound that adds to the drama of the lyrics. When a song like Jungleland slows to a crawl and then builds back to the "down in Jungleland" peak, it's being driven by the power of these instruments. Easily a 5 star album.

What can you say. Bruce is a legend. Some of the best music he made, on this album. Unique voice, legendary singer.

If aliens came down and asked “what is rock and roll?” I think a good place to start would be to play the song “Born to Run.” I’m not saying it is the best rock song ever. I’m not saying Bruce is the ultimate rock artist (I’m not even that big of a fan) but that song - and arguably this album - is just about pure of a distillation of rock and roll as you can get. Motors as euphemism about sex and talking about freedom felt while driving (or sex). The sound of it. Everything.

"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1975, is an exhilarating and anthemic exploration of the American dream. The album, a cornerstone of rock 'n' roll, captures the restless spirit and romanticism of youth. From the thunderous title track to the poignant storytelling of "Thunder Road," every song on this album is a cinematic journey. Springsteen's gravelly voice, coupled with the E Street Band's powerful instrumentation, creates an atmosphere of unbridled passion and energy. "Born to Run" is not merely an album; it's a cultural touchstone that encapsulates the aspirations and struggles of a generation. With its timeless appeal, heartfelt lyricism, and infectious melodies, it rightfully earns a solid 5/5 as a quintessential classic in the rock genre.

A major milestone

Not much to say here - Born to run and Darkness on the edge of town are just the best Springsteen albums. Meeting across the river is one of his best titles.

Reminds me of my youth.

There are few albums that feel so aesthetically American. I’m certain of I did a deeper listen to the lyrics of appreciate the writing more.

I'm a sucker for prominent piano in rock songs so this album is right up my street

At once novelistic and cinematic, street-level specific and universally relatable, with its humane descriptions of profound human longing and unjustified hope and youthful hustle and growth and compromise and disillusionment. What's not epic is just excellent, edifying and entertaining in equal measure. Every song is distinct and works on multiple levels. Yes, it's maximalist to the point of baroque at times, the only conceivable weakness. But that's a quibble, and can be considered a strength, too. And anyway there's no disputing its place as a landmark in the history of popular music. (Editors should be ashamed of themselves for the cheap, obvious and totally wrong Bon Jovi analogy.)

Pretty much a perfect album, start to finish. Encapsulates the feeling of being young and wanting to escape your surroundings for where ever the grass seems greener. Great songwriting, great singer, great band. I admit though that I haven't listened to this the whole way through many times. Looking forward to getting more into it and absorbing the lyrics better.

When we resurrected listening to vinyl as adults, this was the first album my wife bought for me. Before we even had a turntable! I love The Boss. When the guys get together we will inevitably play some of these songs. What an album! What a cover (that’s Clarence he’s leaning on there)! That right there is the benevolent figurehead of rock and roll music, enshrined for me when he gave the keynote speech at SXSW over a decade ago. It’s worth a listen if you can find it out there on the interwebs. Poet. Storyteller. Blue-collar philosopher/troubadour who charges exorbitant prices for his shows. I don’t care. Give me Bruce all day. He has always been with me. Save me, Springsteen! Born in the USA is his bestseller (by an absurd margin). But this is peak Bruce for me. Some of the songs on this album are just…they’re just…I mean…wow. As soon as you hear the opening piano and harmonica on “Thunder Road,” just give yourself over to it. Hop on your motorcycle with your girl and ride off across the river to your last chance to make it in America. And I would drop my thesis on “Jungleland” here, but I don’t think the word count would accommodate it. Suffice it to say, a miniature masterpiece in all of it’s cheesy, 1975 glory. Phenomenal album all around. Not a weak spot on it. Give me more of this.

Incredible rock album, jungleland is one of the best songs ever

My dad loved this album. RIP, Dad.

“You ain’t a beauty, but yeah, you’re alright”.

Klassiker

Bruce getting famous. My favorite part is the trumpet on meet me across the river.

5/5

A classic Boss album with a number of good songs.

It was a vibey album, could wiggle to each song REEEH😝🤘🏻

BRUUUUUCE! One of his best! Every song on this album is great. Thunder Road is an awesome opener, the chorus soars. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out is one of my favorite Springsteen songs, not very meaningful but a fun song none the less. The Big Man's saxophone on night is perfect. There isn't much to say about Born to Run that hasn't been said already. It really encapsulates what Bruce Springsteen means as a songwriter and musician. One of the best albums ever in my opinion.

Classic

Boss

I love Springsteen so this won't be a biased review! There's so much to love about Born to Run. Thunder Road is one of my favourite songs of all time and my wedding dance, and the build still gives me goosebumps after playing it to death for years. It also has some great saxophone bits, like Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and the title tracks solo. This is a big part of the Springsteen sound and an element that makes him so unique! His vocals are incredible too on some of these tracks.. at times he's singing like his life depends on it, such as Night and Backstreets Enough said and the first 5 stars I've given doing this project

One of the best

Best album ever!

This is actually a 6 out of 5

The Great American Rock and Roll record. Has everything that makes US rock-n-roll great distilled down to its finest form. From the Wall of Sound to songs about love, lost, longing and manifest destiny.

A stone classic from the first note. Springsteen earns his place as one of America’s great storytellers.

A great album with beautiful use of instruments and a real feel good sense.

Bruce and his band packed this album with BIG song after BIG song that hit on so many levels. This was the first time I listened to this album from start to finish and it did not disappoint. Lyrically haunting, powerful, and beautiful. Outstanding Classic American Pop-Rock sound that helped paved the way an entire genre. I’d like to hear these songs live one day. Yeah…. I think I’m going to do that.

Good

An absolute masterpiece where multiple songs could hold the title of best song ever. A portal to something that sounds more wonderful than anything I could begin to imagine. Every noise on the album conveys that sense of wonder, even the darker cuts carry a sense of being in another place at another time.

fuck yeah

Another album I own. Starts out with my favorite song of all time. Thunder Road. I love all of Springsteen’s early albums, up through Tunnel of Love. After that I feel it drops off a bit.

Wow!

great album!

His American grew three sizes that day

Classic

Broad, cinematic in scope, grand, lush, and truly amazing. The Boss arrives here and never looks back. Happy to be along for the ride. Simply put, a fantastic album and I look forward to seeing him live for the first time in six weeks time.

Great concert

Love it - listened a ton as a kid 10/10

I've listened to this album before, but its been a while. I always chalk Bruce up to his hits - which are deep on their own, but often fall into the poppier rock pantheon. Thats unfair. This is a fantastic album that is a rock/blues masterpiece that sounds just like Bruce. Has to be his finest work and one of the greatest albums of all time.

Literally grew up with a Boss obsessed father so quite funny to hear this as my first suggestion! Great album!

This album is a capture of 1970's NYC. 7/8 songs on this album are perfect... and then there's meeting on the river, an art song that is good and appreciated, but out of place. Really stops album flow. So many classics between Thunder Road, 10th Ave. Freeze Out, and Born to Run, but Jungleland is an incredible musical/ballet emphasizing NYC and showing off one of the greatest saxophone solos in modern music. Hits the spot every time

Un espectacular album que narra a la perfección el estilo de vida de la clase trabajadora estadounidense. Con arreglos producción increíble, Springsteen y su banda se lucen con paisajes coloridos y voces apasionadas que pintan un hermoso y melancólico LP. Un imprescindible, realmente.

Great

what a start. tramps like us.

O melhor dele até agora nessa lista, banda muito boa, som envolvente

Well… duh

Nice to listen to this full album for the first time. So many classics but also enjoyed the songs I hadn’t heard before.

Absolute Classic, only 8 songs, all killer no filler.

This album made me appreciate Bruce Springsteen. Especially the close with Jungleland.

masterpiece

With two critically acclaimed, but unsuccessful albums, under his belt he was getting pressure from the label to produce, and he did. He wrote a song cycle that matched the disillusion and financial pain of the mid-70s that stands as one of the greatest records of all time. So many classics that he still plays to this day. A classic record in every sense.

This is amazing. When you get a great songwriter, tight band and it all works. But I have the feeling this is the only full Springsteen album I like.

RAAAAAAAAAH! SPRINGSTEEN BITCH!!!!! 🦅🦅🦅

It's impossible for me to give an objective review of this album. It's the soundtrack of my childhood and was always on in my house. While I know many of Springsteen's songs, I have never actually listened to a full album. The whole album has a cinematic quality that really comes to life when listening closely to the lyrics. It's easily at least a 4 star album, but for sentimental reasons, it's a 5 star album for me.

The energy of Meatloaf, the piano work of Elton John, and the sax of Michael Bolton. The Boss is boss. I didn't expect to enjoy this so much.

Fabulous stuff here, if I had to nitpick the last song (jungleland) goes on too long, but overall this was really good

Stupendous album, very excellent. all five stars to Gryffendor.

Heard before: yes So I’m still on the Jersey Shore today, so I feel environmentally biased. But come on. I remember when I was around 14 reading the famous Rolling Stone story saying he was the future of rock n roll and saying, “Pshaw! He’s not even as good as Rick Springfield!” Well, the best of us are able to change, at least that’s what I tell myself. I know every note of this record now. Top songs: Backstreets, Meeting Across The River (just to shine a light), Thunder Road - honestly, my top three change every time I listen

I’m not the biggest fan of this style of rock, but this is undoubtedly a classic album. Come on, it has ‘Thunder Road’, the title track, AND ‘Jungleland’ all on it. I think that’s all that really needs to be said.

Loved it. Another classic I had totally neglected until now.

What else can be said? Classic, substantive, artistic, the level of skill, dedication and teamwork is. Scorcesian – both as an artistic peer and thematic compadre. Cinematic lyrically. Only criticism is that maybe it’s too much … borderline baroque (esp “Backstreets” and Jungleland”) but they are conceived as mini-symphonies, mini-operas, etc and work as such. That they don’t get a note wrong – like not a single one – is hopefully impressive. Because there are a lot of notes. And editors: comparing the Boss to god-awful Bon Jovi is not only laughable (e.g., saying that some songs here are as singalongable as BJ’s obvious BS), but also chronologically backward. Even comparing BJ to the Boss would be so obvious as to be critical malpractice, perhaps the most questionable analogy in the whole book.

My wife says, “all bangers.” I was never a huge fan until this year when I went to see the show at the baltimore arena. I’m a convert.

LP

Favorite Springsteen album. This band knows how to rock a sax solo.

5/5. An intelligent and emotional album driven by male desire and passion. There are some great songs here and even though I’ve listened to it multiple times, I still find something new that I love about it. The run of Thunder Road, Born to Run, and Jungleland are a perfect trio. The other songs like Backstreets and She’s the One also stand on their own. With the other songs filling out the space, there is never a dull moment throughout. Being a Jersey native myself, this one speaks to me.

Samen met darkness on the edge of town het absolute hoogtepunt uit het oeuvre van the Boss. Van voor tot achter genieten. The Boss verlangde absolute perfectie bij het maken van het album en absolute perfectie heeft hij er van gemaakt. Iconische plaat.

It's a rating full of losers, Bruce is pulling out of here to win. The lyrics is amazing. How can he remember all words during his concerts??? That piano is super match with this music. I thought about 3-4 but after few times you start understanding the power of this album. Definitely this vinyl is needed.

Probably the album I have listened to most in my lift. Every song is great. Born to Run (the single) almost killed Bruce getting it done. Many Springsteen classics on this: Thunder Road, Tenth Ave., Backstreets, Born to Run, Jungleland - all performed regularly in concert 40 some years later. The transition from Meeting Across the River to Jungleland is so good. A true classic.

Decent album… It’s nuts how well rounded this album is after sounding absolutely nothing like his first two tries. Incredibly clear production, I can focus on each instrument clearly and it lets each song sound fresh every listen. The Professor is absolutely killing it here, it really should be Roy Bitten and the E Street Band. I always have a soft spot for She’s the One as a forgotten deep cut and great sax solo. Perfect album outside of the slight drab and pretentiousness of Meeting Across the River.

I understand every criticism people have about Bruce, I just don't care.

As always, Bruce fails to have a bad album. Massive hits, cool theatric and thematic production, timeless lyricism, a great band, packaged in a good run time.

Really like, didn’t really to Springsteen before apart from his hit but his album is making me look in to his discography.

🐐

Buono!

Don't have enough of a Springsteen catalogue to say for sure but, for me, this is his best. "It's a death trap. It's a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we're young."

Loved this album. You can definitely tell why he became such a big star.

Bruce is so cool. The instrumentation throughout combined with the vocals gives it such an epic feel. Loved it!

One of the defining albums of my life. One I come back to again and again. No one calls it a concept album, but that's exactly how we should view it. A wild headrush of ideas, imagery and emotion. Never bettered, often imitated. Woah, she's the one.

One of the best albums of all time! Still!

The album that kick started the Boss’ streak of near perfect records. Songs that make me wanna hop in my ‘69 Chevy and leave my small hometown to discover the American dream.

Top tier album. Not my favourite by Springsteen but still clearly a classic. Every song is worth listening to and most of them are great.

An all timer. No filler, just a band firing on all cylinders to create a perfect American work. 10 stars. Bruce is the man. It's that simple. Greatest American rock artist to ever do it.

Goated album. Already listened a bunch, but will do it again!

Huge Springsteen fan because of this album. So much to love here! 5/5

Unas baladas de Bruce. Vinilo.

Really good. I’d never heard the album but knew the singles. Glad I heard it.

Trying to remove any personal biases or sentimentality for this record is difficult, but objectively this could easily be deemed the Peak of Springsteen. The record simply has some of his highest highs and has served as a constant well for his live setlists. Even the "weaker" tracks are consistently played by Springsteen live and serve to exemplify the bigger sound, tender lyrics, and emotional story-telling he would continue to develop across other albums and efforts.

Classic of rock. Great album start to finish.

Springsteen’s masterpiece, a perfect storytelling rock album. His vocals might not be for everyone but they really add to the impact of the music.

Feelings: to dance around a fire with friends road tripping with the windows down in a summer day

Masterpiece.

Another classic springsteen album.

He’s called “The Boss” for a reason, Born to Run is definitely one of the reasons.

yew kno it bb

Perfection. Every song.

One of the best albums i have ever heard!

Always a classic.

I never really appreciated Bruce Springsteen until I listened to this album. It’s a great album.

Classic

A classic for a reason. Full of sex and longing and abandon

I mean, come on -- Thunder Rd and Born to Run alone would be enough to make this one 5 stars before adding in Backstreets, She's the One, etc. Stone-cold classic

I think what’s so great about “Born To Run” is that it’s so short and sweet? You real appreciate how bombastic each song is. It also works together as a unit very well - it’s very easy to get tired of the title song when heard on the radio, but when you hear it in its original context, you can’t help but love it!

Such a goddamn easy 5. My favorite song here just might be Meeting Across The River, which is Springsteen's least known song from this album. Then again, every song here is a 5. The Boss swung for the fences here, and hit an all-time tape measure home run that won the pennant. Shout out to the Big Man Clarence Clemons, especially his sax solo on Jungleland.

Love it!

I love this album for many reasons, but the perfect use of piano and saxophone might be the biggest one.

The GOAT

Bruuuuuuuuce

God, Bruce has so many five star albums in my book. Having that many five star ALBUMS is much rarer than having many five star songs. Born to Run, Born in the USA, The River, Greetings from Asbury Park, to name a few. What a gift to the universe Bruce Springsteen is. I grew up on this music and still guzzle it from the firehose any chance I can get. But listening to it as a studio album in one fell swoop did make me realize two things: I've listened to all these songs as singles more often than I've listened to them in the context of an album - I honestly forgot how he had one energetic, creative banger after another on this. Thunder Road (in my all-time top five favorite songs), Tenth Avenue Freezeout, Backstreets, Born to Run, She's the One, AND Jungleland on the same album? Even Night and Meeting across the River (which leads into Jungleland perfectly) are two I've heard less but still shine. It's an embarrassment of riches. Also I realize I've listened to the live versions of a lot of these more frequently than the studio version - he's one of those artists that I crave the live version - partly because I've had the pleasure of hearing him sing all of these songs live before, and his concerts are always transcendent, where I feel blissed out by joy, and partly because there's nothing like the energy and inventiveness of him live, even if it's a recording. Bruce, in my opinion, has it all - and what makes him so incredible is on display here: the musicianship (the piano, the riffs, the melodies, the bridges) in each song; the energy, effort, and earnestness of his voice & performance (you can HEAR him sweating and leaving it all on the floor for us - none of that lounge-y smooth style a lot of artists have now where it seems like they don't want to be caught expending effort??); the poetry of the LYRICS AND the fact that you can HEAR and understand most of them without having to look them up (so many poet musicians mutter their careful words so carelessly that you have to google the lyrics to actually make sense of them); and his prolific talent - every song on this album has a GORGEOUS and memorable intro (in addition to the rest of the song being killer of course), and an equally moving or energizing (depending on the song) unique ending. How does one do that?! They're all different and divine. Jungleland always makes me a little weepy at the beginning - weepy with gratitude and glee and nostalgia. Maybe because of how wrapped up my memories of these songs are with my McCormack Family. What an incredible way to end an album. God, I really just love and appreciate him.

A masterpiece. One of the easiest 5 star ratings of my LIFE. The full cover of this album is hanging on the wall in my home. I don't even need to listen to it again to know what I want to say. One of the best openers of all time? Born to Run maybe the single best pop song ever written? I defy you to listen to that opening snare roll into the first riff and not get goosebumps. Backstreets is criminally underrated, as if that was somehow even possible for this guy. Even the "filler" songs like Night and She's the One are better than 99% of songs ever written and I will die on that fucking hill. (For what it's worth, I kind of consider Meeting Across the River to be an intro for Jungleland.) Taking no questions. Standouts: Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Night, Backstreets, Born to Run, She's the One, Meeting Across the River, Jungleland

ez 5 stars

When I was younger, I had gotten a number of Springsteen albums. When you grow up in suburban New Jersey (read: white), you are required to be a fan of either Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, or Bon Jovi. I chose Springsteen. I had gotten four or five albums by Springsteen. The only one I remember clearly. The ONLY album I will listen from beginning to end, and not reach for the skip button, is "Born To Run." Every song on this album is craftfully made. Hell, the title track took six months. That tells you something, right? As I got older, I got tired of Springsteen. The way he suddenly sounded like he was from Texas. The way he lost touch with the common folk when it came to prices on concerts. But this one album? I will always come back to. Masterpiece, from start to finish.

So this is where it really took off for Springsteen. What makes this album so infectious? I do think it's the whole thing put together; some songs as one offs might not grab you, but together they consistently pound his quintessential sound (with the E-Street Band), massive energy, and top-notch lyrics. It feels like a very up-tempo Bob Dylan; that's partly because his lyrics are that deep and partly because the E-Street Band adds a style not unlike the Band when they were backing Dylan. The piano in particular is just awesome on pretty much every track (but especially on Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, Backstreets, Born to Run, and Jungleland). The sax is also clutch on many songs. Springsteen truly was/is a master songwriter and musician. Fantastic album.

What a great album. I don't think I've listened to it closely before, but the one thing that stood out is I knew almost all the songs on the album. That's how good it is - nearly all the songs are classics. Favorite tracks (but they're all good to great): Thunder Road ("You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright" - great line), Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (funny, I didn't know that was the title of this song that I've heard a ton of times because I didn't know what they were saying over and over throughout the song - I thought it was something like "Red devil in the free ride" which makes no sense. Oh, it's "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"? Oh, ok. Not sure what that means either, but great song either way), Born To Run (stone-cold classic that never, ever gets old), She's the One (another that I recognized but didn't know by its title), and Meeting Across the River (nice track, one I didn't previously know, but really enjoyed the mellow mood, particularly in contrast to all the rocking on the album), Jungleland (Bruce's epic - good stuff). Perfect album - easy 5.

10/10. Every other song or so is fantastic, the others hit sometimes, miss other times.

Thought it was a pretty decent album and then Jungleland melted my face off. In a good way. 9/10

No complaints

I cant count the amount of Times ive screamed my lungs out in the car to this album. For me this is among the best albums of all time. Its classic timeless sound Will never not be amazing for me. The lyrics tells a whole story and the boss delivers it fantastically

I really enjoy Springsteen, especially his early stuff, and this album is fantastic. Knowing the history about how important this album was to his career makes it hit even harder. Of course, the live versions of these songs is always better since they become live epics (like Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out becoming 20+ minutes). A near perfect album and just fun to blast while driving down the highway.

Great. Similar throughout but not worse for it.

Peak Bruce. A absolute game-changer in popular music

Have realized my mistake in not understanding the greatness of this album since my initial rating… this SLAPS and 4 stars was a joke.

I’ve never been a huge Springsteen fan, though I have appreciated some of his songs that got air play. I’ve admired his evolution as an urban folk storyteller over the years. But having never really listened to this album all the way through before, I now see that those talents were there from the start. I can see how rough-edged disappointed but dreaming young adults of the 70s would have heard his lyrics and felt his passion and identified with his art. It all fits together so well, I don’t think I’d want to hear the songs separately again, but would rather hear them as this fiercely empassioned whole.

The boss!

Yikes classic alert. Haven't listened to the whole thing for 10 years. Here we go. Its America. Its wall of sound. Its blue collar mis/adventures. It's sequenced well. (Each side starts with a "up" song and finishes with a "down" song.) The tunes are epic, maybe too epic. Its hard to fault tbh. I notice it has a average of 3.6 so there a lot of people knocking down those 4s and 5s that really don't like Bruce And he saves Jungleland till the end. 4 or 5?

This shit rules.

Ikoninen! En kyllästy koskaan! 5/5

Jenkkirockin huippuja. Ei huonoja biisejä, pelkkää rautaa.

Gimme that raspy voice, B.

A song can carry an album, doesn’t have to, but an album where I don’t love everyone can still be 5/5

El disc on Springsteen va començar a ser Springsteen. Tot és aquí. La grandiositat del so, les magnífiques intros, les lletres evocadores... i vuit temes immortals

Almost every song could’ve been and/or was a single. Everyone has their favorite Bruce album and this one isn’t mine (The River for me) but this is as close to objectively being Bruce’s best record as it come. A classic.

It’s not even my favorite album by the boss, but still a 5 star classic. The album where Bruce really came into his own.

J'adore l'albume t l'artiste mais darkness est min préferé, quoi que celui-ci est tres pres 5

bruce springsteen é demais

A lot of songs that feel like they'd fit in perfectly as title tracks. Born to Run was immediately identifiable but Springsteen filled this album with songs that feel made to be massive hits. From the catchy piano tune behind "Backstreets" to the hard-hitting "Jungleland" lyrics and solo, this album felt very solid.

I am not sure if I have ever listened to a Bruce Springsteen album. I’ve met a lot of super fans and haters over the years, but didn’t ever develop my own strong opinions. Knowing that he was sure to be in this project, I have been wondering how I’ll react to when he comes up. Listening to the album I immediately noticed a lot of musical influences at play in the intricate arrangements. The lyrics tell vivid, emotional stories. No greater example of this can be found than in the title track, a stunning masterpiece I have taken for granted. I was surprised at how moved I was by it when I sat down for a focused listen. Born to Run is a thrilling listen that deserves its legendary status. I'm embarrassed it has taken me forty-seven years to appreciate how truly great it is.

Bruuuuuuuuuce

Absolute belter of an album. Nearly every track is compulsory for a road trip playlist.

"Born to Run" is Springsteen's third studio album. There was a lot of pressure for Bruce to produce as he was given an enormous budget. It took him 14 months to record but produce he did. Bruce wanted a "Wall of Sound," as he described "Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan as Phil Spector produces." Very high goals. I don't know if he achieved that exactly but I do hear the wall of sound; the album does sound big. A lot of these songs were/are US rock radio staples. Nowadays, I listen less to rock/classic rock radio but when I do, it's usually when they play vinyl sides. And, they always seem to play a side of this album. So, my view of this album has definitely changed from a collection of rock radio songs to more of an album as a whole. That is a good thing. By the way, both sides are equal in my opinion. I would think the artist and producer give a lot of thought to the order of songs on an album. A fair number of times I can't figure the reason though. On this album, the song order is important as the album is cornered or bookmarked; both album sides start off with songs about escape, running away, freedom - ""Thunder Road" and "Born To Run." And both sides end with sad epic songs focusing on the neighborhood -"Backstreets" and "Jungleland." All iconic songs and highlights in Springsteen concerts. I'm also a fan of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" - the horns and 60's sound and "She's the One" - love the initial piano and how the songs builds. Sometimes it's difficult to think of anything to say about an album as iconic as this. Luckily, I heard at least one side recently which made me think differently and gave me at least something to say.

Lowkey incredible, jungleland is such a great closer 👍

Springsteen's magnum opus. *Darkness In The Edge Of Town*, *Nebraska*, and *Greetings Form Asbury Park, NJ* are also quite nice, by the way. The rest is not worth your attention if you're not a fan already, especially *The River*, too long and self-indulgent, or *Born In The USA*, too damn cheesy overall (and I'm not even talking of the records after that). What about this one? It's nice, really, really nice. Catchy piano riffs and intricate guitar solos abound. The title track is both immediatly gripping AND sophisticated (that incredibly complex bridge towards the end), but each of the other cuts have something specific and moving to say (special mention to opener "Thunder Road", "She's The One", "Night" and epic closer "Jungleland"--rarely have blue-collar stories of love, work and everything in between been depicted in such a grand and precise scope). Awesome lyrics overall, which justify the Boss being so chatty during those songs--a problem if you like vocals that allow you to grasp some fresh air once in a while, but the lyrical outpouring is still (mostly) justified in here. Urban romanticism at its best. And the fact that the sound is a little dated actually brings another layer of charm to the whole thing. Oh, and for once in a rock album, the sax solos are a great addition here. RIP, Mr. Clemons. Bruce Springsteen put New Jersey in the map of rock'n'roll for eternity. And it's the world that can thank him for it. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 897 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 54 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 27 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 23

This album sounds like summer. Bruce is a supreme story teller, and this album is the best example of his songwriting. His tales weave an arc through love, loss and genuine lostiness to put you in the middle of the angst of America. And it all starts with the perfect description… 'The screen door slams. Mary's dress sways.' I've listened to this album to easily know it's a five-star must listen. This is the album that broke Bruce from local boy to international superstar. His perseverance and drive to create the perfect album that would save his failing recording career is an emotional drive that is perfectly crafted for album listening. This is Bruce's masterpiece. He's created others that are great, this is the best. 5/5.

that sweet sweet smooth Saxophone will forever ring out in nothing but Patriotism.

I'm not gonna lie, my heart grew two sizes when this album popped up today, I love it so much. I'm back and forth sometimes between this album and Darkness on the Edge of Town as my favorite Springsteen album, but ultimately Born to Run really is The One. It's a perfect album, perfectly executed, the album I would recommend to any new listener who wants to get into Springsteen. The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways. From that first instance Springsteen pulls you into another world that feels so lived in and real, with riveting stories and characters you can really care about. His songwriting style is earnest, poetic and frequently surprising. His vocal is both sensitive and achingly passionate. And wow, what a big, beautiful sound. Musically this album is a deep bench of everything you could ever want out of a rock record. You can have a soulful, laid back song like "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" contrasted with the tension and doom in "Meeting Across the River" or the sonic catharsis of "Born to Run," and they all sound absolutely beautiful together. Bruce is pushing all the buttons here and it's magical to experience as a listener. The band is in top form, in what could arguably be called their best work. Special props for Roy Bittan, who is a genius on the piano. He wrings every bit of joy and pathos out of those keys in ways I didn't think possible. As with Clarence, these songs don't work without him. What an album. Exhilarating to listen to. A masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Thunder Road, Backstreets, Born to Run, She's the One, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Jungleland, Meeting Across the River, Night

One of the best classic rock albums of all time

Spectacular album

My favourite album ever made. Doesn’t miss on a single track. He shot for an unholy hybrid of Orbison, Dylan and Spector—and actually reached it. "Come take my hand", he invited in the opening lines. "We're ridin' out tonight to case the Promised Land." 5/5

Easy 5/5 for me. I enjoyed this album so much. Bruce is an underrated yet amazing songwriter and storyteller, I think he's one of the best. This album alone justifies that. Thunder Road is my favourite track but all of them are so so good.

He's The Boss for a reason~

I resisted listening to Bruce Springsteen for years. I had long suspected that I would eventually become a fan, but I came to believe it to be the final step away from youth and into middle age. The day I turned 35, I went out and bought vinyl copies of Born To Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Nebraska. Oddly enough, a dear friend also fell for the Boss aged around 35, having been given tickets to a gig and swept away in the joy felt by both the Boss and the audience. It would appear that Springsteen is nowadays both the condolence a man gives himself when he gets his first grey hair and the reassurance he gives himself that he isn't impotent just yet. But anyway, Born To Run was Springsteen's breakthrough after his first two (fine) albums sank commercially, an all-or-nothing, budget-breaking last chance that thankfully paid off. And a colossal attempt such as this warrants a colossal sound, with Springsteen fulfilling his ambition of cutting a record that sounded like Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Phil Spector. The album seeks to, and manages to, resurrect Spector's Wall of Sound aesthetic, basking in utter bombast. However, the album establishes the now-defining Springsteen message of the emptiness of dreams, of how a life spent pursuing a fantasy is only likely to end abjectly. Of course, the album is astute enough to realise the power of reverie; just listen to the title track. But though he and Wendy may be born to run, the album ruefully considers that they have to run somewhere, that the real world is always there. Also, the photo on the cover, of Springsteen chummily leaning on Clarence Clemons, is one of the most charming, uplifting images in rock. By the by, I have not had a grey hair yet, and my penis still works.

Just a great album from beginning to end.

Bruce’s best? (Talk to me on a hot summer afternoon and I’ll tell you it’s “Born in the U.S.A.”) This is certainly the album where he perfected his signature sound. How do you even describe the E Street Band’s style here? Heartland rock spiked with jazz and doo-wop? Listening to the album again, I wondered: What is it about this music that makes it so timeless? Is it that saxophone wail? The twinkle of the piano? The way Bruce distills a wide variety of influences and makes them his own? (On “Backstreets,” he croons like Elvis and screams like John Lennon.) Or maybe it’s just the sheer drama of it all. Few songwriters can take small moments like driving with the windows down or going out for drinks after a long day of work and make them feel like the huge, existential things they are when you’re in them. And who else can write preposterous lines like “The highway’s jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive” and get away with it? (The answer is probably Meat Loaf but he got it from Bruce.) A classic album and a thrill to listen to.

Short and sweet album with some absolutely CLASSIC hits! I love the full band feel, and the overall storytelling vibe that The Boss brings to his lyrics. Obviously, the NJ connection makes this one a bit more personal. The fact that this came out in ‘75 makes the occasional cheesiness more acceptable.

Pros: A+ songwriting / storytelling A+ instrumentation. Took rock and made it even cooler with Spector-esque wall of sound production and made saxophone a rock and roll instrument Cons: Misc: - Somehow I did not grow up with Bruce and didn't get into him until college and probably because of Jake Ehrlich. My metal friends all made fun of his voice and thought he was too storyteller-y; that he couldn't write a song unless it met a criteria of mentioning A. the road he lived on when he was a kid, B. every car on that road, and C. workin' hard. I've of course since come to the realization that those same friends who would make fun of that would listen to bands that couldn't write music unless it mentioned something like "trampling people with tanks" and had lyrics like "why should the fire be shared by so few, let bombs explode- cause that's what they do. Nuke Mecca, New York, the Vatican too- give me a bomb, I'll drop it on you!" So to that I really say to each their own. Bruce is a true king and no one captures that very specific idea of growing up, leaving your hometown and doing your own thing better than him. And Born to Run probably does it best. Part of the magic of him for me is that his sound is inherently tied to a time period. I'll speculate that it's a reason why people our parents age like him so much; because 5 of his best albums (this, darkness, the river, nebraska, born in the usa) all came out when my mom was between her early teens and late 20s. Of course those are really formative years and he's there singing about New Jersey and growing up and getting out of the town. Hard to not resonate with that. Many of his lyrics are specific to those lived years and that helps that idea of gluing the listener to the songs. Unfortunately I think that it would be hard for future generations to appreciate the artistry in the storytelling due to this deep set tie-in to the time periods, but I am hopeful and optimistic that the music itself would stand the test of time. Part of what made it work for people our age is that a lot of us grew up listening to Bruce on the radio on car rides. For me it looked like this scenario: school ends for the year and it's in late June, it's 90 something degrees out, you're on your way to the Jersey shore, you just spotted the first girl in a bikini of the summer, and Bruce is on the radio. Magic.

Know it. Love it.

third album i’ve gone through from this generator; first one where springsteen really clicked for me.

It's not the biggest-selling Bruce album, or the best. But it made him a superstar, and it contains three all-time classics in BTR, Jungleland and Thunder Road. A relisten reveals how much it's about Roy Bittan's piano and Clarence Clemons' sax. Possibly the most 'E Street' record of them all. Favourite bit ' the 1-2-3-4 count in during the middle 8 of BTR.

I'm not really a Springsteen fan but I can't deny that this is a strong and well crafted album.

Fabulous. What more can I say? Excellent from start to finish. Five stars

One of the best albums of all time in my opinion. Thunder road opening and jungleland closing is an incredible way to bookend a piece of art.

A great album by the boss. Probably his best songwriting and my second favorite album. So many good songs on this and born to run is arguably his best. Not much wrong with this one. 8.8/10

Every minute of this album oozes craft and greatness - from starting with Thunder Road to the title track Born to Run - the guitars drive - the saxophone blares and the piano thoughtfully sets the mood for this all American blue collar carnival - but it’s Bruce’s masterstroke that pulls it all off with his ridiculous car metaphors and blue jeans gung-ho storytelling. On paper all this sounds like my nightmare but it’s so much more than the sum of its parts

Born To Run: The breakthrough album. Actually prefer its predecessor The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle and also Darkness on the Edge of Town, above Born To Run. The songs on Born To Run are perhaps a bit less special. And also: the way the band is playing on WIESS is great - the songs go on for much longer and have this live feel. On Born To Run, songs are shorter and Jungle Land is for me the best song of the album (of course, the title song is iconic). Nevertheless, Born To Run is great too and a 5-star album of course.

I love this album, there is an unowned nostalgia to these songs. It takes be back to a time I never lived. Fantastic imagery and musicality.

amazing

I’m not one of those cult fans of Bruce Springstein, but I am a fan of America, so I will inflate his rating to 5 instead of 4.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce The Boss’ best album. One of the best albums of all time. Tramps like us, baby we were born to run

He’s the boss for a reason

I've never listened to this album all the way through, though I have probably listened to every track. Thunder Road is brilliant - it's gift (beyond the great lyrics and sense of yearning) it that it isn't allowed to do the same thing for more than a couple of bars at a time. It's constantly shifting and changing. Born to Run itself, is of course one of the greatest songs ever. Not sure what else there is to say there. The rest of the album has great intros, so much good saxophone it stole all the good sax breaks, resulting in all 80s songs (except Careless Whisper) featuring sax being terrible, and beautifully desperate lyrics. It's so piano led too. The pianoiest album that rocks ever? Soz Billy Joel. I'm still only giving it four stars, because a few songs (She's The One and Backstreets) outstay their welcome. Yet Jungleland at just shy of 10 minutes could be even longer and I'd still love it. I'll see how I feel in the morning, cos my judgement feels harsh! Update - like Kanye, this is an amazing album which I have very minor gripes about. I can't not give it 5

This one really is one of my all time favorites

I hadn't heard of Bruce until the Born to Run LP. I saw Bruce and the E street band twice but I saw him play Thunder Road, my favourite Springsteen song, only once. The die hard Springsteen fans will say this isn't possible since T-Road has a permanent spot on the playlist. Read it and weep. I moved to Toronto in 1985 and lived in a high-rise apartment building that overlooked Ryerson Theater. On the day I moved a few people started to hang around the Ryerson entrance and by the next morning those folks were joined by a 100 more.  I went and asked what they were doing and found out that two days later Springsteen tickets were going on sale. So if you had the time and inclination to stand in line for two days, you could get a seat in the first 10 rows. I called a couple of friends from Sudbury and asked if I should get a few tickets. They were ecstatic so I got the tickets and a month or so later we went to see Bruce. The crowd went crazy  when he started to play Thunder Road and it was amazing how many people knew all the words. This song is a long one and it doesn’t have a chorus. Every line is unique. When Bruce was a few lines into the song, around “Roy Orbison singing for the lonely'', the crowd was signing louder than Bruce was. By the time the second verse started, Bruce tapped out and just let the audience sing alone from the line “Don’t run back inside” until the line “You ain’t a beauty but hey you’re alright”. Bruce had to cut back in with a long and loud “Oh” since there is an unusually long pause before “that’s alright with me” and the audience would have sung it too early and fucked up the musicians’ timing. Even with Bruce singing again, you could hear the crowd sing the rest of the words. To be sure, the crowd singing this song isn’t like the crowd singing the chorus to “I want to rock n roll all night” at a fucking Kiss concert.  There were a lot of words to know and the crowd knew them all. I was impressed by the die hard Bruce fans.  Fast forward to 2013 and I am in Rio for business the week that Rock in Rio is on. A local who is a good friend says I should stay an extra day as he has concert tickets. I say "shut up and dance" even before he tells me The Boss is headlining. There must be 500,000 at this gig. I knew Bruce would play Thunder Road at some point and was ready to howl every word. It was around 300AM, he had been playing for around 2 hrs and he just finished playing the full Born in the USA LP. He finally starts to play some stuff from Born to Run. Great news! Or not.  My friend's new girlfriend says she is tired and wants to leave. Fothermucker. I couldn’t believe we had to leave before he played Thunder Road but I couldn’t be unhappy. She was a typical Brazilian woman- you know  a complete smokeshow. If someone who looked like her asked me to take her home then,  I would have pulled a Houdini in about 10 seconds. C'est la vie.  

When I first heard Born to Run on the radio, it didn’t make me want to run out and by the album, even though there was a lot of buzz about it. I think I gave in when I saw Bruce on the cover of Time Magazine. Thunder Road and Jungleland have a real epic feel to them, with the big production, the piano intros and the signature sax solos to close out. I like the jumbled, lyric-heavy feel, the way he doesn’t follow traditional song structures – unusual for a rock n’ roll guy. He jumps from rockers to ballads to soul: stylistically Tenth Avenue freeze Out and Night are miles apart (except for his energy) but they sound perfect back-to-back. There’s really no filler on this LP and I there are probably at least a dozen tracks that didn’t make the cut.

Parto con aspettative molto alte, anche se non sono un perfetto conoscitore del Boss. 'Thunder Road' si apre subito con l'armonica e la voce talmente calda, che basta per farti emozionare, che carica poi sul finale! 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-out' continua invece su una nota più allegra, che aiuta a rilasciare la tensione e l'emozione della precedente. Anche in 'Night' sono presenti degli accordi che, pur non essendo al livello delle precedenti, richiamano a qualcosa di epico e emozionante. Ecco ascoltando 'Backstreets', forse ho capito cosa mi succede in questo ascolto: le canzoni hanno un qualcosa delle power ballad tipiche dell'Hard Rock, ma senza esasperarne i tratti, sono emozionanti senza essere struggenti, sono vivaci senza essere "potenti" e sono belle. (Ho paura di mettermi a piangere a leggere i testi, quindi lo farò in un secondo ascolto) Tutte queste canzoni portano al climax: 'Born to run', un classico. E inoltre anche la stessa canzone è tutta indirizzata al ritornello, come un piano inclinato. 'She's the One' è più tranquilla e con 'Meeting along the River' aiuta a rilassare. 'Jungleland' è la giusta conclusione: emozionante, ma su un tono più tranquillo. 6/5

This album seems familiar to me though I'm not sure if i've heard it prior to today. it feels very danceable while trying to express his curiosity within the neighborhood his singing about.

Fruitful and hearty sound signature capturing the rock and roll spirit. Bruce Springsteen delivers sonically elaborate arrangements and structure, complete with hummable melodies. At its core, it can be considered one of the best Springsteen albums due to its charm.

I was so excited to get this album, as it's definitely one of my top all time favourites. I'll be the first to admit the The Boss doesn't exactly re-invent the wheel with his sound, but he does what what he does brilliantly. This album is no different, and it's equally an ode to the saxophone and to the American working class. I wish I could give it six stars! It's so hard to have a top pick, but it's gotta be 'Thunder Road', with honourable mentions to 'She's The One, 'Jungleland' and of course the title track.

It’s Bruce

Unas baladas de Bruce.

Well what can I say? It's a masterpiece. I think this album is the perfect all round Bruce album which I'd suggest to anyone who doesn't know him. Thunder Road is the quintessential Bruce song in my opinion, if you don't get that song, you just don't get Bruce. I've heard that song countless times but I still find it completely mesmerising. I'll prattling on, FIVE STARS

What else is there to say about this beast of an album. Starts off with a bang with the rocky track "Thunder Road" Gives this dusty, electromagnetic vibe that the album is notorious for. That edge in Springstreen's voice is so smokey and deep that it sounds captivating for the ears. That combination of trumpets, guitar and piano make this album what it is! "Jungleland" is an out of control track, that changes theme every minute. It's brilliant yet exciting, since you have zero idea where the song is going next. Of course "Born To Run" is a household name. Being a jazzy/ flashy dance segment to an intense series of verses at the end. Have a listen! Excellent lyrics as well, meaningful and thrilling

One of his finest albums. A great entry point for anyone who wants to hear The Boss

We're all Springsteen fans right? We all know his hits. We all know how amazing he is. But have we ever listened to one of his albums? I hadn't. But chose a cold, windy dog walk to listen, and it hit all the right spots. Amazeballs.

What an album. So many great songs and each one paints a picture. Close your eyes and listen to the song and you could be there. Absolutely brilliant

Classic album that I haven't listened to in a long time. Long overdue re-familiarizing myself with this album no fewer than 5 or 6 absolutely brilliant songs that sound as fresh as ever. Though still not my favourite Springsteen album, that distinction goes to Darkness On The Edge of Town with it's harder edge, still a no-brainer 5 star pick

Masterpiece

Listened to the first bit of Thunder Road, closed Spotify and pulled up some bootlegs. Amazing record; songs meant to be heard live.

Захотелось куда нибудь поехать по шоссе

September 13, 2021 I've rated several other albums five stars but this is one of my all-time favourites. So. Fucking. Good. I honestly would have a really hard time picking a favourite track because there are so many good ones. This time "Jungleland" did it for me.

way better than I thought it'd be. Incredibly impactful at the beginning and end

A masterpiece. I love his storytelling, and the muscle of the band. The gradual build up of Thunder Road, the note-for-note perfection of the title track, then THAT saxophone solo in Jungleland. Loved it for years, and it's still astounding every time I hear it.

Is this my favorite Springsteen album? I don’t know. That changes periodically. But this is definitely his best, most iconic, and the purest distillation of everything that he does great. Truly one of the best albums of all time. It sounds like the soundtrack to the greatest movie that doesn’t exist.

Classic

A masterpiece.

This needs no comment. Top 10 album of all time, without question.

One of my all time favorites. What a great way to begin this experience.

I was looking forward to putting the needle down on “Thunder Road” all day long. The record that made The Boss a star, and deservedly so.

The best album of the boss.

The album starts off incredibly strong with "Thunder Road" and keeps up the energy and strength as it moves, hitting a crescendo with "Born to Run" before coming down to prepare you for the end. I won't claim to know everything that Springsteen is trying to say, but his lyrics speak volumes and his voice just works with the words he sings, kind of like Dylan.

Great album no weak songs in the album great rock album from start to finish 5/5

Intricate storytelling about the American Dream and bombastic instrumentation. Gorgeous record from beginning to end and the title-track is a masterpiece.

Bem americano, muitos artistas que ouvi dos anos 80/90 tiveram uma grande influência desse estilo.

Superb album, love every track

Was soll ich dazu sagen?

What can you say about this album with its amazing storytelling combined with the Spectorish wall of sound. Rock and Roll at its height with a piano base. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and Born to Run are favorites.

Born To Run remains my favourite Springsteen record, and I always thought that was because it was my first. But listening again after all these years, I can safely report that every moment of this record is perfect. Springsteen's wails about breakin' out of the places that have always trapped him works as the perfect allegory for a suppressed working class that slowly realized that the American Dream was not meant for everyone. The sax work my Clarence, the drumming of Mad Dog/Weinberg, the keys provided Roy J. Bittan are absolute magic here. Heartbreaking to listen to, but still exhilarating after all these years. Fav Tracks: Thunder Road, Backstreets, Jungleland, Born To Run, et. al.

nice

Classic, listened twice

GOAT

The Boss is my godfather's favorite artist so I tried to listen in high school and didnt really enjoy it much. Now on this re-listen with more mature ears, I really enjoy the sound. Thunder Road and Born to Run are obvious stars but 10th Ave Freeze Out was probably my favorite.

Just a brilliant album from start to finish. Classic rock and roll don't get much better than this.

Fuckin sick

Pietra Miliare

Great album and lots of known songs & didn't know it was this old. Came out in '75. 9/10.

Piano sound on "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" gives it great energy. Very nice overall flow of the album. Always has the Bruce's way of saying words that are clear and somehow mush at the same time. Backstreets closes out side one perfectly.

One of my all-time favorite albums!

Listened to it before. Great album. Favorite track: Meeting Across The River

Great songs by a great artist and great band

Easily in my top 5 albums

Here we go.

One of favorites of all time. 5/5.

So good. The title track is obviously a classic and the whole album is just fantastic

5*

Vintage Springsteen!

9.5/10 FT: Thunder road

Loved the big instrumental sections. Found those better than the singing bits. Was tied between 3/4 but will give him the BOTD this time.

I get the Jim Steinman comparisons but I don’t see that as a negative, bombastic, operatic, aspirational, story driven rock isn’t something there seems to be enough of nowadays. 4.3

Thunder road and born to run are brilliant. The rest of the album is solid.

I knew a couple of tracks but not the album as a whole. I wanted to understand the lyrics better, so I read along while listening. The motif of driving (night driving for temporary escape, more broadly getting away) seemed a little overworked, avoided talking about what was actually going on the rest of the time - stuck at feelings of frustration rather than why, or what next? Meanwhile the music was decent though not quite my thing. I am more positively disposed to the album on realising/accepting that Backstreets is about two guys, so the album is a suite not a single story. Title track is incredible, I know it well from many listens to a copy recorded off radio, I tips my hat to the wall of sound and consistent high emotional impact of arranging and production choices. Album as a whole I’ll say is Good, 7/10.

Kind of ok. Bruce isn't my fave rocher,

Born to Run is everything you could possibly want out of a Springsteen record. It's a storytelling album before anything else, but there are hits to sweep you off your feet as well. The flipside can't compete with Side A, but Jungeland pulls it all together before signing off.

The Boss at his finest moment

Not a bad album ,excellent instrumentals and his voice is way better than i remember. I can see why he was such a big blue collar singer - really think i under appreciated the Boss :D

i love piano heavy travks. thunder rd, tenth ave freeze out, she’s the one, born to run, and night.

Great listen 4.5

A really enjoyable rock album. There’s a fair bit more piano than I expected, but in no way does that bring this down any. Good tunes.

bruce e' bruce

the cover is so cute

Like

cmon it’s Bruce Springsteen

My quest to fully appreciate Springsteen continues. The album starts with just a harmonica and piano. After about a minute, the rest of the band kicks in, or so it seems. “Thunder Road” continues to build up with more and more layers of instrumentation until every space in your eardrums are filled. I'm not a fan of the Spector “Wall of Sound” approach in general, thinking it feels overproduced. Which is maybe a large part of why I never fully connected with Bruce's music. I stayed with this album for longer than a day to give it my full attention, and it's finally starting to click. “Thunder Road” doesn't just build up in density of sound and instrumentation, it builds equally in energy as it progresses. I think that's the key. The horns, guitars, keys, rhythm and various other instruments that the E Street Band bring to surround Bruce's central melody are polished to perfection. But all of these songs still feel very “alive”, not studio-constructed. It feels like listening to a live performance of a band that's extremely proficient. At times you can even hear Bruce counting them in “one, two, three, four…”. Everything feels vibrant and loose, for how tight it all is. Springsteen said that he wanted Born to Run to sound like "Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Spector". Well that's exactly what “Born to Run” sounds like to me, so I guess he did it. He's a great storyteller. These songs tell various tales of down-and-out characters seeking escape, painting a picture of a troubled America, all set to big band folk rock nostalgia. That's quite a clever juxtaposition. His voice is particularly great in “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Backstreets”, which also has that amazing breakdown “hiding on the backstreets…”. The title track holds up very well to the enormous amount of overplaying it's gotten. There's just so much going on in the layers of the song that you could focus on some new aspect, some instrument you missed the last time you heard it, and wind up hearing a whole new side of the song. It keeps the song feeling very fresh. Sure, the rougher-around-the-edges folk masterpiece “We Shall Overcome” is still by far my favorite Bruce album, but I can finally say that I'm starting to understand, and fully appreciate, classic Springsteen.

I'm not a hig Sprongsteen fan, but this album is definitely good. Title track is an all time banger.

I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever sat down and listened to a full Springsteen album, despite being so familiar with the standard hits. I'm not sure if it was more, or less, of what I expected, and that's to its credit. The opening track gives me major Bat Out of Hell-era Jim Steinman vibes, and I enjoy that. It's actually easier to say which songs I enjoyed the least, because there's only two, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" and "Night." The rest are all excellent. Springsteen's writing for this album is very reminiscent of what I love in the songwriting of Tom Waits, stories that highlight the highs and lows of normal people, and the world they live in.This is a very enjoyable album, and I'm surprised it took me until now to actually give it a listen.

overall: 7.9/10 favorites: born to run backstreets jungleland

Good album, has a bunch of my favorite Springsteen tunes. I listened to it twice, four stars.

Liked it more than I expected

Very palatable with some fun riffs. Good mix of songs, good composition of instruments.

A classic!

All very solid. He is the Boss, after all.

Soooo sexy.

I've definitely come to appreciate Bruce more in recent years, particularly with his willingness to speak out against the current political climate in the US. This album is a great look at early Springsteen with a cast of very capable musicians creating solid memorable tunes.

It’s been cool to hear my first three Springsteen albums in the last month and they are all from different decades and a total of four apart, incredible longevity is clearly on display. I’ve gained plenty of respect for Bruce the more I hear from and learn about him. He excels here once again, with great storytelling, instrumentation, and energy. This was a super straightforward analysis and I have no complaints. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Born to Run, Jungleland, Thunder Road

7 - GOOD