Bruce Springsteen

this is the BEST album of 1987!

Way to age gracefully, Bruce.

We have both CD and LP, both have poor sound quality-distorted midrange to treble. Previously only played on computer/and MP3 players, did not notice inferior quality until we played both CD and LP on our nicer stereo system.
We love Springsteen, this would be one of his best albums ever except for the sound quality.

Finally got a chance to hear this on loan from my local library. Others might do the same if curious and spare the grief of listening as if Phil Spector's downstairs neighbor. I am terribly disappointed in Mr. Springsteen for this recent entry into his discography as it's merit will forever fail on the overtly compressed production engineering tapped only for the mp3 age. It certainly makes 'Nebraska' and it's living room production a 5 star and the initially flawed mastering on Columbia's first 'Born to Run' compact disc seem just pristine. Now unfortunately producer O'Brian is at the helm of the new 'Working on a Dream'.

As for "C. Perry" review re: >It's overproduced and almost unlistenable. It has violins. Violins on a Springsteen album!!!!! < check Suki Lahav - thems good violins!!!!!

"Magic" is not one of my favorite Springsteen sets. I waited for a year for the price to come down and am glad I bought a used budget copy. My failure to connect with this set is because the songs blend together for me. My favorite track is "Living in the Future" with a great rocking sound that E-Street blows out the roof. Springsteen's vocals on the track are committed, "My faith's been torn asunder, tell me is that rollin' thunder or just the sinkin' sound of somethin' righteous goin' under?" However, the song sounds much better to me in a playlist rotation with other artists rather than in the context of "Magic." The opening track "Radio Nowhere" is also good with its booming throbbing, "Bouncing off a satellite, crushin' the last lone American night." "Your Own Worst Enemy," "Gypsy Biker," & "I'll Work for Your Love" sound like replays of better Springsteen songs from the past. Perhaps Bruce's new "Dreams" CD will be better! Taxi!

This is a great collection of songs. The absolute standout for me is "Girls in their Summer Clothes". It's perfect!

They dont call him the Boss for nothing. Bruce Springsteen makes great rock music for middle America. People are always going to complain that there are tracks missing, these people are true fans and probably already own all the albums...to this I say make your own greatest hits cds on your computer. However to fans that are casually into Bruce Springsteen this is a great cd packed with well known songs. For my two cents Glory Days is the best song on the album followed by Secret Garden. Even if you are not a big rock fan this album is worth your money.

As a longtime Bruce fan, I found this release just a tad bit disappointing. I still bought it and it's a great single-disc collection, nonetheless.

But now there are so many other collections. '18 Tracks,' 'The Essential Bruce Springsteen' and the 'Live 1975-85' are all out, and are quite a bit better than this, especially '18 Tracks.'

But this has all of the Bruce standards. 'Born To Run,' 'Badlands,' 'Hungry Heart,' 'Atlantic City,' 'Thunder Road,' and 'The River' are all on this set. And the sound quality is superb.

But why didn't they include a song like 'Rosalita,' 'Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,' 'The Tunnel Of Love' or 'Blinded By The Light' as opposed to one of the new songs like 'Secret Garden'? I loved the two new songs 'This Hard Land' and 'Blood Brothers,' but 'Secret Garden' and 'Murder Incorporated' just can't hold a candle to those two.

Overall, this is a good Bruce set that has it's moments, but if you want a definitive Bruce set, buy something else. If you are a die-hard fan just buying this for the new songs, than it's well worth it.

Recommended, but only for die-hards or really casual Bruce fans.

This item arrived sooner than I had expected it to. The condition of the merchandise was as described in the offer for it. I am pleased with the service that I received.

Anytime a major artist releases a CD labeled "Greatest Hits," all bets are off! There will always be disagreements over what is (or should be) on the CD. Surely no difference here, as one can see from the variety of reviews already posted.

However, my own sense is that this is not a bad collection of Springsteen's hits. It opens with a song that helped propel him to greater fame and renown than previously--"Born to Run." One of the best rock songs around (and one nice aspect of this CD is that the lyrics show up, so that people can see the actual words of the songs). Other top notch songs appear on this CD: "Thunder Road," "Badlands," "Hungry Heart," "Dancing in the Dark," "Born in the U.S.A." and so on.

The collection captures the range of Springsteen's work, from the hard rockers to more introspective songs, from the sound of the E Street Band joining him to sparer instrumentation.

Questions? Sure. Nothing earlier than "Born to Run"? There were some very nice pieces before that iconic tune. Also, I could see other songs as candidates for inclusion--"10th Avenue Freezeout," "Jungleland," and so on. Nonetheless, this works well as a Greatest Hits compilation for Bruce Springsteen. Fans may have all his CDs, but it's sometimes nice to have a compilation available of some of the best works available. And if you don't have a lot of Springsteen's works, then this is "must hear music."

I am buying this CD to replace my well worn tape and old scratched cd. Hopefully my kids will take better care of this one than my previous copy. This is my favorite Springsteen album - but I have not heard all of Magic.

Is Born in the U.S.A. too commercial? A sellout? No way! If you remember the 1980s like I do, the songs from Born in the U.S.A. (1984) were like lifelines to authentic rock n' roll on the radio for us die hard 1960-70s rockers. Sure, the album had an updated sound that now sort of makes it a product of it's times, but that's one of the things that makes this album so special. Born in the U.S.A. plays a big part in defining the life and times of the 1980s in many people's memories. And clearly, Bruce Springsteen is still The Boss here.

The album is Springsteen's most commercially successful by a long shot, and it's also one of the most successful albums in history (it had seven top ten singles which tied the all-time record for a single album). While Born in the U.S.A. isn't quite the masterpiece that Born to Run is, it still is a masterpiece, and one of the best albums of Springsteen's career.

The anthemic title song starts things off and lays the foundation for the rest of the album. A song about a Vietnam veteran who, after going overseas and fighting in a war for the U.S.A., is forgotten by his own country when he returns home. It's an angry and disgusted battle cry against the injustice of it all. The underrated and guitar rocking Cover Me follows, and I think this is one of the best songs Bruce has ever done. Energetic, desperate and lonely, it picks up where the title cut ends.

The whole world is out there just trying to score
I've seen enough, I don't want to see any more
Cover me, come on in and cover me
I'm looking for a lover who will come on in and cover me

Downbound Train is a real heavyweight here, too. Although it wasn't released as a single, it's gotten a lot of airplay on AOR radio, and has become a fan favorite over the years. It's a minor-key dirge that laments a life falling apart. When Springsteen sings a song like this, his compassion draws you in and makes you feel the reality of the situation.

I'm On Fire is madly quiet, spooky and full of shadowy lust. Bobby Jean is an upbeat rocker that celebrates a close friendship and love, but also bids a tragic and sorrowful farewell.

Now I wish you would have told me
I wish I could have talked to you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean

I'm Going Down, Glory Days and Dancing In The Dark were all monster hit singles, and they're great songs, too. Classic Springsteen. Don't let the synthesizers in some of these songs turn you away from this great album. The E Street Band's rocking guitars, Clarence Clemons' expressive saxophone and Bruce's desperate, raspy and dramatic voice are still the main attractions here. And Born in the U.S.A. includes some of The Boss' most compelling songwriting ever.

The album ends with the classic My Hometown. The song wistfully reflects on life in America from childhood on, the hopelessness of a town's economic blight, and jobs forever lost. Springsteen isn't looking through rose colored glasses on this album, and the U.S.A. that he sings about is not picture postcard perfect. But while the image of the America we see here is framed with hard times and disillusionment, the portrait itself is really of the perseverance, compassion and hope of the American spirit.

Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
Talking about getting out
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel
And said son take a good look around
This is your hometown

The "Born" CDs were what made the Boss' legend. Those were the ones you'd hear on the radio no end back in the day. I admit, I prefer "Born to Run" over "Born in the USA".

This is a great early day Bruce CD and I think still a must for any Boss fan. My favorites:

Born in the USA
Dancing in the Dark
Glory Days

Rebecca Kyle, August 2008

I am working my way through Springsteen's catalogue and reviewing as I go. After listening to The River and Nebraska I searched for Born in the USA in my cd collection. It wasn't there! Perhaps this is a clue? Anyway I dug out the vinyl and am listening to it as I type. As I review the music and not the sound quality the source is irrelevant.

First, an admission - when this was released in the summer of 1984 I had been a fan for over ten years already AND I hadn't been thrilled with the commercial quality of some of the songs on 1980's The River. The album's title worried me a little (I know, I know already - it isn't a patriotic rant. However, until you listened to the lyrics you didn't know this). Therefore, for several reasons, I approached this new release with trepidation. Was I correct to do so? Well, I have to admit that upon its release I wasn't really partial to this record! It just didn't grab me like The Wild, the first Born, Stranger and Nebraska had when I first listened to them. I expected more. As of today there are 134 four and five star reviews and only 15 negative ones for this record. Should I doubt myself? Was my first assessment misguided? I know that I may be pissing into the wind but after listening to this Born a couple of times today I have no reason to reconsider my initial response. It isn't a bad record by any standard. It just isn't up to the standard that Springsteen set for himself with his earlier releases. Perhaps it is because the subject matter and the music are all so familiar. With Nebraska he had staked out new ground. I guess I was expecting a new direction; a continuation of his artistic development. To my mind Springsteen had already covered the ground that he explores on this record in a more interesting manner. I would like to be more positive but I cannot. Until today I hadn't listened to Born in the USA for twenty years. I may never pull it out again. If I want to hear Bruce I'll spin his earlier music and a couple of later cds.

Born In the Usa was my introduction to Bruce Springsteen. I wasn't old enough to see the tour, but I talked about him so much, adult friends who DID go brought me souveniers:) I played the weekly top forty every Saturday to hear him during chores, and when I finally got the cassette, I played THAT non stop. It was such a fabulous experience, when my adult friends told me that Springsteen had a long history of great music, I was hard pressed to believe them? BETTER than Born in the USA? I still love this album, although my favourite remains his Live 75 thru 85 set, I got that for Christmas the year it came out and it just cemented my love affair with Bruce Springsteen's music. Born In the USA will always be bright with the amazement of discovering this incredible songwriter and his equally incredible band.

GREAT CD had the album but had to have the CD due to the album being scracted. WHO doesn't like the BOSS!!!

of buying hundreds of dollars worth of Music , Books and Etc , making Amazon what it is , I would expect this to be a Xmass Present to All of Us Regular Customers ... It would have been a Nice Touch , too bad we only think of Profits ... When was the last time a Company gave you a Freebee for making it what it is ? ... I can't Remember ... But , hard times are a comming , we will see If we Can Survive The Crunch ... Good Luck ...

The release is a neat cross-section of a decade of pop culture, with an obvious focus on those who were - or continue to be - the chart toppers.

The one artist with the most remarkable staying power is Bruce Springsteen, who continues to churn out timeless music. Dave Matthews Band, Norah Jones, Coldplay and Backstreet Boys cover a lot of musical turf in the ever-changing entertainment universe.

This is a good collection at a great price that benefits an outstanding cause.

While this collection includes most of Springsteen's classics, several important ones are missing (My Hometown, I'm On Fire, Better Days, Secret Garden, Waitin' On A Sunny Day). It does however include some songs from his first two albums, which I would not call "essential." If they are going to call a collection THE Essential, then it should include every top 40 single the artist has released to date. This album does not do that.

I give this collection 3 stars because don't include two greatest 80's hits: I'M ON FIRE and MY HOME TOWN not even in the GREATEST HITS album.

thank you for sending a wonderful CD, a great collection of Bruce's music over the decades. Thanks

This is a great album for getting a taste of the Boss from all eras of his career except the most recent of course seeing as this cd was done in the early 90's.
It missed a few old favorites, like Growing Up, Seaside Bar Song but it was a good mix, wish it had Something in the Night, and Tougher Than The Rest. The third cd has some not so often heard music on it.
It is a great addition to your Bruce Springsteen Library

Is this complilation Bruce's fault, or the record label's? I mean, I've seen many other collections that are missing songs and figured that the label must be screwing people. Has Bruce pulled a Metallica?

There are a lot of good songs on here, but no My City of Ruin (which was a 9/11 anthem, and which Kevin Smith liked enough to include in the movie Jersey Girl)? No The Rising? In fact, I find it funny that the guys screaming "sell out" aren't even asking about these songs. Those are some of my favorites.

Simply put this is one of the greatest albums ever made by anyone in any genre. An extremely talented young man pouring his heart out and risking it all. The songs speak for themselves. This story is his story, its your story its my story its history. Buy This for sure. Listen to this for 40 minutes and it feels like you just enjoyed the best 2 hour movie you ever saw.

This has become Bruce Springsteen's most popular album, and for good reason- the songwriting is very good this time around, and immediately enjoyable for most people. This is one of those albums that people listen to and remember exactly where they were when they first heard these songs.

Some of these songs blow me away completely and make me fully aware just how talented the Boss is, such as "She's the One" and "Jungleland". Love those tunes.

Classic rock radio actually doesn't play those songs as much as you'd think- instead they choose to stick with the title track and "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and ignore pretty much the rest of the album. Of course that's wrong, but we can't do anything about it.

My only complaint is that Bruce was obviously going for some kind of deliberate loud and explosive bombastic sound while making these songs, and sometimes that's a turn off to me personally because the songs end up sounding like some kind of stage show. Bruce Springsteen is no Abba!

Other than that, the quality of the songwriting is very good. And you know, I've never noticed it before, but Bruce's voice resembles Elvis Presley a little bit when he lets it shake. That's pretty cool.

A monolith of 70's music, this is Springsteen's attempt at summarizing everything that was good and pure about the previous two decades of American rock 'n' roll. "Thunder Road" alone spikes a tap deep into half a century of post-war American folk and teenage mythology, with its casual references to Roy Orbison, Robert Mitchum films, prom-night fantasies, country porches, dusty beach roads and adolescent "Leader of the Pack" ghosts.

It's a very calculated album, though, and I confess that this premeditation hurts it when compared to the more spontaneous "noble savage" vibe of The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. Some of the music on here is actually rather generic for Springsteen during this era: "Night" is Boss-by-the-numbers, seemingly written as a means to a conceptual end, and "She's The One" fails to deliver on the promise of its Bo Diddley necromancy. (Try to check it out live, however...the performances from Springsteen's 1978 tour, with "Mona" interpolated, finally pull it off.)

As proof of how naked and daring Springsteen's stylized ambitions were on Born To Run, realize that "Jungleland" -- with its star-crossed "Magic Rat" and "Barefoot Girl," musical gangs full of kids who "flash guitars just like switchblades," and midnight shoot-out leaving the hero dead while the Girl mourns -- is nothing more than a goofy 1974 rewrite of that hoary Broadway chestnut West Side Story.

And as proof of how well he managed to pull all this off?...well, why don't you just admit that most of y'all have been hearing this song for more than 30 years now without making that connection. Pretty good job, I'd say. But still, Born To Run is too consciously artifical in its construction to rank as Bruce's best. On later albums, the seams, joints and bolts of his assembly didn't show nearly as much. On earlier ones, the act of creation was more organic. I can't remotely conceive of anyone being disappointed if they buy this album (for god's sake please do it...it's much more than just the two radio hits), but it's not his finest work.

It's almost impossible to write an adequate review of "Born to Run", because so much has been written about it, ultimately you'll just be echoing others' sentiments. You can try to find different ways of wording it, but in the end you're just heaping more praise upon an album that is universally considered a masterpiece.

Not that you'll get any argument from me on that front. If the perfect album is impossible to create, than BTR is a close as it's going to get. Why? Because it transcends being simply music. This truly is a cinematic album, like a soundtrack to a movie never made, except that the album IS the movie. It really draws you in that way. You don't listen to BTR, you experience it. Yes, it's THAT good.

From the gentle opening of "Thunder Road" (which just may be the greatest rock song of all time) to the pure exhilaration of "Night" and the title track, to Springsteen's tortured howl that ends "Jungleland" and the album, every note is perfect. There's not one line that doesn't fit. Every song is just plain great, nothing even comes close to filler. There's no way to really explain it if you haven't listened; It all just fits perfectly. Because Springsteen knew this was a make-or-break album, there's an unmistakable air of actual meaning behind everything sung here. Just incredible.

Some (if not most) Springsteen albums are made to be listened to under specific conditions. I mean, you wouldn't take "Nebraska" in the CD player as you cruise on a Summer day, would you? Some work fine in the car, but others you need to just sit back and 'feel' (indeed, every album of his should be listened to this way, save for "Human Touch", which is strictly background music). BTR is perfect no matter how you listen to it. Sit back and let "She's the One" and the haunting "Meeting Across the River" strike you right in the heart, or drive down main street while "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" plays. Driving at night with "Night" and then "Backstreets" as your background music is positively electrifying; I know from first-hand experience.

BTR is sort of a transitional album in that it combines some of the romanticism of Springsteen's first two albums with tales of loss and despair that would come to the forefront on "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and beyond. "Thunder Road", "Night", the title track, and even "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" all rely on youthful hope and nighttime redemption; the need to get out of whatever situation these characters find themselves in and try to find something, anything better. But where there's some optimism in those songs, "Backstreets" "Meeting Across the River", and "Jungleland" all point to dashed dreams, dead-ends, and even death. Springsteen employed a method where each side of the original vinyl would begin hopeful, and end in despair (an effect that is sadly lost in the CD translation). "Darkness..." would use this method, albeit with a much darker undercurrent.

In the end, it's hard to find any fault in "Born to Run". It's one of those rare albums that garnered monumental hype, and managed to completely live up to it, if not surpass it. Only the aforementioned "Darkness on the Edge of Town" comes close. No doubt about it, this is the greatest album ever made.

Born to Run is the album that started Bruce Springsteen to the fame he enjoys now.
The album has a raw charm, but it is a kick back to the Rock of the 50's and 60's.
Bruce at one time wanted to become a premier guitarist but realized his efforts were in vain. He decided to concentrate on writing and performing instead. In time he has become one of the very best writers in Rock.
This is his signature album (arguably with Born in the USA).
If you like Bruce Springsteen this album is a must.

This is one of the best CDs I've ever owned. It is outstanding! Springsteen does a fabulous job on each and every song. He reaches your heart while singing to the Irish mother in Mrs. McGrath and comforts those listening to O Mary don't you weep. I cry every time I listen to his rendition of We Shall Overcome. It makes me remember how determined Martin Luther King was as he sacrified a scholarly life to march and withstand imprisonment to help us poor uneducated Southern black people. However, the songs on the CD aren't all about sorrow. I laugh every time I hear Old Froggie Went A Courtin. It was a song my sickly uncle sang to me when I was four or five. I was always on the lookout for a frog wedding in the Louisiana swamp.
Deborah Savoy

Bruce and the gang sound like they had a whale of a time making this album. It's great fun to listen to in the car.

My one criticism would be that Bruce tends to use a phony southern accent when he sings. Oh, and "Shenendoah," as others have pointed out, is the low point.

Otherwise--kick up your heels!

This is indeed a wonderful rediscovery of American musical traditions which, I believe, are being relegated to the archives. The Smithsonian does a good job of protecting it from extinction.Bruce Springsteen has made the music and the free flowing atmosphere in which the music was originally sung, come alive in a contemporary setting. With all its rich complexity and diversity, American music has two dominant roots, those derived from European immigrants and those derived from African roots. As an avid listener, the dominant music of the past 20 years or so has been the African tradition. This evolved into Gospel, R&B, Blues, Hiphop, Rap and so on. Somewhere along the way, the other great tradition was being swamped, relegated to the archives and kept alive by small bands of people (such as those who have joined Springsteen in this recording at his farm). Contemporary 'country' music is also, I sadly believe, gotten distanced from the 'folk' tradition. It is in this context that I see this as a breakthrough album. Sprinsteen and his informal band of musicians play freely as this music was meant to be played and the joy comes out in the creation. This is not a simple rendition of Pete Seeger's songs, Springsteen and his group have made this their very own and by doing this they have made this wonderful tradition come alive again. You hear the sounds of the banjo and the mandoline, the accordian and the violine, the trumpet and saxophone as well as the B3 organ and piano and drums in purcussion that they would never have used a 100 years ago. It is street corner music, tavern music, gutter music and all the music that is rough and raw on the edges, that is sung and played unrehersed, with the same rawness, beauty and freedom. Do not expect well rehersed studio renditions. This is the very opposite of smooth pop and the American Idol. This album is an absolute treasure.

I love all of Spingsteen's familiar styles: the anthemic rock, the moving ballad and the acoustic folk of the somber Nebraska. This album, however, simply does not appeal to me on any level. Perhaps it is because I was expecting some profundity, some soul stirring interpretations of the more serious songs associated with Pete Seeger. Unfortunately both the sounds and the songs disappoint, and the blend most of all. Many of the tracks are folk standards of the blandest type, like the introductory Old Dan Tucker. The exuberant treatment feels wasted on such repetitive, nonsensical lyrics.

Some songs have a gospel undertone, like the classic We Shall Overcome with its soulful backing vocals, Jacob's Ladder with the rousing vocals of its gospel choir and the melancholy Shenandoah which is one of the few highlights. Still I prefer Bob Dylan's version on his album Down in the Groove. Others have a country feel like the authentic-sounding lament My Oklahoma Home with its powerful male backing vocals. Country also surfaces in the uptempo Pay Me My Money Down which is redeemed by an impressive arrangement and instrumental virtuosity. Others are really rock music, like O Mary Don't You Weep with its biblical imagery and the raucous John Henry, a fast-paced song with frisky fiddles and Bruce shouting too loudly.

The slower numbers include the brooding Eyes On The Prize, Mrs McGrath and Erie Canal, a song with lovely banjo that incorporates jazzy improvisations in the instrumental sections. The tracks that I would listen to again are Jesse James, a lilting, energetic story song about the Robin Hood character, and of the aforementioned: Jacob's Ladder for its inspiring gospel voices, the melancholy My Oklahoma Home, Shenandoah with its spiritual undertone and maybe We Shall Overcome. Emblematic of the work as a whole, Froggie Went a Courtin' is the type of folk song that ought to remain restricted to kiddie's records. The video material on the recording, conversations with the musicians and the song videos contribute nothing to ameliorate the disappointment.

Something went wrong somewhere. The wide array of instruments encompasses guitar, sax, banjo, organ, accordion, mandolin, viola, tuba, drums and trumpet, and the playing is mostly enthusiastic. The arrangements aren't always suitable to the song but not bad for the chosen style. Many song segments stand out for the appealing instrumentation. But the arrangements and instrumentation simply do not blend with Bruce's sometimes shouted & sometimes mumbled vocals. Judging by the reviews, this album is clearly enjoyed by multitudes, which I find incomprehensible. Yes, there's no accounting for taste and to each their own, but I am baffled as to why Springsteen fans would even find The Seeger Sessions listenable. Time will tell; history's verdict may be harsh.

Where to start..?

Buy this album. It is one of the best folk albums I have ever heard. And they made it in New Jersey.

New Jersey.

Batten down the hatches, prepare for rapture. Things are not as we expected. I mean, this stuff is revelation.

Now, I have always loved Bruce. Really loved him. Especially Nebraska, which I believe to be one of the greatest albums ever recorded. But this tops even that. Utter authenticity. Like 'Where Brother,' but even cleaner. And performed with sheer virtuosity. This is what real music sounds like.

Let's just say that I doubt Courtney Cox is gonna get caught on film getting down to this..

This is a good addition to your music collection if you already have the studio albums but I have to admit I like the studio work better. You just can't improve on "Born to run", "The River" and Born in the USA" CDs.

Live albums. Some artists shine. The live recordings show why they are so popular when they hit the road. Others should run screaming when their record label or their manager suggests a live project! Springsteen is one of the former. He and his band have always had a reputation as a killer live act. Live 1975-1985 shows that their reputation is well deserved.

By the time these cds were released just before Xmas, 1986, Springsteen had made seven records, including one double. This is sixteen sides of music. Each was a classic. There are about forty songs on this live collection. If you subtract five non-Springsteen songs we are left with thirty-five live songs. That would be about two songs for each LP side! Thus, these three discs should contain la crème de la crème. Discs one and two certainly get us off to a great start. The cuts are primarily from concerts heard between 1975 and 1980. Unfortunately, thereafter, for me at least, the set runs out of steam a little as we are given seven songs from Born in the USA - my least favourite of his first seven records. However, all in all, I shouldn't quibble with the song selection. After all, my favourites are not necessarily yours.

The singing and the playing are, as one would expect, first class throughout. Bruce is always in good voice. The E Street Band is as tight as it is in the studio. The balance between vocals and instruments is mixed perfectly. The base and drums rumble deeply, the piano tinkles brightly, the vocals are clear, the guitar solos are crisp. All is in balance. The pacing of the songs, often so screwed up in live performances - too damned fast - is right on. Several songs are actually slowed down to great effect (e.g. Thunder Road).

Live albums are often only for the diehard fans. This set is an exception. If you own no other Springsteen records and you are looking for an introduction this would be a great start. I cannot honestly say that I am a huge Springsteen fan. Although I have nearly all of his releases I do not think about him the way I think about, for instance, Van Morrison or Elvis Costello. Having admitted this, I must also admit that every time I spin a Springsteen record I am surprised by my reaction. I start to listen and expect to enjoy the experience. I end up believing that he is one of the great talents of all time.

This album has taken all the best live performances and put them into one album... since they are all live the have woven the tracks from one to the other seamlessly so this album seems like a live concert...
great album.

The BOSS is the best in the BIZ. I love his music and I finally wore out the cassette copy of this music I recieved from my sister back in the early 90's. I am sure I will listen to this CD for decades to come.

I ordered the boxed set of Springsteen Live: 1975-85. I had this set on casette years ago when it came out. I literally wore it out.
This item was delivered to me promptly and I am well on my way to wearing it out....Thank you .....Velma