Bruce Springsteen/YMMV


 * Covered Up: Springsteen didn't write "Jersey Girl", Tom Waits did.
 * He was the first to record "Blinded by the Light," a cover of which became the signature song of Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
 * His own "Because the Night" got covered up by Patti Smith (although she recorded it first).
 * "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is now probably better known in the rather different Rage Against the Machine version.
 * Creator Thumbprint: Springsteen incorporates imagery and metaphors related to amusement parks, fairgrounds and carnivals (he called one album Tunnel Of Love). Appropriate as it was the Jersey Shore where Bruce developed a following in The Sixties.
 * Cars also turn up frequently, as the Cool Car entry on the main page points out.
 * Crowning Moment of Heartwarming: "Working On A Dream".
 * "The Wish", an autobiographical song about his mom buying him a guitar for Christmas: "Well, tonight I'm takin' requests here in the kitchen, this one's for you, ma, let me come right out and say it, it's overdue, but baby, if you're looking for a sad song, well, I ain't gonna play it!"
 * As noted on TheDailyShow page, Jon Stewart dedicating the Moment of Zen to Clarence Clemons after the Big Man's passing.
 * Also Bruce's own tribute to the Big Man in the liner notes of Wrecking Ball.
 * The story about his father while introducing "The River" on the Live 1975-85 set.
 * "Terry's Song."
 * Crowning Music of Awesome: His section is here (scroll down).
 * Downer Ending: Extremely common in his discography.
 * Ensemble Darkhorse: The Big Man, Clarence Clemons. Always introduced last, to the loudest applause. You could usually hear, on live recordings, a swell in the crowd noise when he got a solo. Also The Stoic and usually The Voiceless, although he could and sometimes did sing.
 * Steve Van Zandt could claim this now, but for very unmusical reasons.
 * Clemons sometimes toured on his own with a band called "The Big Man's Temple of Soul". And his shows were every bit as intense as Bruce's.
 * Epic Riff:
 * "Born to Run"
 * "Thunder Road" (Harmonica)
 * "Backstreets" (Piano)
 * Jungleland (Piano/Violin)
 * "Born In The U.S.A." (Synthesizer/Piano)
 * The new version of "Land of Hope and Dreams" highlights a killer banjo / acoustic guitar riff.
 * "Last to Die" (guitar; violin/keyboard live)
 * "Radio Nowhere" (guitar)
 * Ho Yay: Played for laughs with guitarist Steve Van Zandt.
 * Seeing as "Bobby Jean" is about Steve leaving the band in the eighties, not just for laughs...
 * He used to close "Thunder Road" by sliding across the stage, ending up on his knees in front of Clarence Clemons, who would proceed to kiss him passionately.
 * Clemons had a girlfriend who dumped him because she thought he was cheating on her with Bruce.
 * I Am Not Shazam: The protagonist of "Johnny 99" is named Ralph, not Johnny. The title refers to his 99-year prison sentence for trying to rob a nightclub, which the song is about.
 * It's Popular, Now It Sucks: There's a contingent of hardcore fans who dismiss Born in the USA because it was too commercially successful.
 * Memetic Badass: Clarence. The story of how he joined the band: They were playing in a small club on a rather stormy night, he showed up and accidentally tore the door off its hinges and told Bruce "I want to play with your band."
 * According to legend, Bruce's response was, "...uh, you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT, man..."
 * Misaimed Fandom: How many times has "Born in the USA" been trotted out on July 4th or otherwise associated with some form of patriotism?
 * "Born to Run" is considered one of New Jersey state's songs despite it being about, in Springsteen's own words, "about leaving Jersey.".
 * Notably, at the time, working-class Freehold, which he also somewhat bittersweetly skewers in My Hometown, and In Freehold.
 * Nightmare Fuel: The last few lines of "Magic": On the road the sun is sinkin' low / Bodies hanging in the trees / This is what what will be / This is what will be...
 * Retroactive Recognition: Conan O'Brien's drummer used to be in a rock band?