More Bruce Than Patti Can Stand In One Sitting!!

Some artist have the ability to write about anything. Some artist have the ability to make their music seem like real life stories. Then there are some who have the ability to do both. Throughout his career, Springsteen has been the poet of the middle class. His music deals with the life of the person who is right there out in the streets. It might be your neighbor he is singing about, or it might be you in some way.

There is very few that cannot relate to the message that Springsteen brings to his audience. It is a message that is real and so honest that all of us, have had to deal with some of the everyday occurrences that he sings about.

It is no surprise that there is such of a wealth of material that he has produced but never released. He has been one of the most prolific writers of our time. These treasures, although familiar to Bruce fans, will open many a new door for the casual listener!

Some of this material has been played in concert since his early days. Another portion of this music has been floating around in bootleg versions for years now. Finally this stuff has been released and you can hear the music at it's best. The recordings for the most part are very good. That is because a lot of this stuff was suppose to be on different albums. It was left off for a variety of reasons. Such as not fitting the overall theme of a certain album.

This is not to say that this is second rate music. True, there is some weaker stuff in this compilation, but overall, it has some very dynamite work that should have a much wider appeal than it does. There are also the first demos that Bruce did for Columbia. These songs are a pure treat for the fan. To hear his first recordings and just thinking about how far he has come and how good his music was even back then!

So give yourself a very special treat. Pick up this great collection, sit back and grow up with Bruce. From his first Columbia recording to his latest work, this set covers it all. You will not be disappointed!!

The first disc covers the years 1972-1977. These recordings are the raw and unrefined Springsteen. Listening to them now, you can see where the music evolved from. This is the birth of a legend. The legend that continues to grow!

"Mary Queen of Arkansas" is the first song ever recorded by Bruce at the Columbia studio. This demo is just Bruce and his guitar. You can hear the passion and fire in his singing. You also hear the way that he, even this far back, uses the sounds of the guitar to overwhelm! He uses the guitar as the attention getter and then hits you with his voice. It is almost eerie to hear this song now. Thinking that this song is what helped to start the ball rolling.

He then plays another demo on his guitar, "It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City." Having heard this song in many different forms and deliveries, it is very interesting to hear the very first recording! What a great look into Bruce's history. One thing that really hit me on this song is the great guitar playing. Just hear how Bruce makes this song such a powerhouse with just an acoustic guitar! His ability has never been fully recognized as a guitar player. After hearing this song, all doubt about his playing should be put to rest! I think that this might be my favorite version of this song.

"Growin' Up" is my favorite early Springsteen song. This demo, again just Bruce and a guitar lets you see just how dynamic the music of Bruce really is. His terrific lyrics and fiery playing makes this song a real treat. It gives you a very different perspective on the finished product that finally made it to record. It also shows the effect that the E Street band had on his work. Although this song will take your breath away, the more recent version is far superior. But that is to be expected, this is a demo!

The next song is called "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" Here Bruce uses a technique that would become a very common theme in his later work. This song is a look at everyday life. It could very well be a slice of life on 82nd St. The song is almost like taking a walk down the street and having Bruce describe this trip to you. All the people you meet and the story behind them. This snapshot is a very good song and one that Bruce really plays his heart out on!

"Bishop Danced" is a little change of pace. This song almost sounds like a Irish country folk song. The accordion by Danny Federici in the background seems to bring out this feeling. This is a very strange song and I have not been able to figure out just where it came from! Not one of his better efforts, but interesting to hear him pull something different out of his bag of tricks. This song was recorded live on stage at a place called Max's Kansas City. From the audience clapping in the background it is almost a given that this is nothing more than a little nightclub.

"Santa Ana" is the first song that brings in a full band as backing. This song shows some of the dynamics of Bruce when he gets the full band to work with. He has arranged some great piano and organ parts to back this very compelling song. This tune shows the great promise of things to come. Just listen to the way that he lets the music build and build to a crescendo like much of his later work. His vocals are almost snarling as he sings about life in a western town. This song has become one I listen to very often. It is very uplifting and has that Springsteen magic!

Next up is a song called "Seaside Bar Song." This is the first song where Clarence Clemmons appears. He makes his presence felt right away! This song is about another of Bruce's favorite subjects. Young lovers out on a hot summer night and crusin'! This song is one that would have fit very nicely on The River album. It has the feel of a Hungry Heart type song. Very 50ish style but also with a touch of east coast R & B. A very good song again.

"Zero and Blind Terry" is the story of young lovers again. This time Zero is the street punk who is in love with a girl from the other side of town. This Romeo and Juliet story takes on a life of it's own in this super charged number that features what is to become the E Street Band. This is a song that should have been a hit to more than the people who had the chance to hear it live at a concert! The story is powerful and very well told. The song has some very terrific features. There is a great background vocals that has a 50's do-wop feel to it. This is one of the parts that caught me right from the start. Also the keyboard playing that is so intricate to the Springsteen sound. Here is the birth of the sound that would capture the nation. This song exemplifies the greatness of Bruce's songwriting and deserves to be heard!

A song that again makes you think about the days of our youth is the next one, "Linda Let Me Be The One." This song is as simple as any Bruce song ever gets. A very standard formula of,verse..chorus...verse..chorus. Not much out of the ordinary as far as Springsteen goes. Still a very good song but not the best on here.

One of the early show stoppers from a Springsteen concert is the next song "Thundercrack" This song has been floating around in many bootleg versions for quite some time. This is the first time that I have heard the actual studio cut. I cannot think how that this song never made it to disc. What a dynamic song. I can see this song as a great tune placed right between Thunder Road and Born To Run! It is that good. I can find nothing bad to say about this piece. Clemmon's work is masterful. Springsteen delivers his longest and finest guitar solo that I have ever heard also. Then he and Clarence echo each other to lead this song out to it's great finale. I can see where this would have been a truly amazing number live. The whole band gets involved and with incredible results!

The next song adds the last piece to the puzzle. This is where Steve Van Zandt makes his first showing and now the band is complete! "Rendezvous" This song, recorded live at the Record Plant, awakens all the nerves in your body as you realize that this band has arrived! This group takes a normal song and projects it as no other group of musicians have been able to do before or since. This is the first time that you hear the secret to the dynamics of the E Street Band. The piano and sax playing as one with a smashing drum by Weinberg! This combination created a sound that has never been equaled!

"Give The Girl A Kiss" is a good time funky number that reminds you how great these guys do the shuffle! This song is one that creates the street punk atmosphere and then provides the soundtrack to it! This song is just a lot of fun and another one that was an early hit at their live shows.

"Iceman" is a song that I would not be surprised to find out is an early version of "Meet Me Across The River" from the Born to run album. The music is very close but the message is completely different. This is one of the first supercharged ballads on this set. The voice of Bruce set against the solid and eerie piano of Roy Bittan makes a very powerful statement. This song is another example of the quality of songwriting and the dynamic arrangements that Bruce can accompish! Well worth a listen.

A rousing rocker, "Bring On The Night" is a song that you will feel that you have heard before. It is a song that would have fit quite nicely on many a Springsteen album. Starting out with a muted guitar effect as a backdrop to Bruce's voice, the song suddenly explodes with a downstroke by Weinberg on the bass drum. The song then fires off into one of the fire energy pieces that makes this band one of the most revered units there is! To think that songs of this caliber are still lurking in the Springsteen vault, is scary!

"So Young And In Love" is a song where Bruce and the boys romp through a great little R & B foot stomper. This kind of music is impossible to sit still to. Infectious beat and great harmonies highlight this terrific tune! This is some really good time funk from a band that knows how to deliver it!

The song "Hearts of Stone" is a Springsteen torch song that really touches the heart. It is about a woman looking back on a life that has passed her by. She is now alone with her memories. Bruce drags out the empathy for this lady with his super vocal performance. This is one of those real hard slices of life that Bruce can make you take a look at and you will be glad that you did!

The last song on the first CD is called "Don't Look Back." Rock and roll and fast cars! Bruce delivers another high bolt of energy with this rousing and fiery song that is one that should have been on The Darkness at The Edge of Town album. It has that same dark and brooding quality that was prevalent on that album. Again, it is hard to believe that music as good as this has been stored away for so long. This is one great piece of rock and roll!! You also get a good dose of the genius of Bittan. His playing again makes the foundation that this song takes off from!

The second CD in this set encompasses the years 1980-83. It also features the E Street Band in all their glory. It is the band at one of their most creative periods. This is the band that after finding the glory and popularity with the Born to Run album, had an extended vacation due to contract problems. During this period they were not idle. Some of the best songwriting of Bruce's career happened then. After all the legal hassles, the band emerged and so did a new dark and brooding Bruce. Darkness on the Edge of Town was his answer to the problems that had been facing him. This next CD also pulls from that period.

The first song is a fine example of where they are going. "Restless Nights" is a loud and bombastic song but deals with the darker side of relationships. It is about a girl who is still living in the past. Now she is dreaming of the life that she some how missed out on. This message is delivered with a great musical backdrop. Steve Van Zandt adds a fiery guitar solo and Danny Federici makes us remember who is behind the organ! This is just one great song!

"A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)" is a song with the country flavor that will become a staple in Springsteen's later work. This slow ballad about a woman who has lost her husband in the Vietnam war is still very powerful and looks at this subject with a very unique point of view. This is not his best work, but it is a very early attempt at this new type of sound. A good beginning and some great lyrics.

A very interesting song is the next one "Roulette." This song takes off at breakneck speed and never lets up. This is a tale that deals with the chances that everyone has in life. We all get to spin the wheel of life and some will be winners and some will not! I am not sure which category I fall into, but I am a lot luckier than those that have not been able to hear this song! A bundle of energy that finally explodes, is the best way to describe the frenzied pace of this cruncher!

You want to find out how good a bass player Gary Tallent is? Just give a listen to "Dollhouse." This song is a terrific cross between The Beatles and J. Geils! This song better than any other in his collection shows the influences on his music. A masterful rocker that still manages to keep that edge so common in the east coast R & B scene. Another song that would have a huge following if released under normal conditions.

"Where The Bands Are" is one of the most energetic rockers on here. The great guitar work is almost lost between the fantastic harmonies and the work of Max Weinberg behind the drums. This song is all about rock and roll and it shows! They are on fire. Then you add a super vocal treatment by The Boss and you come up with yet another piece that deserves more than it has received! If I didn't know better I would think that we are listening to a greatest hits album and this is just one of the many on here!

Next up is a modest rocker called "Loose Ends." This song uses the steady piano base along with a great combo of percussion and some very interesting acoustic guitar to make a rich sounding backdrop to absolutely fabulous work. This is one of those songs where everything about it stands out! Great vocals and a powerful message makes this one well worth listening too.Just be prepared as you will not be able to sit still through this number!

"Living On The Edge Of The World" is a song that is very good quality but nothing out of the ordinary as far as Springsteen goes. It is a song that is better than 90% of what you hear today but will get lost in the shuffle of great music put out by The Boss. This is one of the few times that Bruce pulls out the harmonica though. He also adds a really cool do-wop ending to this tune. It would make a great party song!

"Wages of Sin" is where Bruce takes the brooding and hollow feel of "Darkness" and turns it into a song that is about a relationship with some definite problems. Bruce makes you feel the pain and fear that is in the heart of our hero as he wonders how long he is going to have to pay for the one big mistake that he made in life. This is Bruce at his loneliest and darkest. A very honest and somber piece that qualifies him for the Lonely Hearts Club!

Then he fires off one of the finest songs on this collection, "Take 'em As They Come." This song about love on the wrong side of the tracks could have been the soundtrack for the movie Badlands. This song uses a theme that is also common in Bruce's work. The modern day Bonnie and Clyde. Good kids that go bad due to their environment. This is a real rocker that takes you on a wild ride with our outlaw couple. There is some very interesting things going on musically during this tale also. Tallant is thunderous on the bass and Van Zandt provides a super guitar piece ( along with some great backing vocals). This song comes off more like an anthem type rocker. Musically it reminds me of the music used to pump you up during the Rocky movies. A great song that I think may still get some respect. As it should!

The song "Be True" is one where the band starts off with the large crash of Weinberg on drums and the dynamic piano of Bittan. This song about a woman who is looking for love in all the wrong places, is one that sounds like it belongs on The River album. The story is sad and very true to life for many a girl. A short and sweet description of how easy it is to lose your way. The band does a masterful job at creating an aura of empathy for the heroine of this story. Very powerful music that shows again what this band is capable of when they are on!

"Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own" is a little be-bop song that is one that will get lost in the shuffle. It is as good as most, but there is nothing that makes it a standout. With a band behind him as good as this one, it is no surprise that this is a very good song but still it lacks when compared to his other work!

One of the hardest rockers in Springsteen's arsenal is the next song, "I Wanna Be With You" Starting out with a strong solo by Van Zandt on guitar, this song is real dynamite! This song about a guy in love so much he can't think of anything else but his girl. Bruce delivers a real winner with this gem of a song. He really sounds in love as he belts out this number. A great piece that shows the loud and proud metal side of the band!

"Mary Lou" is interesting in that it is the same lyrics as the song Be True for the most part. But here the band really turns the song into a smoker! Bruce also is right on with a vocal part that is super. When he wants to, the words just roll out with all the venom and malice that this song deserves. I think that this is a very good change from the first version on the album. Everyone from Clarence on sax to Weinberg on drums seems to be giving a little extra! Great song!

"Stolen Car" is the story of a couple married too young and soon problems arise. Now he has taken a car and is on the run. This theme is used a few times by Bruce. Being on the run. This one is a very lonely and stark song that benefits from Bittan on piano, playing a very mellow and whispery melody that seems to echo the sentiments of Bruce's lyrics. This song should be right up there with his other great ballads of this type like The River.

For a little bit of a shock, if you have never heard the original version of "Born in the USA," you are going to be amazed. It is hard to believe that this tune became the song that we all know so well! The first version is an acoustic number that bears no resemblance to the final edit. Here it sounds more like the protest song that it really is, not the anthem rocker that it became. A very nice addition to this collection.

"Johnny Bye-Bye" is one that belonged on Nebraska. It is a chunky country/rocker where Tallant on the bass steals the show. This short and sweet rockabilly number is about a guy who dies because of drugs. A very somber and moving song that is way too short!

The last song on the second CD is the ballad, "Shut Out The Light." This song is nothing but a slice of life in the everyday life of a middle class family. It tells how, no matter where you go, the one place that is always there, is home! Springsteen does a fine performance with this song that again has a slight tinge of country to it. A song that is very promising and shows that new direction that Bruce is leaning at this point in time. Well worth a listen!

The third CD is again the E Street Band and Bruce doing what they do best! This CD covers the years, 1983-1987. It covers a wealth of material that should have been on albums! Some of this stuff is better than what was released! This CD would make a great album by itself. I am glad that I own it because I have listened to this one more than any other.

This CD starts out with the song "Cynthia." This song is a see-saw ride of a rock and roll tune. A light, almost pop melody line is set against a hard driving rhythm section and the low growling vocals of Springsteen. This song would fall into the Dancing in the Dark category. It has hit, written all over it. I think that the major drawback is the lyrics which deal with a girl who may or may not be a hooker. This is another one that is a great party song. Happy and fun with a great beat and terrific melody.

"My Love Will Not Let You Down" is a song that shows just how rich and lush the E Street Band can be. The music overwhelms with it's almost total blanket of sound. The one thing that makes it feel this way is the bass playing of Gary Tallant set against the fiery playing of Bittan. The combination is amazing. Add to that mix the power chords of the guitar of Van Zandt and you get a sound that just blows you away! One of the better songs on this collection and one of the better Bruce songs period!

"This Hard Land" is a great little romp through the lives of those in the American heartland. This is a really upbeat and almost rockabilly song. Almost like a folk song that is put to electric music! Again the master stroke in the arrangement is the piano work of Bittan. He shines once more. Bruce also pulls out the harmonica to add a little more of the prairie feel to this tune. One more that is a bunch of fun to listen too!

"Frankie" is an amazing sounding little funky song that seems like it just blew in from the Jersey shore! A little chunky R & B song that is dark and swirling like a cold night on the boardwalk. I love the piano work again. Roy delivers a masterpiece in this song and shows why he is the one person who has stayed with Bruce through all of his recordings! Bruce also adds a whispery and guttural vocal that also makes you think of a lonely desolate Jersey street. This is a song that I really think needed to be released. It is that good. The finale to this piece is a work of art! Great touch by Springsteen and the boys!

Bruce takes a poke at the media with his country stomp called "TV Movie." The band puts on the cowboy hats and snake skin boots to pull this one off! A true change of pace that is not bad at all! The guys could easily pass as one of the new country bands here. Springsteen can add the right amount of twang to his voice and the honky tonk piano sounds right at home! Not as bad as you think, actually they do a very good job. I just hope that they don't make a habit of it!

Put the pedal to the metal! That is the theme of the 100 mph rocker "Stand On It." This song is right out of the Jerry Lee Lewis school of rock and roll. A great romp through the world of auto racing! Van Zandt even does a great little rockabilly guitar solo in the middle of this one. Some great dance music once again. The band delivers some great licks all through this one. Gary Tallent is on fire as he provides the track that this racer runs on. A strong song once more!

"Lion's Den" is a song where the harmonies of the band and the sax of Clemmons shine proud and tall! This song is one of those songs that sounds like a sing a long put to some really fiery music. You will be humming this song for days after hearing it. More of the great work that the E Street Band is continuously putting out! Well worth a listen or two or three!

Another look at the life of someone caught in a low paying job with no hope of getting out. "Car Wash" delivers a great rock and roll tribute to these workers. This song is could have been a very good one, but it is too short. Needs to be expanded. It will be over just as you are getting into it!

"Rockaway The Days" is a medium acoustic rocker about another lost soul that is finally killed by the police. These stories of the darker side of life is becoming a theme that is almost overworked by Springsteen. This one is as good as most that he has put out. It even has a little different feel to it. Almost a Latin beat. This makes it another interesting song but one that you have heard before!

A song that was played in concert a lot and also made it's way onto many a bootleg is the next one, "Brothers Under The Bridges." This anthem type rock song about drag racing was a favorite of the Bruce fanatics. It is a very good song where once more each member of the band adds his own little touch to the overall dynamics of the song. Bittan, plays the piano as he always does, Clarence smokes on the sax. The harmonies are great and help to fuel this fiery song. Yes, I agree, this is another one that could have been a hit. A gem if there ever was one!

The song "Man At The Top" is a quiet song about reaching for the brass ring. Everyone has the same chance, it is a matter of who wants it more! This song has a great message and is one of the most inspiring songs that I have heard from Bruce. But as with a lot of Bruce's music this one can be interpreted in different ways. Some say it is more about how the "top" is not all it's cracked up to be! This might be true but I don't think so.

Well the next song was a hit, just not for Bruce. Natalie Cole took it up the charts! It was the B side to Bruce's hit Dancing in the Dark and has also been covered by Melissa Etheridge. "Pink Cadillac" has had a long history and also is one of the most recognizable songs on this set. With a booming bass line right off of Secret Agent Man, this song takes off on a cruise in your favorite, brightly colored automobile and doesn't stop till the car is safely put away with the help of the E Street Band! This is still the best version of the song, not because it is the original, just that no one can match the fire in Bruce's voice! A good song one more time!

"Two For The Road" is a tender song that brings out the acoustic side of Bruce one more time in this ballad about lovers who are out on the road again! This song is another that I think might have been an unfinished piece. It is too short for a Springsteen song. What you get is wonderful but it is not enough!

Another gem that has been hidden in the vaults too long is the song, "Janey Don't You Lose Heart." One of the really great melodic rockers on here, this song uses the acoustic guitar as rhythm and the piano to provide this superior melody. Bruce's vocal track is one of his best! This song is just a great tune all the way around. This song is one of the reasons that this is my favorite disc in the set. This one is something special.

"When You Need Me" is one of Bruce's trips into the world of the country ballad. He packs a wallop with this one. It has a great feel to it as you sense that he is singing about his wife Patti on this one. A good love song, made more so by the addition of the mandolin.

Bruce keeps in the country vein with the next song, "The Wish." This song is a snapshot of the lives of a couple reflecting back on their life together. This is the perfect musical accompaniment to this tale of the American Dream. Some say that Mellencamp is the voice of the Midwesterner, guess again, or better yet, just listen to this song! A great slice of Americana.

Kick back, sit on the porch swing and enjoy Bruce crooning this folksy song called "The Honeymooners." All that is missing from this song is a white picket fence as we arrive at the family picnic. Once again Bruce pulls out the harmonica to supplement the acoustic guitar and give this song a touch of the midwest. After this song, I am convinced that Bruce is really a Hoosier in disguise!

"Lucky Man" is a brooding and dark song that sounds as desolate as any song that I have heard. A stark guitar by Van Zandt and a lonely organ by Federici gives this song an eerie quality that may well be the moodiest piece in the Springsteen catalogue! What a way to end the third disc!

The last disc in this set covers the years 1990-1995. For the most part, this CD is Bruce with just Roy Bittan from the E Street Band, along with studio musicians. Bruce thought that it was time to try something different so he went solo with very mixed results. Although I don't think that the music he produced at this time, was as bad as most think, it does not have the same dynamics as with the powerful E Street band.

The first song on this disc is a scorching rocker called "Leavin' Train" This song is one where Springsteen unwinds his guitar and lets it fly! He does one of the most electrifying metal songs in his history. If you have any doubt about his ability with the six string, this will leave them to rest! He smokes through this number. I love this one, but now comes the bad part of this disc, I wonder what it would have sounded like with the E Streeters!

Next we get another crunching rocker called "Seven Angels." Bruce uses a very interesting slashing guitar effect that seems to divide this song, as he uses this technique in each verse and then alters to a very melodic chorus. This contrast makes this number both interesting and one that manages to keep you off balance. A very good song that would be phenomenal live.

"Give It A Name" The name is sin. Here Bruce deals with some of the evils that men do. A slow ballad that has a guitar effect that is out of this world. A chopping electric guitar that is somewhat muted. The effect is chilling. This is another good ballad that is way too short. I would have liked to hear more of this one!

The song "Sad Eyes" is Bruce doing his best version of a torch song. This song will be a good one in a few years when he is doing the oldies shows in Vegas. This is not one of his better efforts. It is not bad....just blah.

"My Lover Man" is a moody acoustic number that sounds a little tired. Lyrically it gets a passing grade but the music is very boring again. Again it is not a bad song, but I have come to expect much more from Springsteen. It does have some good percussion effects that sound like bongos!

Next we get the song, "Over The Rise." This song starts with Bruce singing against a pounding bass guitar. Then a quiet and soothing organ starts in and then a subdued piano also comes into the fold. The pounding bass continues like a heartbeat throughout the song, just as if you are suppose to feel this song as well as hear it. This is a very good mood piece. Well worth a listen.

"When The Lights Go Out" is a song that reminds me of 57 Channels off of his solo album Human Touch. A driving bass line for the duration of the song keeps you thinking that this song is going to explode but Bruce just keeps it simmering below the boiling point! This is the type of song that I don't think the E Street Band would have helped at all. This one is for Bruce and Bruce alone. A good song but one that will blend in because there is nothing special here!

The next song, "Loose Change" is one of Bruce's ballads that deals with a one night stand. He seems to have this formula down pat. This one will sound like so many others that you have heard before. Just with different people plugged into the lyrics! This is the first time that I have ever heard Bruce swear on an album though! I hope that this is not a reason to remember the song, since it is truly bland and uninspired.

"Trouble in Paradise" is a very interesting song. A look at a couple who just got married and how things change as the marriage progresses. Bruce sings this one with a certain spark that makes this song note worthy. Also, Roy Bittan is on this one and adds his piano magic! You don't miss this guy till he isn't there, then the loss is monumental! He helps this song a lot!!

Are you "Happy"? Bruce picks up the acoustic guitar and tells us just what it takes to make some people happy. Some need more than others and he is happy to settle for Patti! This is a very slow and tender ballad again that is sung to his wife and it shows. I still think that the best song about Patti is "Red Headed Woman" but this one should bring a smile to her face also!

The next song first appeared on an EP that Bruce did called Chimes of Freedom. "Part Man, Part Monkey" is Springsteen's version of reggae. A different kind of song by Bruce to say the least! The interesting thing is how he blends the reggae beat with some very heavy guitar playing. I would have to say that this one was done as an experiment. Very out of the ordinary and hard to take the first few times you hear it. It does kind of grow on you after awhile though!

"Goin' Cali" is another song that will remind you of the song 57 Channels. Booming bass is the most noticeable instrument throughout this piece. Other than that, there is nothing about this song that trips my trigger. It is one that sounds like it could have used some more work!

Then we get to the diamond on this CD, "Back In Your Arms" is a song that is every pair of lovers should hear. It is one of the best love songs that Bruce ever wrote. The dynamics of this one is super. I only wonder if he is talking about his love or the E Street Band that is back for this number!! The difference between the solo work and the reunited band is astounding!! This song is so good I would have bought this set just to get it!! Some of his best work yet!

The last song on this compilation is called "Brothers Under The Bridge." This one has little in common with the earlier song that has almost the same name. This one is a slow and dreamy song that deals with completely different subject matter than the first. The only thing that is similar is the chorus. This song is powerful in it's own way and packs quite a wallop with it's dynamic lyrics. A very good ending to this great set!

Well folks, this might be hard to believe, but I am a Springsteen fan. I have loved his music since I first heard the song Born to Run. As I listen to this set again, it brings back such great memories. Not of the songs themselves, but the changes in my own life that coincide with the growing up of Bruce. We grew up together and his music does hold a special place.

This collection is something special. No not ever song on it is a classic but so what. You can hear the change in music from his early days to his most shinning moments. There is some misses thrown in here just so you can see that he is not perfect either! But if you want to know what Springsteen is all about, do yourself a favor and get this package!

If you just want some fantastic music, get this package. There has been no other singer who has been so true and honest in his music and you can only become more enriched by having the chance to feast your ears upon this collection!