These are Springsteen's most iconic tracks. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best songs by the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.
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00:00 [Music]
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best songs by the boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.
00:08 [Music]
00:14 [Music]
00:25 While "The River" boasts some of Bruce Springsteen's most powerful ballads, the lead single is the quintessential pop rock anthem.
00:32 "Hungry Heart" resonates enough in its exploration of yearning in a devoted family man.
00:36 [Music]
00:41 But, Roy Bitton's unshakable piano riff and Clarence Clemons' baritone sax get that bittersweet stride jumping.
00:47 This endlessly listenable dynamic launched the single as Springsteen's first top five hit on the billboards.
00:53 It's so catchy that the audience is invited to sing the first verse during live performances.
00:58 But with a more convincing passion than most pop hooks, "Hungry Heart" breaks out the wanderlust in all of us.
01:03 [Music]
01:08 Number 19. "The Ghost of Tom Jode"
01:11 [Music]
01:14 The album "The Ghost of Tom Jode" finds Springsteen returning to stripped-down folk traditions.
01:19 The title track particularly displays a master lyricist, but it's not too traditionalist.
01:25 "Got a one-way ticket to the promised land."
01:28 A full band's catchy rhythm and ghostly ambiance enrich the devastating ballad of a displaced family.
01:34 Inspired by John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie, this historical drama and modern musicianship
01:39 cleverly set up the rest of the album's more minimalist observations of 1990s social issues.
01:44 [Music]
01:49 "Tom Jode" is still uniquely open to interpretation as well as experimentation.
01:54 Springsteen's collaboration with Tom Morello of "Rage Against the Machine" really stands out.
01:59 No matter the composition, "The Ghost of Tom Jode" sustains the spirit of folk's greatest storytellers.
02:04 [Music]
02:08 Number 18. "Nebraska"
02:10 [Music]
02:16 The eponymous track of "Nebraska" perfectly opens one of Springsteen's most subversive albums.
02:22 The usually upbeat rocker sits unaccompanied with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica
02:26 to croon about the darkest side of the American heartland.
02:29 [Music]
02:36 This particular ballad imagines the final thoughts of Nebraska spree killer Charles
02:40 Starkweather before his execution. It's an audacious feat of empathetic storytelling.
02:45 In the tradition of classic folk tragedies,
02:47 [Music]
02:54 the lo-fi recording adds to that old-fashioned sound and the gritty atmosphere of the lyrics.
02:58 "Nebraska" is a true masterpiece of Americana that has been covered by a diverse array of artists.
03:04 While that can be said of the namesake album as a whole, its hook is especially haunting.
03:09 [Music]
03:18 Number 17. "I'm On Fire"
03:20 [Music]
03:27 An interesting break in the more hyper energy of "Born in the USA,"
03:31 "I'm On Fire" is a hauntingly vivid expression of a man's bad desire for a lonesome lady.
03:36 [Music]
03:43 The stimulating rhythm was influenced by Johnny Cash and Rockabilly,
03:47 with Max Weinberg laying down a more 1980s beat.
03:50 The melody, however, is led by Roy Bitton's ambient synthesizer.
03:54 It's a pretty sophisticated composition for such a steamy ditty.
03:57 [Music]
04:04 But it poignantly captures the spirit of sentimental passion behind the sexual tension.
04:09 "I'm On Fire" exploded on the charts, especially in Europe.
04:12 Even with the scintillating content,
04:14 the melody may be considered one of the most romantic in Springsteen's popular catalog.
04:19 [Music]
04:26 Number 16. "Streets of Philadelphia"
04:28 [Music]
04:33 As solemn as the courtroom in AIDS drama "Philadelphia" is,
04:36 director Jonathan Demme approached Springsteen for a song that could be played in malls.
04:40 [Music]
04:46 "Streets of Philadelphia" proved a soft rock anthem to satisfy the 1990s pop appeal with a smooth
04:51 rhythm and keyboards. In confronting disenfranchisement in the city of brotherly love,
04:56 Springsteen also lives up to the film's timely humanity.
04:58 [Music]
05:06 The song landed an Oscar alongside Tom Hanks' historic dramatic performance.
05:11 Independently, it topped the Billboard charts and won four Grammys, including Song of the Year.
05:16 Surely one of the best movie songs of the 90s,
05:19 "Streets of Philadelphia" is also one of Springsteen's most powerful urban anthems.
05:24 [Music]
05:28 Number 15. "Glory Days"
05:30 [Music]
05:37 Who says that bittersweet nostalgia has to mostly be bitter?
05:40 "Glory Days" opens with the true story of Springsteen's run-in with an old Little League
05:44 teammate Joe DePue. This sets off a skip down memory lane that both mourns and celebrates
05:49 the awkward teenage years.
05:51 [Music]
05:58 The impossibly catchy keyboard riff still keeps a spry energy.
06:02 "Glory Days" was an instant hit that would stay a radio staple for years to come.
06:06 [Music]
06:12 A rock star may have more "Glory Days" than most of his contemporaries,
06:16 but the story in and behind this tribute to DePue, whom Springsteen stayed in touch with,
06:21 shows how the boss can relate to anyone.
06:23 [Music]
06:28 Number 14. "Backstreets"
06:30 [Music]
06:35 The first minute of this six and a half minute number off "Born to Run" is made up of an
06:39 instrumental piano and organ section.
06:41 [Music]
06:46 It's the perfect introduction to this song of "love so hard and filled with defeat,"
06:50 which Springsteen makes all the more poignant with his passionate vocals and storytelling prowess.
06:55 [Music]
07:00 But nothing makes "Backstreets" truly come alive more than experiencing it in
07:04 concert with the extra piano and vocal solo called the "Sad Eyes" interlude.
07:08 [Music]
07:15 Number 13. "Rosalita, Come Out Tonight"
07:18 [Music]
07:24 Bruce Springsteen's second album confirmed him as a critical darling. To this day,
07:28 "Rosalita, Come Out Tonight" stands out as a fan favorite. The epic love story
07:32 between a young rocker and a good girl never slows down in seven minutes.
07:36 [Music]
07:41 It has all the youthful passion and heartbreak that the subject demands,
07:45 and as a prime display of the boss's musical trademarks,
07:48 it would be his go-to concert finisher for years.
07:50 [Music]
07:57 Even now, he considers the semi-autobiographical lyrics to be one of the best he's ever written.
08:02 Though "Rosalita" has unfortunately grown more obscure after years of bigger and bigger hits,
08:07 it's still widely considered one of his true masterpieces.
08:10 [Music]
08:16 Number 12. "The Promised Land"
08:18 [Music]
08:23 The album "Darkness on the Edge of Town" is mostly about the fight in the downtrodden.
08:27 "The Promised Land" declares something to fight for.
08:29 [Music]
08:38 Springsteen's signature triumphant tone backs the unexpectedly profound tale
08:42 of a small-town runaway. It's tragically honest about the futility in pursuing
08:46 some far-off salvation. It still celebrates the pursuit itself,
08:50 while acknowledging the dignity of where one comes from.
08:52 [Music]
08:57 This complex storytelling against catchy musicianship is quintessentially Springsteen.
09:02 All the same, it's distinguished by philosophy, inspired by a young man's travels and grief
09:07 over the death of Elvis Presley. "The Promised Land" may have been the right song at the right time,
09:12 but it is a timelessly important tribute to the will to carry on.
09:16 [Music]
09:20 Number 11. "10th Avenue Freezeout"
09:23 [Music]
09:28 Though the jury's still out on the meaning of this song's title, what is known is that
09:33 the second track off "Born to Run" is the musical equivalent to a biography of the E Street Band.
09:38 [Music]
09:44 Led by Clemens on the sax, "10th Avenue Freezeout" combines horns and a piano-driven rhythm
09:49 to tell us the tale of Springsteen as Big Scooter searching for his groove.
09:53 [Music]
09:59 The rocking number is also often played live.
10:02 [Music]
10:05 Number 10. "Dancing in the Dark"
10:07 [Music]
10:13 While it might be the track that's least representative of his extremely varied work,
10:18 "Dancing in the Dark" is still the Boss' biggest hit.
10:21 [Music]
10:28 With its lively synthesizer riffs and offbeat rhythm, this power-popping rock number hit the
10:32 Billboard Hot 100's second spot and helped its parent album become his best-selling record ever.
10:37 [Music]
10:44 Who can forget his smooth dance moves in the accompanying music video?
10:47 [Music]
10:52 Number 9. "Darkness on the Edge of Town"
10:55 [Music]
11:00 As an album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town" is an emotionally layered journey through
11:04 the Heartland Losers. It all comes into focus with the titular closing track.
11:08 [Music]
11:13 The tragic ballad details a man who knows no freedom beyond the glory of street races.
11:18 This is felt in the interplay between solemn verses and the heroic chorus,
11:22 but the lyric carries a more poignant confession. "Darkness" beautifully epitomizes all previous
11:27 tracks' mixed emotions about the hardships and resilience of the common man.
11:31 [Music]
11:37 With the album as a whole being considered one of the great poetic rock albums of the 70s,
11:42 it goes out on one of Springsteen's great ballads.
11:45 [Music]
11:50 Number 8. "Jungle Land"
11:52 [Music]
11:58 Opening with a memorable violin and piano intro, this fan and critic favorite is a nine and a
12:04 half minute closer to Bruce Springsteen's third effort.
12:06 [Music]
12:13 Featuring an unforgettable Clarence Clemens sax solo and one of the finest examples of the
12:17 singer-songwriter's narrative technique.
12:19 [Music]
12:25 "Jungle Land" takes us on a musical and emotional journey that's truly epic.
12:29 [Music]
12:37 Number 7. "Racing in the Street"
12:39 [Music]
12:45 The title of "Racing in the Street" promises another triumphant anthem of youth.
12:49 Instead, it's a slow, thoughtful portrait of street racing culture and the freedom it represents.
12:54 [Music]
13:00 This keeps up the masculine muscle car fantasy that led some of Springsteen's earliest hits.
13:05 With the third verse, however, he breaks a crescendo with one of his first sobering
13:09 doses of reality from a female perspective.
13:12 [Music]
13:17 Romantic, harrowing, and heartbreaking, "Racing in the Street" gradually revs up as one of the
13:22 boss's most vivid epics. It's hardly the Springsteen song you'd most expect to blast over
13:27 the radio, but for fans, it's one of the smoothest rides in his catalog.
13:31 [Music]
13:36 Number 6. "Born in the USA"
13:39 [Music]
13:46 Thanks to its rousing chorus, the title track to "Born in the USA" was Springsteen's third
13:51 Top 10 American single from his seventh studio album.
13:54 [Music]
14:02 With its memorable synthesizer riff and blasting drums,
14:05 it's also one of the artist's most well-known tracks.
14:07 [Music]
14:12 But it's "Born in the USA's" heartland rock style and sociopolitical lyrics that deal with
14:17 the downside of the Vietnam War that really make it a Springsteen classic.
14:21 [Music]
14:30 Number 5. "Atlantic City"
14:31 [Music]
14:39 This folk rock track off Nebraska follows the same dark vein as the rest of the album.
14:43 [Music]
14:48 In just four short minutes, Springsteen brings us into the world of a young couple
14:52 tackling issues of human mortality and organized crime in the New Jersey city.
14:56 [Music]
15:04 The honest and thought-provoking tune is another live stunner,
15:08 and has been covered by multiple artists.
15:10 [Music]
15:15 Number 4. "The River"
15:17 [Music]
15:25 Inspired by his sister and her husband's economic difficulties as a young couple,
15:29 Springsteen crafted this sad but powerful song that appeared on the album of the same name.
15:34 [Music]
15:41 While it wasn't released as a single in the U.S., "The River" quickly found a home on rock radio.
15:47 [Music]
15:54 With its folk rock flavors and Springsteen's harmonica playing,
15:57 this moving tune about dreams versus reality is often modified or extended while played live.
16:02 [Music]
16:09 Number 3. "Badlands"
16:11 [Music]
16:17 With its unforgettable drum intro and anthemic nature,
16:20 "Badlands" is a hard-rocking tune that's simply meant to be played in concert.
16:24 [Music]
16:31 Featuring a piano and electric guitar riff borrowed from the Animals,
16:35 Max Weinberg's energetic drumming and so much more,
16:38 the track showcases Springsteen and the E Street Band at their finest.
16:41 [Music]
16:49 Despite only charting within the Billboard Top 50, it continues to be a fan and band favorite.
16:54 [Music]
17:00 Number 2. "Thunder Road"
17:02 [Music]
17:07 They couldn't have chosen a better track to be the opener of the Boss' breakthrough record.
17:11 [Music]
17:17 Mixing folk and rock with blue-collar themes,
17:20 "Thunder Road" slowly brings you in with piano and harmonica.
17:23 But it's Springsteen's vocals, the song's mounting pace,
17:27 and masterful blending of multiple instruments that make it one of his most performed tunes.
17:31 [Music]
17:39 To top things off, it's also often considered one of the greatest rock songs ever.
17:44 [Music]
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18:04 Number 1. "Born to Run"
18:08 [Music]
18:15 This first-person love letter and title cut to Springsteen's third record
18:18 epitomized Heartland Rock to a T.
18:20 [Music]
18:27 Its big sound, layered guitars, and inspiring message helped it reach the Billboard Top 40,
18:32 which in turn helped launch the singer to mainstream success.
18:35 Today, the beloved underdog anthem is a Springsteen signature tune and a live staple.
18:41 [Music]
18:47 Just take a listen for yourself to see why.
18:49 [Music]
18:55 What are your favorite Bruce Springsteen masterpieces?
18:57 Come on up to the comments.
18:59 [Music]
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19:15 [Music]