The Gospel of Bruce: a complete history of NJ rock

By Christopher M. Burke

Somewhere in the state constitution of New Jersey, after all that mumbo jumbo about laws and government, there is a section devoted to Bruce Springsteen. And within that section lies the simple decree: "Each citizen of this, the Garden State, shall devote a portion of his or her life to chronicling the music of The Boss." Simple. To the point. No questions asked.

But every now and then, when grade school classrooms are covering the Springsteen clauses, questions arise. And from the mouths of babes come the most innocent of inquires: "But teacher, how did this Springsteen become The Boss?" And teachers stand dumbfounded. Why not just ask why the sky is blue? Or why bad things happen to good people? Some things just happen.

Finally we, and those inquisitive students, have a concrete answer. We have one work that covers The Boss from the very beginning to the present, as he changes, grows, and gets more raspy. We have Tracks.

A four-CD box set, Tracks is a collection of 66 songs, 56 of which are previously unreleased

(the other 10 are B-sides released on Springsteen singles or earlier versions of released songs). The songs are a chronological look at Springsteen's career--Bruce intended each of the tracks to be included on an album.

Since the CDs offer a retrospective portrait of The Boss, it makes sense that the very first song, "Mary Queen of Arkansas," is the actual cut that Bruce used in his audition for Columbia records in 1972. Before Springsteen breaks into verse, we hear a Columbia executive announce the audition number and title that will be played.

The remainder of the first CD covers Springsteen's career from its start through 1977, and is, in a word, raw. Bruce is often armed with only an acoustic guitar and sings about familiar sights--bus drivers, dock workers, and Jersey girls. The CD allows one to see a young Springsteen work out some of the kinks, as his music becomes more crisp and smooth. The Boss experiments with various instruments in some of these first cuts, testing organs and horns as complements to the standard guitars and drums.

In the second and third CDs, Springsteen comes alive with the kind of energy and angst that have characterized most of his career. On these discs, he begins to explore his own sense of confusion and frustration, moving away from the more mundane subjects that dominate too much of the first CD. In "Roulette," Springsteen contemplates abandoning all he considers familiar for the adventure of the unknown, and in the inspirational "Janey Don't Lose Heart," he stresses the importance of faith and confidence. His music takes on a more complete feel as he plays with his legendary E Street Band.

The collection's fourth CD offers a more introspective Bruce--in "Back in Your Arms," he explores his conflicting feelings, longing for the innocence of his past yet unable to escape the realities of the present. These final tracks contrast with the first sessions' unrefined energy and bring Springsteen's music full-circle.

With over four hours of Springsteen, Tracks isn't for everyone. If you're not a hard-core Bruce fan, you'll probably be frustrated by the lack of sophistication on many of the cuts--there's not much of the precision of "Glory Days" or "Brilliant Disguise" here. For those who love The Boss, Tracks offers a unique look at the evolution of true rock 'n' roll legend--and provides an answer for teachers from Cape May to Perth Amboy. (Columbia)

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