thinking about the "party" songs of springsteen...

So if it is true that my encounter with the Beatles was my musical Pentecost, it would also be true that my first Springsteen concert was like Easter: it raised me from the dead and set me on a new path of living an ever more integrated and joy-filled life.  Right out of the gate, the Boss man launched into Born in the USA ~ one of my all-time favorites (that will show up in the "political" side of Springsteen posting yet to come.)  But then, a la Van Morrison meets Martha Reeves and the Vandellas at their kick-ass best, it was party time in Detroit and the E Street Band asked to us come Out in the Street.

That show also included a bunch of others that have become favorites over the years including: Rosalita, Sherry Darling, Spirit in the Night and one of the sexiest, funniest, shake your booty good-time tunes ever:  RAMROD.

About 8 years later, I saw the band in Cleveland and they did a long groove on The E Street Shuffle that is waaay fun to dance to ~ and falls into that other category of extended story/dance grooves. More than 10 years after that they reclaimed the same fun party spirit with Girls in Summer Clothes, Waitin' on a Sunny Day and Mary's Place (that can be just a hoot in concert.)

And last but never least are the remakes that sometimes grace the encores of a Springsteen concert:  damn, if they aren't a party unto themselves.  He's done a killer mix of Mona/She's the One that is to die for ~ he makes it happen with Quarter to Three ~ his Twist and Shout is pretty righteous ~ but the Boss has come to own something called the Detroit Medley ~ that sometimes includes some Creedence and who knows what else?  It is all just flat out PARTY music and it sets your soul free... which is a pretty fine gift to this broken world, yeah?