Let's celebrate the holiday with one of the best versions of a Christmas standard that you'll ever hear. It's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by my old neighbor Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band from the famous 1978 concert at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ. This version really smokes!
Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks so much for reading!
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Showing posts with label Bruce Springsteen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bruce Springsteen. Show all posts
Friday, December 25, 2015
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Bruce Springsteen "Born To Run" Isolated Vocals
One of the things that we can learn from isolated tracks is what works in the context of a particular hit record. The reverb, compression, performance, and production all make a big difference in how we ultimately perceive the song. That's why this week's isolated track, the vocal on Bruce Springsteen's breakout "Born To Run," is so cool, since it readily exhibits all of those things. Here's what to listen for.
1. The vocal is very compressed, but it's not sibilant. What happens is that we can hear every breath and it just raises the passion of the performance. We might cut out those breaths today in a DAW (as is the norm), but we'd lose a lot of what really makes the performance work.
2. The reverb is delayed, long and dark. Once again, that's probably not what we'd add today since this sound is not in vogue at the moment, but it works very well here. You don't hear it in the track as reverb, and that's what reverb does many times - it just adds glue and a sheen to the mix.
3. Bruce doesn't double track his vocal until the end at 4:02, unlike so many other vocalists and songs of the time. He comes across pretty well without it though. In fact, when the doubling does occur on the outro it's rather startling. You could see how it wouldn't work in any other part of the song.
4. Listen for the not-so-obvious vocal punch at 1:21 where a breath is cut off, and the overdubbed count only on the left side at 3:05 before the last verse.
1. The vocal is very compressed, but it's not sibilant. What happens is that we can hear every breath and it just raises the passion of the performance. We might cut out those breaths today in a DAW (as is the norm), but we'd lose a lot of what really makes the performance work.
2. The reverb is delayed, long and dark. Once again, that's probably not what we'd add today since this sound is not in vogue at the moment, but it works very well here. You don't hear it in the track as reverb, and that's what reverb does many times - it just adds glue and a sheen to the mix.
3. Bruce doesn't double track his vocal until the end at 4:02, unlike so many other vocalists and songs of the time. He comes across pretty well without it though. In fact, when the doubling does occur on the outro it's rather startling. You could see how it wouldn't work in any other part of the song.
4. Listen for the not-so-obvious vocal punch at 1:21 where a breath is cut off, and the overdubbed count only on the left side at 3:05 before the last verse.
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Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Bruce Springsteen "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
Let's celebrate the holiday with one of the best versions of a Christmas standard that you'll ever hear. It's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by my old neighbor Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band from the famous 1978 concert at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ. This version really smokes!
Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks so much for reading!
Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks so much for reading!
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Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.
Monday, December 24, 2012
"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" - Bruce Springsteen
Let's celebrate the holiday with one of the best versions of a Christmas standard that you'll ever hear. It's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band from the famous 1978 concert at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ. This version really smokes!
Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks so much for reading.
Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks so much for reading.
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You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.
Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Bruce Springsteen "Born To Run" Song Analysis
Reader Carlos X asked for a song analysis of Bruce Springsteen's breakout hit "Born To Run," the title song from his third album of the same name. Born To Run was released in 1975 and so many of its songs have been classic rock radio staples ever since. This was the first album to feature pianist Roy Bittan and drummer Max Weinberg, who would become the backbone of the E Street Band, but interestingly enough, they didn't play on the song. Previous E Streeters David Sancious and Ernest "Boom" Carter played piano and drums respectively. As with all song analysis, we'll check out the song form, the arrangement, the sound and the production.
The Song
"Born To Run" is one of the most unusual song forms that you'll ever see from a top 40 hit as it fits none of the traditional formulas. The song looks something like this:
There really isn't a chorus; the hook "Born To Run" pops up at the end of the B sections. What's more, there are two parts to the bridge, and its really long.
Yet another thing different and interesting is the length of the sections. The B sections are 14 bars long, while the solo is 12. The first bridge is 14 bars, while the second is 17. Not that it matters, it's so interesting that you want to keep listening.
The Arrangement
Reportedly Bruce was going for a Phil Spector-like "Wall of Sound" and that's exactly what he got. The arrangement is very thick with a lot going on, but like most great songs, can be broken down into 5 or fewer elements. Let's take a look.
* The Foundation: Bass and drums
* The Pad: Sometimes it's the organ, sometimes it's the sax (like in the intro and B sections), sometimes its a guitar playing footballs.
* The Rhythm: A strummed guitar low in the mix and the organ playing 8th notes on the intros and B sections.
* The Lead: Bruce's vocals, the sax solo, the tremolo guitar doubled with a glock on the intros
* The Fills: There are no fills, but lots of counter-lines played by the glock, piano and guitar
A couple of things to listen for; Bruce is very good about adding and subtracting instruments during the song to keep the interest high. Notice the entrance of the organ in the second half of the 2nd verse, the wah guitar and sax in the second half of the first bridge section, and the strings and horns on the end of the 2nd bridge and last verse (admittedly, they're mixed down pretty low).
Another small yet interesting twist is the way the line played by the glock and piano is turned backwards at the end of the song as the hook is restated before the outro.
The Sound
In 1975 it was the beginning of 24 track tape era, and you can bet that all those tracks were filled up. It sounds like a few instruments were bounced together and lost some definition as a result. The snare drum is pretty distinct but the rest of the drums, including the kick drum, are not, but that was about par for the day. The bass if very up front, also the norm for the time.
Bruce's voice has a long reverb that sounds like it was delayed by a 71/2 ips tape delay. In other words, it's really long (usually around 120ms or so), but interestingly, you hear it only on the right side of the stereo field. The other thing that only appears on the right side is the glock.
The Production
Aside from the great arrangement, the thing that marks this song is the energy. You can feel it reach out and touch you right from the very first drum roll. It's intense, and that intensity never lets up, only getting bigger and bigger as the song rolls on. To me, that's what makes the song the hit that it is.
You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.
Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.
The Song
"Born To Run" is one of the most unusual song forms that you'll ever see from a top 40 hit as it fits none of the traditional formulas. The song looks something like this:
Intro, Verse, B section, Intro, Verse, B section, Intro, Solo, Bridge 1, Bridge 2, Verse, B Section, Intro, Intro
There really isn't a chorus; the hook "Born To Run" pops up at the end of the B sections. What's more, there are two parts to the bridge, and its really long.
Yet another thing different and interesting is the length of the sections. The B sections are 14 bars long, while the solo is 12. The first bridge is 14 bars, while the second is 17. Not that it matters, it's so interesting that you want to keep listening.
The Arrangement
Reportedly Bruce was going for a Phil Spector-like "Wall of Sound" and that's exactly what he got. The arrangement is very thick with a lot going on, but like most great songs, can be broken down into 5 or fewer elements. Let's take a look.
* The Foundation: Bass and drums
* The Pad: Sometimes it's the organ, sometimes it's the sax (like in the intro and B sections), sometimes its a guitar playing footballs.
* The Rhythm: A strummed guitar low in the mix and the organ playing 8th notes on the intros and B sections.
* The Lead: Bruce's vocals, the sax solo, the tremolo guitar doubled with a glock on the intros
* The Fills: There are no fills, but lots of counter-lines played by the glock, piano and guitar
A couple of things to listen for; Bruce is very good about adding and subtracting instruments during the song to keep the interest high. Notice the entrance of the organ in the second half of the 2nd verse, the wah guitar and sax in the second half of the first bridge section, and the strings and horns on the end of the 2nd bridge and last verse (admittedly, they're mixed down pretty low).
Another small yet interesting twist is the way the line played by the glock and piano is turned backwards at the end of the song as the hook is restated before the outro.
The Sound
In 1975 it was the beginning of 24 track tape era, and you can bet that all those tracks were filled up. It sounds like a few instruments were bounced together and lost some definition as a result. The snare drum is pretty distinct but the rest of the drums, including the kick drum, are not, but that was about par for the day. The bass if very up front, also the norm for the time.
Bruce's voice has a long reverb that sounds like it was delayed by a 71/2 ips tape delay. In other words, it's really long (usually around 120ms or so), but interestingly, you hear it only on the right side of the stereo field. The other thing that only appears on the right side is the glock.
The Production
Aside from the great arrangement, the thing that marks this song is the energy. You can feel it reach out and touch you right from the very first drum roll. It's intense, and that intensity never lets up, only getting bigger and bigger as the song rolls on. To me, that's what makes the song the hit that it is.
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Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Here's my favorite Christmas song - "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. This is one of earliest versions (and one of the best, in my opinion) from the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey in 1978. Forgive the brief commercial and the black and white, but it is vintage after all.
In 1976, Bruce and many of the E-Streeters would come listen to my band The Other Side at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. This was during the period when he was under injunction from his former manager so he wasn't allowed to perform. He was a nice guy then, and when I met him again some 25 years later in California (in Studio B of Front Page Studios and again back stage at one of his concerts) just as nice. He's a real down to earth guy, despite his massive success.
I don't think I really appreciated Bruce though, until I saw him on the Charlie Rose's PBS show maybe four or five years ago. During the show, he performed "Born In The USA" with just him on a 12 string, but he played it the way you'd expect an old bluesman to play it. As blues legend Willie Dixon once told me, "The Blues are the facts of life", and Bruce was telling it like it should be told. I was convinced at that point that he was on the level of any of our musical national treasures.
Again, ignore the brief commercials and don't let the marginal video get in the way of some great music. Below you'll also find that great Charlie Rose performance of "Born In The USA."
In 1976, Bruce and many of the E-Streeters would come listen to my band The Other Side at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. This was during the period when he was under injunction from his former manager so he wasn't allowed to perform. He was a nice guy then, and when I met him again some 25 years later in California (in Studio B of Front Page Studios and again back stage at one of his concerts) just as nice. He's a real down to earth guy, despite his massive success.
I don't think I really appreciated Bruce though, until I saw him on the Charlie Rose's PBS show maybe four or five years ago. During the show, he performed "Born In The USA" with just him on a 12 string, but he played it the way you'd expect an old bluesman to play it. As blues legend Willie Dixon once told me, "The Blues are the facts of life", and Bruce was telling it like it should be told. I was convinced at that point that he was on the level of any of our musical national treasures.
Again, ignore the brief commercials and don't let the marginal video get in the way of some great music. Below you'll also find that great Charlie Rose performance of "Born In The USA."
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Variable Priced Concert Tickets
The thing that everyone hates about concert ticketing these days is the ever elevating prices that gouge music fans everywhere. On the other hand, if these fans are still willing to pay the price, it's hard to complain about the hole in their wallets.One proposal to stabilize prices a bit is to create a demand-based, variable priced ticketing market similar to airline pricing systems.
On premium shows, the cheap seats (similar to the coach seats on a plane) get more expensive, and the best house seats (equivalent to business and first class) go to the highest bidders. The prices also increase ahead of the start time as supplies shrink. As you get closer to departure, the price is going to be a lot higher than if you bought a ticket a couple of weeks ago.
While I doubt this scheme will ever be adopted, something has to be done about the current pricing policies. We've all been burned too many times.
Of course, Ticketmaster could probably eliminate the secondary market entirely by taking hint from No Doubt, Trent Reznor and Bruce Springsteen. No Doubt wrestled control of roughly 10 percent of tickets on its current North American tour and implemented its own sales terms. Reznor and Springsteen's plan includes direct sales to their Tour Club members, and prints buyer names directly on the tickets to prevent subsequent resale.
Of course, Ticketmaster could probably eliminate the secondary market entirely by taking hint from No Doubt, Trent Reznor and Bruce Springsteen. No Doubt wrestled control of roughly 10 percent of tickets on its current North American tour and implemented its own sales terms. Reznor and Springsteen's plan includes direct sales to their Tour Club members, and prints buyer names directly on the tickets to prevent subsequent resale.
Ticket prices are just like Wall Street in that greed abounds. Ticketmaster, the promoters, agents and now even the act are all responsible for wanting more and more. Just like Wall Street, they're going to find that there's a limit to greed before it backfires on you.
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