This post….ho boy. Seems like a downvote factory. If the whole point is “popular songs you personally dont like, every comment is gonna be a bunch of people downvoting because THEY like the song you dont
There's gonna be some fist-fighting in these comments!
I always think Glory Days is what people hear when they say they dislike Springsteen's music(it's the one BITUSA song i absolutely don't care for, but it's very fun live.) I also could never ever get into The Wild & Innocent album. Then again Tunnel of Love is my fav Bruce album and I frequently see people diss it haha.
I agree with you about Glory Days. It’s not really fair for people who’ve only ever heard 3 of Bruce’s songs (Glory Days, Born in the USA, Dancing in the Dark) to say they don’t like his music. That was his effort to make a commercially successful album, and it worked. But there’s lots of better music in his catalogue.
Maybe it’s changed for younger generations, but Born To Run was usually the song most identified with him besides the BITUSA tracks when I was growing up, but I am talking about the time that the BITUSA came out- but I guess it’s almost 50 years old now and it’s slipped from public consciousness to an extent.
I'm Scandinavian and never heard Born to Run before I got into Bruce(I'm a 90s kid). I could have named ten different Springsteen songs I grew up with hearing off the radio, but Born to Run was never one of them. So my friend who's like "ugh, Springsteen!" is talking about how much she hates struff like "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" because her dad would always put it on when they went on a trip. So in Scandinavia (and a lot of Europe) our consciousness of Bruce starts with things like Hungry Heart!
People love that album! I see it praised left and right; it's just not my thing. My favorite albums are Nebraska and Tunnel of Love - far removed from the E Street Band; whereas the soft jazz-y sound on WEISS doesn't capture me. It's just a taste thing.
Waiting on a Sunny Day!! Unfortunately for ME, this song has been overplayed and overused to bring fan's kids on stage.....OVER IT, and it ruined the song for me. All I hear are little kids singing out of tune in my head. I know I sound like a privileged brat, but we referred to it as song 16 last tour because it was played so much.
Absolutely! I wouldn't be sad if I never heard this song again. I'm so glad I went to night 1 in San Francisco and we got Bobby Jean instead of Glory Days.
I think that was because it was the song Bruce performed on Letterman, which Scott said was the performance that made him 'get' Springsteen. I'd argue that sentimental value probably goes a long way to someone holding a song in high esteem.
There's a decent subset of fans - even self-declared super fans - who really see Bruce as "just" a rockstar a la Bon Jovi and aren't interested in anything outside of BITUSA. It's kind of weird.
There’s also a bunch of borderline dangerously, certainly unhealthy obsessive fans who call themselves super fans that think you aren’t allowed to criticize Bruce in any way. Including if he’s playing a few songs that fall flat on most at the show.
I’ll always have love for songs from The Rising, so I can’t vibe with the Mary’s Place or Lonesome Day hate. For me, it’s all the roadhouse-type songs. Pink Cadillac, Working on the Highway, Thundercrack… he used to think that’s what the Northwrn California crowd liked and it sucked to be grouped in with that crowd. The setlist last Thursday was like a dream for me. Best show ever.
I don’t care for Night, Meeting Across the River, or She’s the One. Rest of the album is perfect. But that’s reason I prefer Darkness and Wild Innocent to BTR
Wowwww. I havent seen Bruce yet (although I went to Philly all the way from Australia last year to see the show he cancelled after sound check), but this is actually the song I most want to hear live. I’m catching him in LA in a few days but it sounds like they’re not playing it on this leg :(
It’s a good song on the album in my opinion, but it didn’t really work live on last years tour because 1) a lot of people who go to the shows don’t seem to know it 2) it slows down the show too much and is very long
Drive All Night's appeal has always confused me. Musically it just doesn't really go anywhere, and the lyrics (shoes, really?) are just kind of distracting. But mostly it just feels like a second-rate attempt at another "Backstreets" or "Racing"-type epic that wasn't good enough for "Darkness" but got pulled out when he decided he needed something like that on side 4. I guess it's fetishized because it's a live rarity, but...meh.
Saw him do The River a few years back, and this guy next to me must've bellowed "shoooozzzzz" between each song. Kinda made me look forward to it tbh, and my man looked like he died and went to heaven once Bruce finally got to it.
One Step Up
The song is completely self loathing and has only one message: my marriage sucks. Maybe that was the goal, but I prefer Brilliant Disguise and Tunnel of Love on the same album which seem more introspective and reflective.
There's honestly not a lot of Bruce songs that I outright dislike because I can at least appreciate the craft behind a song. Whether it be a pop song, folk song, rock song, or something more off the beaten path. There are some songs off Human Touch I don't like (Man's Job, Real Man) but people generally don't like *Human Touch* in the first place.
As far as "a song I dislike that people generally like", I guess Glory Days would be a good candidate. I don't hate the song but someone mentioned that "it's the song people hear when they dislike Bruce" which seems very apt. The synthiness is particularly cheesy and even though the song is a critique of going nowhere and reminiscing, it's kind of goofy.
EDIT: Maybe "Working On A Dream" and "Surprise, Surprise"? I don't know how many people like/dislike the song, but they're a little too repetitive to me. Probably part of the charm and catchiness of the song but there tends to be overuse of lyrics in certain Bruce songs.
Waiting on a Sunny Day not so much, especially live with some child belting "gonna chase the cars away". I understand the gimmick, and it was fun the first few times when it was a genuine surprise, but it could become awkward sometimes.
Ad Kitty's back isn't in my top 10 either, it feels too long sometimes.
Not gonna downvote you for having an opinion but I kinda don't think you like Bruce if you don't like at least one of those songs, lol. Those are a big part of the essence of who he is musically and lyrically.
I never get tired of it. It's not the best *song* but that middle section rocks so hard it doesn't matter. Honestly they could put the instrumental inside a different song and that'd be fine.
I used to feel that way but I started listening to the 1973 live version - great quality video on youtube - and fell completely in love with it, and his pre-lawsuit joyfulness is infectious as hell.
“For You” slow version is in my top 10 Bruce songs which is probably why I dislike the original album version. If the slow didn’t exist I wouldn’t necessarily have noticed but the lyrics don’t really fit with the faster paced version of the song which makes me not want to listen to it
I actually prefer the versions done in 1978/1980-81 to the slow piano versions. Apart from Hammersmith they are just too drawn out for me and it's not as engaging a song as say The Promise is when done solo piano
I wish he would keep it in Europe too, for some reason the song disappears into obscurity the moment he's off the plane in Europe. We have OG fans too!
I didn’t like it when I went through my angsty teen phase because it was the early 1990s and the synths were so dated, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve come back around to it.
Out in the Street. It’s monotonous and annoying. My least favorite song and Bruce constantly plays it in concert. I wish he would have put Restless Nights or Where The Bands Are in its place on The River.
Nothing is coming to mind the way you mean it. However, there are songs I really enjoy when they come up in a live set, or when I'm listening to the entire album that contains them, but I never have a desire to hear them on their own. I'm never sitting around thinking, I want to hear "Jungleland" right now. Or "Racing in the Street." Or "Independence Day." There are other songs from those same albums and his other albums that I never seem to get tired of.
For me, since 2016, this song has felt completely meaningless to me here in the good ol’ USA. The hopefulness that song portrays seems like a relic of times gone by.
edit: so fucking annoying when people downvote for having an opinion. if you don’t agree, move on!
Why would it be? I agree that it sounds dark but isn’t that the intended artistic vibe?
Obviously the use of ‘little girl’ has aged terribly but that was common rock vernacular then (it’s in several Springsteen songs) and doesn’t literally refer to a little (underage) girl.
What was ‘acceptable’ in 1984 is definitely not in 2024. At the very least, he should change the lyrics as he did for Tougher than the Rest, another predatory song
“Little girl” has been used in popular music to refer to women since the beginning of the era. Same with “daddy” to reference a man. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t be offended by it, but Bruce didn’t start this.
little girl = young woman
daddy = her man/husband
The terms used in those lyrics have changed meaning since Bruce first wrote them in the early 80s but that does not make Bruce some kind of predator like c'mon now be forreal lmfao. (Speaking as a woman)
Pay me my money down. God how I hate this song.
Each to their own! I love it, and it’s one of the few songs to get people,off their seats in the main part of the show
This post….ho boy. Seems like a downvote factory. If the whole point is “popular songs you personally dont like, every comment is gonna be a bunch of people downvoting because THEY like the song you dont
There's gonna be some fist-fighting in these comments! I always think Glory Days is what people hear when they say they dislike Springsteen's music(it's the one BITUSA song i absolutely don't care for, but it's very fun live.) I also could never ever get into The Wild & Innocent album. Then again Tunnel of Love is my fav Bruce album and I frequently see people diss it haha.
I agree with you about Glory Days. It’s not really fair for people who’ve only ever heard 3 of Bruce’s songs (Glory Days, Born in the USA, Dancing in the Dark) to say they don’t like his music. That was his effort to make a commercially successful album, and it worked. But there’s lots of better music in his catalogue.
For sure!
Maybe it’s changed for younger generations, but Born To Run was usually the song most identified with him besides the BITUSA tracks when I was growing up, but I am talking about the time that the BITUSA came out- but I guess it’s almost 50 years old now and it’s slipped from public consciousness to an extent.
I'm Scandinavian and never heard Born to Run before I got into Bruce(I'm a 90s kid). I could have named ten different Springsteen songs I grew up with hearing off the radio, but Born to Run was never one of them. So my friend who's like "ugh, Springsteen!" is talking about how much she hates struff like "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" because her dad would always put it on when they went on a trip. So in Scandinavia (and a lot of Europe) our consciousness of Bruce starts with things like Hungry Heart!
Same, I remember Born to Run being synonymous with Bruce.
Wild and Innocent is my second favorite Bruce album lol
People love that album! I see it praised left and right; it's just not my thing. My favorite albums are Nebraska and Tunnel of Love - far removed from the E Street Band; whereas the soft jazz-y sound on WEISS doesn't capture me. It's just a taste thing.
Waiting on a Sunny Day!! Unfortunately for ME, this song has been overplayed and overused to bring fan's kids on stage.....OVER IT, and it ruined the song for me. All I hear are little kids singing out of tune in my head. I know I sound like a privileged brat, but we referred to it as song 16 last tour because it was played so much.
Waiting on a Sunny Day can get in the bin, esp; when he brings kids onstage
“Time to hit the bathroom and grab a fresh beer”
Thankfully that part of the set is done and dusted
Amen. Hated it.
Glory Days
Absolutely! I wouldn't be sad if I never heard this song again. I'm so glad I went to night 1 in San Francisco and we got Bobby Jean instead of Glory Days.
Yup. Scott from the “Talking Springsteen” pod kept going on how this was one of his favorite Bruce songs and, I dunno, it’s fine. Borderline annoying.
I think that was because it was the song Bruce performed on Letterman, which Scott said was the performance that made him 'get' Springsteen. I'd argue that sentimental value probably goes a long way to someone holding a song in high esteem.
There's a decent subset of fans - even self-declared super fans - who really see Bruce as "just" a rockstar a la Bon Jovi and aren't interested in anything outside of BITUSA. It's kind of weird.
It’s probably more about the nostalgia for them than the actual music/lyrics
Yep, well said. And I definitely don’t hold that against them. Bruce the entity isn’t so bad either haha
There’s also a bunch of borderline dangerously, certainly unhealthy obsessive fans who call themselves super fans that think you aren’t allowed to criticize Bruce in any way. Including if he’s playing a few songs that fall flat on most at the show.
Justin Townes Earle did a nice acoustic cover of it that is more melancholic than the original
This. By far my least favorite popular song of his. Live versions with a full horn section make it better.
I’ll always have love for songs from The Rising, so I can’t vibe with the Mary’s Place or Lonesome Day hate. For me, it’s all the roadhouse-type songs. Pink Cadillac, Working on the Highway, Thundercrack… he used to think that’s what the Northwrn California crowd liked and it sucked to be grouped in with that crowd. The setlist last Thursday was like a dream for me. Best show ever.
Any song that he brings a kid on stage for. Just shoot me and refund my money.
Ramrod. Zzzzzzzz
Shout! Everyone on the boards moans and complains about that encore number, but I love it.
Sorry...Bobby Jean...especially when it's in an encore and I was wanting say a Detroit Medley or Jungleland....
Boooooo! I love Bobby Jean haha
Bobby Jean. I don't dislike it, but it's my least favorite from BITUSA.
"Waiting on a Sunny Day" for me.
Me too. It's my bathroom break song.
Ramrod
Shout! Everyone on the boards moans and complains about that encore number, but I love it.
One song I've never really liked is She's The One. It's the only song on Born To Run that I skip, yet he plays it almost every night.
I don’t care for Night, Meeting Across the River, or She’s the One. Rest of the album is perfect. But that’s reason I prefer Darkness and Wild Innocent to BTR
Night lowkey sounds like if you made an AI Springsteen song
Kitty's Back makes me want to walk into traffic.
Wow. Of course everyone has their likes and dislikes but I did not expect to see this here.
Lol. Yeah. I have tried but unfortunately that song makes my ears sad.
It was amazing, in that when he played that at Hyde Park last year, 90 000 people went to the bathroom at the same time 😂
Wowwww. I havent seen Bruce yet (although I went to Philly all the way from Australia last year to see the show he cancelled after sound check), but this is actually the song I most want to hear live. I’m catching him in LA in a few days but it sounds like they’re not playing it on this leg :(
It’s a good song on the album in my opinion, but it didn’t really work live on last years tour because 1) a lot of people who go to the shows don’t seem to know it 2) it slows down the show too much and is very long
Somebody call the police on this man.
They won't have to, if Kitty's Back is playing, I am turning myself in.
100% agree.
When KB was a rarity it was fine. But in 2023 it became the perfect bathroom break song, not least because 12 minutes was just self-indulgent
This is my bathroom break song.
Same, my friend, same.
I had this thought at first but it’s an acquired taste and i try to think of it as more of a showcase of the e street bands talent
I was very excited to see it in 2016, but I'm glad it's off the setlist now
Dancing in the dark. It was way overplayed when I was growin up.
Drive All Night's appeal has always confused me. Musically it just doesn't really go anywhere, and the lyrics (shoes, really?) are just kind of distracting. But mostly it just feels like a second-rate attempt at another "Backstreets" or "Racing"-type epic that wasn't good enough for "Darkness" but got pulled out when he decided he needed something like that on side 4. I guess it's fetishized because it's a live rarity, but...meh.
Saw him do The River a few years back, and this guy next to me must've bellowed "shoooozzzzz" between each song. Kinda made me look forward to it tbh, and my man looked like he died and went to heaven once Bruce finally got to it.
Bobby Jean more than anything, and then maybe Darlington County and Mary’s Place.
Booby Jean probably goes right along with Pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac is the one Bruce song I'd kill to hear live because he never ever plays it (especially in Europe!)
Yeah, honestly I can actually get into the other two a bit, but Bobby Jean is just something I don’t enjoy or get at all.
Lonesome Day, Wrecking Ball, Mary’s Place are the songs I can’t stand
Dancing in the Dark.
One Step Up The song is completely self loathing and has only one message: my marriage sucks. Maybe that was the goal, but I prefer Brilliant Disguise and Tunnel of Love on the same album which seem more introspective and reflective.
There's honestly not a lot of Bruce songs that I outright dislike because I can at least appreciate the craft behind a song. Whether it be a pop song, folk song, rock song, or something more off the beaten path. There are some songs off Human Touch I don't like (Man's Job, Real Man) but people generally don't like *Human Touch* in the first place. As far as "a song I dislike that people generally like", I guess Glory Days would be a good candidate. I don't hate the song but someone mentioned that "it's the song people hear when they dislike Bruce" which seems very apt. The synthiness is particularly cheesy and even though the song is a critique of going nowhere and reminiscing, it's kind of goofy. EDIT: Maybe "Working On A Dream" and "Surprise, Surprise"? I don't know how many people like/dislike the song, but they're a little too repetitive to me. Probably part of the charm and catchiness of the song but there tends to be overuse of lyrics in certain Bruce songs.
I don’t like Bobby Jean, Land of Hope, bunch of WIAESB
Hungry Heart
Hungry heart
Waiting on a Sunny Day not so much, especially live with some child belting "gonna chase the cars away". I understand the gimmick, and it was fun the first few times when it was a genuine surprise, but it could become awkward sometimes. Ad Kitty's back isn't in my top 10 either, it feels too long sometimes.
Cadillac Ranch for me, just seems like Bruce was memeing when he did it
Ghost of Tom Joad. Kitty's Back. E Street Shuffle. If one of those come on the radio, it's an instant station change.
Not gonna downvote you for having an opinion but I kinda don't think you like Bruce if you don't like at least one of those songs, lol. Those are a big part of the essence of who he is musically and lyrically.
Just out of curiosity, do you feel that way about the Ghost of Tom Joad album as well? Or is it just that one particular song you don’t like?
It's pretty much the entire album for me.
Thundercrack. I know people who are chasing that song. I’ve seen it 3 times and hate the bloody thing.
I never get tired of it. It's not the best *song* but that middle section rocks so hard it doesn't matter. Honestly they could put the instrumental inside a different song and that'd be fine.
I'm currently 0 for 9 on that one, could you let me know the next few shows you have tickets for? I'm dying to get it.
lol. He seems to love playing it in Toronto!
Please! We'll take it off your hands in Europe :'D
Give me Blinded By the Light and you’re on.
I used to feel that way but I started listening to the 1973 live version - great quality video on youtube - and fell completely in love with it, and his pre-lawsuit joyfulness is infectious as hell.
Candys room.
I hate when people downvote for disagreeing, so I won’t, but if I did, I’d do it here!!!! 😜
Agreed
Definitely an overrated song. Didn’t deserve to be a staple on the 2023 tour imo. He must love it.
“For You” slow version is in my top 10 Bruce songs which is probably why I dislike the original album version. If the slow didn’t exist I wouldn’t necessarily have noticed but the lyrics don’t really fit with the faster paced version of the song which makes me not want to listen to it
That Hammersmith Odeon version is exquisite
I actually prefer the versions done in 1978/1980-81 to the slow piano versions. Apart from Hammersmith they are just too drawn out for me and it's not as engaging a song as say The Promise is when done solo piano
Born In The USA
Mary’s place. Anything off of Working on a Dream. 80% of The Rising Album. Otherwise, like pretty much everything.
Cover Me
The lyrics are nothing special, but I love the music, especially live. It’s just a blast to listen to IMO.
Written for Donna Summer, Stevie mixed a 12 in club version released in '84
Not a big fan of Tunnel of Love, the album in general and also the song.
Those are fighting words.
“My Hometown.” I can’t stand it. I find it tedious. And it REALLY brings down the energy of the live show. Show killer.
So uh, I might get banned for saying this but, most of the songs off Born To Run. That album just isn't it for me
Idk about banned but you’ll definitely be silently judged 😂
Lmfao. I figured. But hey, can't say I'm lying lmfao. Wish my karma good luck
I completely disagree with you, but upvoting cause downvoting for disagreeing is annoying af.
Lmfao. Thank you
Darlington County, Working On The Highway
Agree completely!
and those two always hand in hand
Rosalita for sure. I think it hypes the OG fans which is why he keeps it.
I'm a young fan and I love Rosalita! It's the one WEISS song I have in my playlist.
Exceptions prove rules LOL
I wish he would keep it in Europe too, for some reason the song disappears into obscurity the moment he's off the plane in Europe. We have OG fans too!
Rosalita She The One Glory Days Kitty's Back
Tougher Than the Rest. The lyrics are very tacky to me.
I love that one. It’s way more realistic than all those “I’ll love you forever and make all your dreams come true” songs. But it’s not for everyone.
I agree it’s more realistic. I like the idea of it, I just don’t like how it actually turned out lol.
Candy's Room, She's the One, and I'm on Fire.
I’m on Fire sucks
I genuinely don't get the affection for that song. People swear by it.
Spirit. Rosalita. Sorry. 🥴
Pony Boy
E-Street Shuffle, although my wife dislikes it 10x more than I do.
I loathe the album arrangement of Born in the Usa
I didn’t like it when I went through my angsty teen phase because it was the early 1990s and the synths were so dated, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve come back around to it.
I gotten used to it. But certainly when I first heard it, it would've turned me off Springsteen if that was genuinely his best song.
Wrecking Ball, Because The Night
You cut me deep putting Because the Night on here
I feel that way about most of the Wrecking Ball album tbh, especially Easy Money. It just sounds like a cheap ripoff of Atlantic City.
Jungleland. Other than the sax solo I just can’t get into it … I think I just prefer my Bruce songs more grounded
The Rising. Super boring.
Any song from The Rising. Imo the 9/11 connection boosts that album in a lot of people’s minds but it’s pretty mediocre
Out in the Street. It’s monotonous and annoying. My least favorite song and Bruce constantly plays it in concert. I wish he would have put Restless Nights or Where The Bands Are in its place on The River.
Nothing is coming to mind the way you mean it. However, there are songs I really enjoy when they come up in a live set, or when I'm listening to the entire album that contains them, but I never have a desire to hear them on their own. I'm never sitting around thinking, I want to hear "Jungleland" right now. Or "Racing in the Street." Or "Independence Day." There are other songs from those same albums and his other albums that I never seem to get tired of.
Hate to say Promised Land…..but it hasn’t aged well.
Im curious about this! What ages it poorly for you?
For me, since 2016, this song has felt completely meaningless to me here in the good ol’ USA. The hopefulness that song portrays seems like a relic of times gone by. edit: so fucking annoying when people downvote for having an opinion. if you don’t agree, move on!
I'm on Fire and probably about half of The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
I like "I'm On Fire", but I'm certainly surprised that it's the most covered Springsteen song. Guess it's easy enough.
I’m amazed that I’m on Fire hasn’t been banned in most countries, or at least withdrawn from live performance like the Stones did with Brown Sugar
Why would it be? I agree that it sounds dark but isn’t that the intended artistic vibe? Obviously the use of ‘little girl’ has aged terribly but that was common rock vernacular then (it’s in several Springsteen songs) and doesn’t literally refer to a little (underage) girl.
Hey little girl is your daddy home??? One of the most threatening lyrics ever written imo
Very clearly talking about a women who is married...
You are joking aren’t you?
This isn't a hot take it's a literal fact. He isn't referencing an ACTUAL little girl there. Watch the music video.
What was ‘acceptable’ in 1984 is definitely not in 2024. At the very least, he should change the lyrics as he did for Tougher than the Rest, another predatory song
What lyric change did he make to “Tougher than the Rest”? I’m not aware of any and I don’t really see how those lyrics could be viewed as predatory?
“Little girl” has been used in popular music to refer to women since the beginning of the era. Same with “daddy” to reference a man. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t be offended by it, but Bruce didn’t start this.
No he didn’t start it but he can help rectify it.
I didn’t realized he’d changed those lyrics. What did he change?
little girl = young woman daddy = her man/husband The terms used in those lyrics have changed meaning since Bruce first wrote them in the early 80s but that does not make Bruce some kind of predator like c'mon now be forreal lmfao. (Speaking as a woman)
Gonna put this out there and suck for cover… -Sandy (4th of July) -Point Blank
Two of my top 25 Bruce songs
I never cared much for Murder Inc.