More Bruce Talk with Spoiler Alert Update

Posted: January 30th, 2009 | Filed under: Bruce | 31 Comments »

There are, as you might imagine, lots of rumors flying around Tampa here during Super Bowl week, some about players, some about celebrity sightings, most about the what songs Bruce Springsteen will play at halftime.

One rumor has been so persistent that I’ll report it here.

The rumor is that Bruce will play four songs (truncated for time, of course):

1. Working on a Dream
2. Glory Days
3. Born to Run
4. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

Now, I have heard this rumor in numerous places, but I cannot tell if it comes from a real source or if it’s just deduction that has mushroomed into a hot rumor. It does make some sense that he will play Working on a Dream … I think based on his passion for the new music he expressed at the press conference, he will definitely play something from the new album. I think My Lucky Day would play better in that setting — it’ s much more upbeat and more of a stadium song — but I guess Working on a Dream is the song NBC has been pushing.

Glory Days and Born to Run are the two songs most people expect him to play. So those make sense. If he does this, he’ll probably lead off with Glory Days.

And Tenth Avenue Freeze Out would explain why he is bringing horns to the game.

There is logic here … and that could be right. But I have serious doubts that he will play Tenth Avenue Freeze Out at the Super Bowl. Something about it doesn’t quite fit for me. I can’t see him playing two songs off “Born to Run,” and I’m not sure Tenth Avenue Freeze Out is quite big enough for the non-Springsteen base that he is clearly trying to reach here. I think it’s more likely he would use the horns for something like “American Land.” But, like I say, this rumor is hot.

Two other halftime show rumors floating around:

1. Bruce will play some kind of medley of two or three songs. I think that would send my dear friend Liz Clarke over the edge.

2. He will play an unexpected cover song.

I am expecting some kind of surprise. One rumor that is not going around is that Bruce will used eight of his twelve minutes to play “Cowboy Pete.”*

*A few readers have pointed out that the song is actually “Outlaw Pete.” But — and I say this with the obvious respect that a Bruce devotee has for the man — in this case, with that song, there’s no difference.

Brilliant reader Shawn passes along these odds from Ireland .. these are the odds for the FIRST Springsteen song that will be played. Bets are voided if it’s not one of these songs:

Born To Run, 2-3
Born In The USA, 13-8
Badlands, 4-1
Radio Nowhere, 5-1
Thunder Road, 8-1

I think no money will be won … I don’t think Bruce leads off with any of those songs. And anyone putting money down on Born in the U.S.A., I’m predicting right now, might as well be betting on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.

* * *

UPDATE: Apparently there could be something to the Tenth Avenue Freeze Out rumor. Thanks to brilliant reader Caryn.

31 Comments on “More Bruce Talk with Spoiler Alert Update”

  1. 1: Spud said at 12:31 am on January 31st, 2009:

    Born To Run has to be the closer, doesn’t it? I haven’t seen Bruce in more than 20 years but I’d guess it’s still in just about every encore.

    Thunder Road is … I don’t know, it doesn’t fit his description of this 12-minute show from the press conference. I could see Badlands, then the new song, then Glory Days, then BTR. Yes, I could see that very easily.

  2. 2: Devon Young said at 12:40 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I think Born to Run would make a great closing song, ’cause it would leave people energized for the start of the 2nd half. No way he plays it first

  3. 3: Marino Eccher said at 2:27 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I wrote about this the other day. There’s another factor at play here: He release “My Lucky Day” and “Born to Run” as a two-pack on Guitar Hero that’s free to download until something like the 4th. I can’t envision a scenario in which he does not play both — especially since “Born to Run” was a heavy favorite anyway.

    Medley or no medley, there’s no way he plays “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.” It’s wildly out of place for the venue and the crowd. I actually have much of the same feeling about “Glory Days” — something about those honky-tonk undertones don’t feel right. I could be wrong on that one. But my final picks included both “My Lucky Day” AND “Working on a Dream.” He’s got merchandise to move, people.

    Fourth song? The Rising. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve worried that he’s not going to repeat a song he did at the inauguration, but it would bring down the house like nobody’s business. Might not be the safest bet, but I think it would be the most appropriate choice.

    Badlands is a strong contender. Thunder Road is a wonderful song, but it’s not happening here. I’m sticking with BTR as the opener and “Rising” as the capper, with the new stuff in between.

  4. 4: Bryan in Brighton said at 3:39 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I would place a wager on Mary’s Place as the opener.

    Then I would bet they play Promised Land, Born to Run and Rosalita, although Rosalita would be a long shot and just something I am hoping for personally.

    I don’t see Working on a Dream, although I do think he will probably include something new, after all he is selling a record, dummy.

    I would definitely wager on them playing something totally out of the ordinary, possibly a cover, and I would also wager on it going over 15 minutes and nobody being too concerned with that.

    I wouldn’t be too surprised if they skip Born to Run. Normally live the song is probably 10 minutes and there isn’t really time to build it up and to pull it off properly. Because everyone is expecting it, they will go with the unexpected.

  5. 5: Vin said at 5:57 am on January 31st, 2009:

    OK, so I’m probably the only regular reader of this blog that’s not a Bruce fan – I have nothing against him, but I just never saw what all the fuss is about. Though his voice kinda grates me after awhile….I do appreciate the geeking out, though. And it’s not a bad thing to read after waking up in the middle of the night in my hotel room in San Francisco.

    Anyway, the real pointI wanted to make here is that I hope, for your legions of Bruce fans, that he does not play a medley. Medleys suck. I saw Beck play a medley a few years ago and it made me lose a lot of respect for him (well, that and the Scientology…his new album is actually quite good, though). Maybe there is a right way to do a medley, and I’m just over-generalizing, but I seriously doubt it. Choose a damn song and play it.

  6. 6: gene oberto said at 6:02 am on January 31st, 2009:

    Joe,

    Here’s my two cents, or four songs. They come in at just under 16 minutes, all up beat, lots of guitars, Clarence, stage antics and from the new LP as well-

    1. Ramrod
    2. Cover Me
    3. My Lucky Day
    4. She’s the One

    Gene Oberto

  7. 7: mike said at 6:32 am on January 31st, 2009:

    For what it’s worth, I’m not a very big Bruce fan — I’ve probably only owned Born to Run — and I know (and like) 10th Avenue Freezeout. It’s a radio staple (and on that album, as you all know).

    Kind of rooting for The Rising.

  8. 8: M. T. Head said at 6:48 am on January 31st, 2009:

    If he does a cover, “War” is a good bet. He has done it before, in the worst arena rock fashion, as is his wont (nod to Vin). Even with the regime change it is an inspired choice at the usually schlock-laden Super Bowl halftime.

  9. 9: Jon Morse said at 6:50 am on January 31st, 2009:

    It’d be funny if, just to mess with everyone, he did Spirits in the Night, Blinded by the Light, and For You… with the Manfred Mann arrangements.

  10. 10: Mike S said at 7:31 am on January 31st, 2009:

    For Bruce fanatics, Born in the USA seems like a long shot. But with the Superbowl all focus on courage/bravery and the surge of Obama-related patriotism (and the opening notes, it seems ideal for them, if not for him.

  11. 11: NMC said at 8:30 am on January 31st, 2009:

    It is assured that he won’t be playing my favorites.
    Personally, I’d like a two-song set. Open with “The River” and then tear off “Lost in the Flood.” But, you’d have people jumping from the upper decks after that — least uplifting half-time show…ever. But great, poignant, songs.

    I could definitely see him do “Rising”, “Badlands”, “Working on a Dream” and then closing with “Born to Run”. In that, I agree with Devon above, that it makes a lot of sense as the closing number — sort of the essential, classic, Springsteen that even people who don’t know or like ‘The Boss’ can probably recognize (and maybe appreciate or even like.)

    Also, something like “Never Surrender” or “Radio Nowhere” would not be surprising. I don’t expect to hear “Glory Days” (somehow the baseball themed opening is out of place at the Super Bowl) or “Born in the U.S.A” unless it is Ronald Reagan’s ghost up there belting it out to honor the courage and the bravery and the red, white, and bluesiness of it all.

  12. 12: Orphan of the Road said at 8:35 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I was fortunate to work a little club outside Philadelphia where Bruce and the E Street Band debuted the Born to Run album live when Thunder Road was Wings on Wheels.

    He will start alone, armed only with a guitar and play Save The Last Dance For Me and then the band will break into Dancing In The Dark.

    Rosalita ’cause it is the best jukebox song ever (edges Honky-Tonk Women).

    Working on a Dream maybe but definitely something from the new record.

    Closing out with The Rising.

  13. 13: Chris said at 8:38 am on January 31st, 2009:

    It’s “Outlaw Pete” Joe … but the album’s still new, so you get a pass! :)

  14. 14: Monkeyhawk said at 8:44 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I was in New York several years ago and the local Morning Zoo was riffing on the Springteen concert the night before.

    They kept “switching back” to the Meadowlands claiming Springsteen had promised he’d play every rock’n'roll song he knew before he left the stage.

    New Yorkers were so stupid, calling in and saying, “I was at the concert! It ended at 11:30!”

    And the DJ said, “No! That was just an intermission!”

    And people called in and said, “If I go back out there will they honor my ticket stub and let me back in?”

    I have a slight fantasy Bruce will decide the Super Bowl halftime show should be the one international gig when he can play every song he knows. That the Steelers will be sitting in the locker room on a 20-13 lead for 18 hours as Bruce does the whole “Nebraska” album, “Johnny B. Goode,” the Archies’ “Bang-Shang-A-Lang,” as Bruce refuses to leave the stage and NBC knows better than to cut away from it for the second half of what’s likely to be a mediocre football game.

  15. 15: KCJoe said at 8:58 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I’ve always liked Bruce. You make me want to love him.

  16. 16: Scorp said at 10:14 am on January 31st, 2009:

    it’s Outlaw Pete, not Cowboy Pete.

    Bruce will open with 10th Avenue Freeze Out, then Glory Days, then My Lucky Day, then Born To Run

  17. 17: MichaelKC said at 11:18 am on January 31st, 2009:

    I’d disagree with Joe and say there is indeed a difference between Cowboy Pete and Outlaw Pete. The second and third lines of the song…”At six months old he’d done three months in jail.
    He robbed a bank in his diapers and little bare baby feet.” Outlaw Pete is far more descriptive than Cowboy.

    I know some of the predictions have been wishful thinking, but there’s no way he plays BITUSA or Ramrod. 10th Avenue would have to be a somewhat truncated version, but I could see it, certainly given the horns presence.

  18. 18: TRad said at 11:50 am on January 31st, 2009:

    He should play Free Bird. 12 minutes? Check. Cover? Check.

  19. 19: JB in KC said at 11:52 am on January 31st, 2009:

    Congrats on the Backstreets link to the SI article. I’m getting the sense that you’re on target with the 4 predicted songs. But I don’t think they’ll do “Glory Days”, partly because it’s about baseball. Lot of songs could be subbed in, but I hope it’s a cool cover, “Wooly Bully” or the Detroit Medley. Prince did 3 covers and blew people away. Check out Spin: http://www.spin.com/blog/why-springsteens-super-bowl-show-will-rock

  20. 20: Caryn said at 1:20 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    SUPER SPOILER ALERT.

    Joe: you’ve got the wrong order, but you have the right songs.

    (I was trying to stay spoiler-free but someone else in this house knows and said that when he came over to read over my shoulder)

    p.s. The link that I gave Joe is a photo that came from one of the road crew during rehearsals. You can say “no way” but I mean, man, how much more proof do you need? It’s a photo of the prompter!

  21. 21: Ben said at 2:41 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    Generally I’m anti-medley like the rest of you, but the exception for me is Willie Nelson medleys. If you ever see Willie live, that guy can tear up a medley.

  22. 22: Spud said at 5:37 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    He could always go back to the “Devil With the Blue Dress” medley from a thousand years ago.

  23. 23: odessa steps magazine said at 6:12 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    Why not send out a Big F.U. to the Oscars and play the Wrestler end song.

  24. 24: Old Man Duggan said at 6:25 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    I’m guessing he plays:

    1. 57 Channels
    2. Matamoros
    3. Brilliant Disguise
    4. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

  25. 25: brucewd3 said at 8:43 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    is there any better intro than the opening of Cadillac Ranch to get people up off their feet?

  26. 26: brucewd3 said at 8:44 pm on January 31st, 2009:

    oops, i meant on their feet and off their seat

  27. 27: Robert said at 10:14 am on February 1st, 2009:

    For me, Seth Meyers said it best last night on Weekend Update. “Tomorrow, the Cardinals and Steelers open up for Springsteen.”

    I don’t care what he plays – it’ll just get me more excited to drop over $100 per ticket for the next tour (after Ticketmaster fees, of course), which coincidentally go on sale tomorrow morning.

  28. 28: Perry said at 12:34 pm on February 1st, 2009:

    If he does that list, that’ll be a disappointment.

    All available digits crossed for “American Land.” Or “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live,” although it’ll never happen. Maybe he’ll do “This Land Is Your Land” — including the commie verses — like he did at the inauguration.

  29. 29: Adam said at 12:52 pm on February 1st, 2009:

    I’m not a huge Bruce fan, but I’d be fine with that setlist. Born to Run is lynchpin for me, it’s my favorite song of all time.

  30. 30: Matt said at 12:53 pm on February 1st, 2009:

    Joe,

    I’m not sure which songs Bruce will play, I have some I am rooting for, but I just wanted to say thanks for being such a big Springsteen fan that you inspired me to see what all the fuss was about.

    I was born in 1980, so I missed Bruce’s most popular days. I have some childhood memories of seeing the Dancing in the Dark video, and at my young age, I never really understood what Born in the USA was all about. I also never realized Hungry Heart was Bruce.

    Later on in life I heard that The Rising was a great album but never checked out. Various best of lists reminded me how great a song Born to Run was, but to be quite honest, my uneducated impression of Bruce based on my life experience was that he was a better version of John Cougar Mellencamp, a patriotic, ain’t-that-America type.

    Your several mentions of your Bruce love inspired me to look more deeply into what he really is all about, and I have to say, I am blown away. In many ways, he’s the opposite of what I expected. He’s not the shallow flag waving artist I thought at all. Of course you know this and probably find it jarring to realize anyone could think that. For whatever reason, The Boss’ greatness has been lost on my generation more than it should. As someone who has gone back and explore the greatness of artists like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, the Clash etc, I’m ashamed it took me so long to check the Boss out.

    Thanks Joe for opening my eyes to the greatness of Bruce, keep up the great writing.

  31. 31: Pat Hobby said at 3:20 pm on February 1st, 2009:

    Not really a fan but he should just play “Rosalita” for the entire time he has alloted.

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