The Springsteen American Top 32
By Warren Brake
Wait, what's that music I hear in the background????
Hi, I'm Casy Kasem, and welcome to American Top 40's special countdown of
the top 32 Springsteen songs of all time. These are the top 32 songs
written or recorded by Springsteen from a computer ranking of all of
Springsteen's appearances on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 Singles chart
from September 1975 to May 1994. Our countdown begins at...
"Number 32!"
Leading off our survey is a song from early in the career of Bruce
Springsteen. In January 1976, it was released as the followup to the
breakthrough single Born To Run. However, it faced a backlash to
media hype and merely peaked at number 83. Here's...
32. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
In 1992, Bruce released his first new album in nearly five years. Actually
it was two albums, Human Touch and Lucky Town, released on the same day,
March 31. The second single released that year was Bruce's worst charting
single in 16 years. Peaking at number 68 was...
31. 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)
At number 30 is an anthem Bruce still performs in concert. It just missed
the Top 40, spending six weeks on the Billboard chart but only peaking at
number 42 in the fall of 1978...
30. Badlands
In 1986, Bruce was at the peak of his popularity. He released a boxed
set of live performances that is now recognized as the biggest selling boxed
set of all time and one of the biggest selling albums of all time. The RIAA
has certified it for sales of 12 million units representing 3 million boxes
of five LPs or three cassette or CD sets. The second single from that
package is number 29 in our survey. It peaked at number 46 and spent eight
weeks on the chart...
29. Fire
That was the first of two songs which appear twice in our countdown. The
Pointer Sisters' version is coming up later.
In 1985, Bruce's status as one of the biggest stars in that decade made
him a popular target of parodies and imitations. Robin Williams, Joe
Piscopo, Sesame Street and many others have found inspiration for their
work in Bruce's image and music. The most successful parody was by a
comedy duo singing about their troubles with the U.S. immigration
department. Bruce received a writing credit for the use of the music
from one of his most popular songs. This parody only peaked at number 48
but stayed on the chart for 11 weeks, coming in at number 28 in our
survey, it's...
28. Born In East L.A. - Cheech and Chong
You may be wondering how our chart is calculated. It's based on a formula
developed by chart biographer Joel Whitburn. Each song is given points
based on its peak position, with number one receiving 40 points and number
40 receiving one point. Bonus points are also awarded; 25 for songs peaking
from number one to number five, 20 for six through ten, 15 for 11 to 20, ten
for 21 to 30 and five for 31 to 40. Points are also added for each week the
song is in the top 40 and each week it spends at number one. Finally, ties
are broken based on the number of weeks at number one, weeks in the top 10,
weeks in the top 40, or weeks on the Hot 100.
And just how many top 40 hits did Bruce have? Bruce hit the top 40 with
17 songs and has had his songs hit the top 40 ten more times when covered
by other artists. That means every song from here on in is a top 40 hit!
"Number 27!"
The next song in our survey is one that keeps coming back. In 1972, Bruce
recorded this song for his first album. It was also the second single from
that album but it failed to make the charts. In 1976, Manfred Mann recorded
the song and released it as a single. Unfortunately, it only made it to
number 97. But that wasn't the last time we'd hear that song. After the
huge success of Manfred's cover of Bruce's Blinded By The Light, Manfred
re-recorded the song with his new band members and released it as a
follow-up single. Well, finally the song made the top 40, squeaking in at
number 40 for one week. Coming in our special countdown at number 27
here's...
27. Spirit In The Night - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Next is a number 33 song which spent just two weeks in the top 40. Here's...
26. Prove It All Night
In 1987, Joan Jett starred in a movie with Michael J. Fox about a brother
and sister in a rock and roll band. The title song for that movie was
written by Bruce but was not released by him until 1992 with his In Concert
MTV XXPlugged home video and subsequent album release in Europe. Right now
we'll listen to the version recorded by Jett and Fox as the band called the
Barbusters...
25. Light Of Day - The Barbusters
Even Before Bruce became a pop icon he was a well known musician and people
were always getting him confused with other performers. It was his unusual
name that caused most of the trouble - was he Jewish? Italian? Belgian?
Dutch? No one was sure. In 1978, Rick Springfield wrote a song about how
people were always mistaking him for Bruce - even his own mother. That
song became a hit in 1984 and its an AT40 extra in our countdown...
AT40Extra. Bruce - Rick Springfield
Well, we're one quarter through our countdown of the biggest songs written
or recorded by Bruce Springsteen. Still to come on AT40, we'll hear Bruce's
first and last top 40 hits with the E Street Band, and we'll also have
a long distance dedication from a listener in Illinois to our hero. All that
and more coming up in our next hour.
"Number 24!"
This is a song which symbolizes Bruce's objectives throughout his career and
which is most closely associated with him. It was his first hit and is the
oldest single in our survey...
24. Born To Run
Perhaps no one has benefitted more from Bruce's help than the artist at
number 23. In the early 1980s, Bruce gave numerous songs to, performed with,
and helped produce an album for Gary U.S. Bonds. This is a number 21 hit
for Gary that was written by Bruce. It's...
23. Out Of Work - Gary U.S. Bonds
Although Bruce has had 17 top 40 hits, the radio format on which he has had
the most success is rock. Since Billboard created its Album Oriented Radio
(AOR) chart, Bruce has consistently been successful on it with five number
one AOR songs. The format has also been supportive of his album tracks which
weren't singles and non-album tracks. Here is a medley of the songs which
have hit the AOR charts but did not chart on the Hot 100...
AT40Medley. I'm A Rocker/Be True/Cadillac Ranch/Point Blank/Ramrod/Atlantic
City/Open All Night/Johnny 99/Pink Cadillac/No Surrender/Bobby Jean/Stand
On It/Trapped/Because The Night/Raise Your Hand/Spare Parts/All That Heaven
Will Allow/Roulette/Better Days/All Or Nothin' At All/Roll Of The Dice/
Leap Of Faith
Needless to say, there would have been many more had the chart existed in
the 1970s. Now, here's one of the songs that appeared on the very first AOR
chart in 1981, It also made the Hot 100 and comes in our countdown at
number 22...
22. Fade Away
In 1990, rap group Luke and the 2 Live Crew sampled Born In The U.S.A. in
their anti-censorship anthem called...
21. Banned In The U.S.A. - Luke and the 2 Live Crew
Clarence Clemmons, sax player with the E Street Band, also keeps busy when
not recording or touring with Bruce. He's become known as a great session
musician playing with lots of artists and had a hit with Soul Queen
Aretha Franklin. But Clarence has also recorded for himself, putting out
three solo albums. And although he and Bruce are great pals, Clarence chose
to record this friendly hit with Jackson Browne. They took it to number 18
in 1985, here's an AT40 extra...
AT40Extra. You're A Friend Of Mine - Clarence Clemmons & Jackson Browne
When Bruce finally released two new albums in 1992, there were high sales
expectations. Both debuted in the Top 3 of Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
and the first single made Bruce's highest ever debut on the Hot 100 at
number 29. It peaked at number 16 three weeks later. Here's...
20. Human Touch
That was the first single released after the E Street Band broke up in
1989. Next is the last charting song recorded with the E Street Band. It
spent eight weeks in the top 40 and peaked at number 13 in 1988, here's...
19. One Step Up
There are three songs in our countdown that were co-written by Bruce and
someone else. We've already heard Born In East L.A. and Banned in the
U.S.A.. Now we're up to the third song co-written by Bruce. This one with
Patti Smith who made it a number 13 hit in 1978. This is also a song we
will hear again later in the countdown. It's...
18. Because The Night - Patti Smith
There are two songs in our special countdown performed by Gary U.S. Bonds.
We've already heard Out Of Work at number 23, now here's a song that
just missed the Top 10, peaking at number 11 for three weeks. It's...
17. This Little Girl - Gary U.S. Bonds
Now it's time for a Long Distance Dedication. It's from a listener in
Naperville, Illinois. She writes:
Dear Casey,
In the early 1980s I saw Bruce Springsteen on the River tour.
It changed my life forever. Throughout the years since then I
have followed his career religiously. I now lead over 800 other
people who have devoted their lives and pocketbooks to our hero.
I, like Bruce, am now a parent. I am able to find hope and
inspiration in my children. They're like a little piece of the
future right in my hands. There is a song on the album Lucky
Town which sums up the emotions I experience as a parent like
no other. Could you please play Living Proof for my living proof?
I just want Bruce to know that in spite of poor sales, his
music still matters.
Signed,
Katherine Kinder
Well, Katherine, here's your long distance dedication...
LDD. Living Proof
Well, we're halfway up our countdown of the 32 biggest hits by Bruce
Springsteen. Stay tuned and we'll hear the longest charting single, the
only single not written by Bruce, and, of course, the biggest Boss song
of all time.
Leading off the second half of our countdown is the first of seven top
ten singles from Born In The U.S.A. in our countdown. This was actually
the sixth single released from that album. It peaked at number nine, and
also spent nine weeks in the top 40, here's...
16. I'm Goin' Down
The 1980s were a time of change in the music industry. The long-time
standard vinyl LPs were being outsold by cassettes. In 1982, a new
music format was introduced. Boasting crystal clear digital sound, the
compact disc was destined to overtake the industry (with a little
record company help :-)) The first time CDs were manufactured in the U.S.
was 1984 and no album would have been more appropriately titled to be
the first CD pressed in the U.S. than Born In The U.S.A. Here's the
top 10 title track...
15. Born In The U.S.A.
Up next is the only song in our countdown not written or co-written by
Bruce. It is a cover song that Bruce first performed in 1985 and was the
first single from the Live/1975-85 boxed set in 1986. The original version
of this song, performed by Edwin Starr, spent three weeks at number one
in 1970. Bruce took it to number eight in 1986 and 1987. It's...
14. War
In 1987, Bruce followed up the bombastic and rocking Born In The U.S.A.
and Live/1975-85 albums with the much quieter and personal Tunnel of Love
album. Here is the number nine hit title track...
13. Tunnel Of Love
Next on our countdown is the latest single by Bruce. It's from the movie
Philadelphia and won Bruce a grammy for best song from a motion picture.
It has also become just his third gold single, selling 500,000 copies.
It is still in the top 40 as this special is broadcast. Each week that it
charts, it garners more points so it could move up even higher on our
special survey. At number 12, here's...
12. Streets Of Philadelphia
Here's another quiet ballad. Released in November 1985, this one hit
number six, boosted by Bruce's version of the Christmas tune Santa Claus is
Comin' To Town on the Bside...
11. My Hometown
This rocker hit number seven in the fall of 1984. Widely considered one
of the best songs he's written and an in-concert favorite, here's...
10. Cover Me
In 1983, there was a movie called Eddie and the Cruisers about a singer
in a rock band and the troubles he had coming to grips with his own
individual existance...uh...artistic integrity and the demands of his
record company. The movie derived a lot of inspiration from Bruce and his
music. The band performing the music from the movie, John Cafferty and
the Beaver Brown Band, had several hits in the 1980s that sound a lot
like Bruce's best frat rockers. It is just one example of the influence
Bruce has had on other artists. Here's an AT40 Extra...
AT40Extra. On The Dark Side - John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
1985 was the year of Bruce Springsteen. He had the best selling album
of the year, six of his albums hit the charts, 13 of his concert stands
were among the year's top 40, five of his singles hit the charts. He was
so hot, you could say he was on fire. Here's one of those hit singles...
9. I'm On Fire
Now we're up to a single that just can't decide when to quit. Three times
it has moved up the charts after having fallen for one or more weeks. In
fact, this is the longest charting single in our countdown - 28 weeks on
the Hot 100 - and that stamina has made this number 11 hit the eighth
biggest song written or recorded by Bruce. Here's...
8. Because The Night - 10,000 Maniacs
One amazing record that Bruce holds is the most top 10s without ever
hitting number one - Bruce has had twelve - and here's one of them, a
number five song from the Tunnel Of Love album...
7. Brilliant Disguise
At number six in our countdown is a cover of a song Bruce put on the
Bside of his big hit Dancing In The Dark. That version hit number 27 on
Billboard's AOR chart. Disco diva Natalie Cole re-did this number and
took it to number five pop for two weeks in May 1988. Here's...
6. Pink Cadillac - Natalie Cole
Rocking in at number five in our countdown is the fifth single from
Born In The U.S.A. It also peaked at number five in August 1985. Here's...
5. Glory Days
Although Bruce had sold millions of albums, was a major concert
attraction, and had written several top ten hits for other artists, it
wasn't until 1980 that he had his own top ten hit. It spent five
weeks at number five in December 1980 and January 1981. Here's...
4. Hungry Heart
Now it's time for another AT40 extra. For many years, Bruce has been
donating money to worthy causes. He holds many benefit concert such as the
Christic Institute Benefit, the MUSE concerts, and the Vietnam Veterans
Benefit. He has also participated on charity records such as Sun City,
JAM 86, and For Our Children. His most prominent guest appearance was on
a benefit song and album that helped fight starvation in Ethiopia. It was
one of the biggest selling singles of all time and its an AT40 Extra...
AT40Extra. We Are The World - U.S.A. for Africa
That was a number one song for four weeks in April 1985. It features Bruce
trading vocals with pop icon Michael Jackson on the chorus.
And on with the countdown.
"Number 3!"
We're up to the three biggest singles written or recorded by Bruce
Springsteen, and at number three is one of the biggest songs of 1984.
It spent four weeks at number two in July of that year, kept out of
the top spot by the breakthrough single by another 80s icon - Prince
and When Doves Cry. Bruce's hit spent 21 weeks on the Hot 100, nine of
them in the top 10. Here's...
3. Dancing In The Dark
Back at number 29 we heard Bruce's version of Fire, recorded live by
Bruce in 1978 and a hit for him in 1987. Late in 1978 the Pointer
Sisters released their version of the song and took it all the way to
number two for two weeks in February of 1979. It stayed in the top 40
for an amazing 16 weeks, making it the second biggest song written or
recorded by Bruce Springsteen...
2. Fire - Pointer Sisters
There's just one song to go in our special countdown, but before we find
out what the number one song is, let's recap all the singles released by
Bruce Springsteen in a special AT40 Medley...
AT40Medley. Blinded By The Light/Spirit In The Night/Born To Run/Tenth
Avenue Freeze Out/Prove It All Night/Badlands/Hungry Heart/Fade Away/
Dancing In The Dark/Cover Me/Born In The U.S.A./I'm On Fire/Glory Days/
I'm Goin' Down/My Hometown/War/Fire/Brilliant Disguise/Tunnel Of Love/
One Step Up/Human Touch/57 Channels (And Nothin' On)/Streets Of
Philadelphia
You may have noticed we have only played 21 of those 23 singles. That's
because Bruce's first two singles didn't make the Hot 100. Those songs
are in our countdown, however. At number 27 we heard Manfred Mann's
version of Spirit In The Night and at the top of our chart is another
song by Manfred Mann. In 1976 he recorded a version of Bruce's first
single and took it all the way to number one in February 1977.
The biggest song written or recorded by Bruce Springsteen is...
1. Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
And there you have it. The number one Boss song of all-time is Blinded
By The Light.
Thank you for listening to American Top 40's special survey of the top 32
Boss songs of all time. Listen again next week when we will return to our
regular weekly countdown of the top 40 songs in the land. Until then, this
is Casey Kasem, and remember..."Keep your feet on the ground, and keep
reaching for the stars!"
==========================================================================
Warren here again - this was inspired by a similar article by Scott
Galuska on the Beatles newsgroup (thanks Scott, whereever you are).
I hope you enjoyed it and hope I didn't waste too much netspace. Again,
this is based on my research and there may be some errors because I
didn't have my source books with me while typing it in. It is believed to
be accurate up to the May 14 issue of Billboard. I realize Casey Kasem
now does a countdown based on Radio and Records' chart, but Shadow
Stevens, who does American Top 40 now, is too difficult to write for
and I enjoy living in the past. I apologize to those outside North
America for the U.S. focus of this countdown. But, heh, I'm from Canada
and I can live with it :-)
"Obviously, this is a graduate who definitely needs to get
a job..."
Warren Brake
warren@odie.cs.mun.ca