Entertainment For Lively Minds
Must Bruce Springsteen do a duet with everyone?
Posted by David Hepworth on 22 September 2010 - 1:51pm.
I note that the new Ray Davies album is one of those "me and my slightly more bankable fans" efforts. It features, as if we couldn't guess, a duet with Bruce Springsteen. Which makes me wonder, is there anyone he *hasn't* done a duet with? And which of them are really worth having?
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Not a Bruce fan, but...
Disorder in the House, the one he did with Warren Zevon, is one of the few big-name collaborations I admire.
That's the one
I was just about to name as one of the worst! It's a long time since I listened to it but surely he tramples all over the melody, shouts a bit and generally tries to out sing the by then quite ill Zevon?
Haha!
In many senses, you are right. I think it lives up to the title quite well though. The slight lack of respect and buddy-buddy stuff is refreshing to me.
very few
I would think...the one that grates on me is the croaky contribution to Rosanne Cash's "Sea Of Heartbreak", quite horrible... but then again there was a startling guitar solo on Warren Zevon's "The Wind" album..can't remember which song...his voice has become a strangled, strained mess..it's all caused by that muscle steroid look he has adapted in recent years if you ask me!
Sea Of Heartbreak
I think it's rather lovely and enhanced by Bruce's presence.
I'm with you
Roseanne and Bruce's version of Sea of Heartbreak is wonderful. An excellent song, lyrics by Hal David, a man who could turn a phrase. I'd also recommend Don Gibson's version of the song - in fact I'd recommend anything by Don Gibson.
loved the version
until Bruce popped up....
Susan Boyle?
...
Keep away from the steroids Ray!
Personally I think the question should be "Must Ray Davies do a duet with absolutely anyone!"
I think when the great book of Rock and Roll history is written two hundred years from now, somewhere tucked away in an appendix will be: "Springsteen: overrated, nursery level songwriter and performer. Lucky enough to be supported, and in some cases heavily promoted by a misguided critical establishment of the time."
An up arrow sir
It doesn't matter how many respected and talented people you duet with The Dross, it will never rub off on you. You are at best, a busker.
Has he done a lot of duets ?
I can think of many artists who've done more.
Not in the same league
Country people seem to never stop doing them. Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and especially Willie Nelson seem to live to duet. A Willie Nelson blog has attempted to list them (http://stillisstillmoving.com/willienelson/willie-nelson-duets/) and came up with sixty-five but I can name at least one (Rattlesnake Annie) which has been left out.
Elvis Costello
will record a duet with just about anyone.
Ditto Elton John.
There are a lot of appearances he's made
on records of people that seem to be his mates, or artists that he respects or admires
I doubt if there is much commercial gain for him, sharing half a royalty on one track of an album that isn't likely to sell by the truckload. His appearances do generate a bit more publicity and possibly some extra sales to Bruce fans. The Rosanne Cash record would certainly have passed under my radar otherwise.
The Warren Zevon DVD is well worth investing in, and supposedly Springsteen had travelled after a concert to be able to appear on Warren's record.
Marah
i like this one with the well worth checking out Marah. Disregard the terrible fan made video
What's that one he does with Lou Reed?
"Street Hassle". Quite like that. And with Graham Parker on "Endless Night". And didn't he do "Jersey Girl" with Tom Waits?
No he didn’t
He’s covered ‘Jersey Girl’ in concert plenty of times, and a version appeared on the ‘Live 1975-85’ box set, but to my knowledge, he’s never recorded it with Tom. But there’s still plenty of time...
Before this turns into pedant’s corner, can I add ‘Broken radio’ with Jesse Malin to the list of good Bruce collaborations? And there are several songs he’s co-written and recorded with Joe Grushecky that are pretty good, too.
I think a good rule of thumb for Bruce duets is that the less famous the other artist, the better the result. I certainly won’t be rushing to buy the Ray Davies album to hear Bruce’s contribution.
Not a huge Bruuuuuuce fan
but that cover of Jersey Girl is spine tingling....
As a part-time Bruce fan...
...I'm always a little taken aback when listening to his live albums. The incessant (and, frankly, moronic) chanting of his name sounds exactly like the audience is booing.
They are
.
Ha! You are on form today
Aren´t you?
Springsteens fans are morons!
Springsteens fans are morons! I never would have guessed
its a Tom Waits song
It's gonna be good no matter who warbles it.
I like this
Southside Johnny, Bruce and Little Steven singing about long time friendship. What more do you want.
Lurching wildly off piste, I remember seeing Southside and Bobby Bandiera at the Town and Country Club (ahhhh what a great venue that was)do this. Fantastic.
Emmylou Harris was backed up by Patti and her husband
On a beauty called Tragedy featured on Red Dirt Girl.
Also agree with the people above - there are a whole bunch of artists with a much more serious Duet Syndrome.
That's a great track
Didn't even know it was him on it.
Emmylou and Patti do most of the singing
Bruce just kind of mumbles/howls in the background. :)
There's a terrific
iTunes video of him doing "Turn, Turn, Turn" with Roger McGuinn. It's worth it just to see the look of delight, respect and awe on Steve Van Zant's face as he looks at McGuinn's guitar playing.
People who haven't done one..
(but I'd like to see)
John Anderson
Dolly Parton
George Melly
Blossom Dearie
Edgar Broughton
Diamanda Galas
etc
Gary US Bonds
There was a lovely version of the old Cajun song Jole Blon which was a sort of comeback single for Gary US Bonds in the early 80s, which I think was produced by Ver Boss, and probably had the E Street Band playing on it; Bruce shared the vocals, to rollicking effect. I suspect that he did it as a favour to Bonds, whose style he to some extent emulated. I couldn't find it on youtube. Somewhere I still have the 7" single.
Emmylou
must have the record
Imagine the humiliation anyone who has ever been turned down by her must feel