 No Retreat, No Surrender: The Ultimate Springsteen Countdown (The Index)By
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JamsBio presents “No Retreat, No Surrender,” a worst-to-first countdown of every album cut in Springsteen history, plus a few choice outtakes, live classics, and soundtrack songs – that’s 200 tunes ranked and defended. Check out JamsBio.com each day as the countdown is gradually revealed, and prepare to hit the message boards to defend your favorites. Click on each song to read more about it. Songs 200-151 (Click on each song to read more about it.)
200. “Real Man” (from Human Touch)
199. “All or Nothin’ At All” (from Human Touch)
198. “Mary’s Place” (from The Rising)
197. “The Long Goodbye” (from Human Touch)
196. “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” (from The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle)
195. “Gloria’s Eyes” (from Human Touch)
194. “All the Way Home” (from Devils & Dust)
193. “Long Time Comin’” (from Devils & Dust)
192. “Silver Palomino” (from Devils & Dust)
191. “Dry Lightning” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
190. “Souls of the Departed” (from Lucky Town)
189. “Human Touch” (from Human Touch)
188. “Roll of the Dice” (from Human Touch)
187. “Something in the Night” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
186. “Mary Queen of Arkansas” (from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.)
185. “Further On Up (The Road)” (from The Rising)
184. “Streets of Fire” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
183. “You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)” (from The River)
182. “The New Timer” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
181. “All I’m Thinkin’ About” (from Devils & Dust)
180. “The Fuse” (from The Rising)
179. “57 Channels (And Nothin’ On)” (from Human Touch)
178. “Maria’s Bed” (from Devils & Dust)
177. “Man’s Job” (from Human Touch)
176. “All That Heaven Will Allow” (from Tunnel of Love)
175. “Night” (from Born To Run)
174. “Crush on You” (from The River)
173. “Reno” (from Devils & Dust)
172. “Tomorrow Never Knows” (from Working On A Dream)
171. “Leap of Faith” (from Lucky Town)
170. “Countin’ on a Miracle” (from The Rising)
169. “Balboa Park” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
168. “Empty Sky” (from The Rising)
167. “The Angel” (from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.)
166. “Two Faces” (from Tunnel of Love)
165. “Book of Dreams” (from Lucky Town)
164. “Pony Boy” (from Human Touch)
163. “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day” (from The Rising)
162. “Cross My Heart” (from Human Touch)
161. “Worlds Apart” (from The Rising)
160. “Black Cowboys” (from Devils & Dust)
159. “I’ll Work For Your Love” (from Magic)
158. “Good Eye” (from Working On A Dream)
157. “Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)” (from The Rising)
156. “Spare Parts” (from Tunnel of Love)
155. “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
154. “When You’re Alone” (from Tunnel of Love)
153. “My Lucky Day” (from Working On A Dream)
152. “Soul Driver” (from Human Touch)
151. “Drive All Night” (from The River)
Songs 150-101 (Click on each song to read more about it.)
150. “Open All Night” (from Nebraska)
149. “Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
148. “Ramrod” (from The River)
147. “The Big Muddy” (from Lucky Town)
146. “Cadillac Ranch” (from The River)
145. “Matamoros Banks” (from Devils & Dust)
144. “Real World” (from Human Touch)
143. “Life Itself” (from Working On A Dream)
142. “Galveston Bay” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
141. “Gypsy Biker” (from Magic)
140. “What Love Can Do” (from Working On A Dream)
139. “Kitty’s Back” (from The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle)
138. “Youngstown” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
137. “My Beautiful Reward” (from Lucky Town)
136. “Leah” (from Devils & Dust)
135. “Better Days” (from Lucky Town)
134. “You’ll Be Coming Down” (from Magic)
133. “Working On a Dream” (from Working On A Dream)
132. “Dead Man Walkin’” (from The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
131. “My Best Was Never Good Enough” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
130. “Queen Of The Supermarket” (from Working On A Dream)
129. “The Rising” (from The Rising)
128. “Fire” (from Live 1975-85)
127. “Ain’t Got You” (from Tunnel of Love)
126. “Last to Die” (from Magic)
125. “Lonesome Day” (from The Rising)
124. “I Wanna Marry You” (from The River)
123. “Jesus Was an Only Son” (from Devils & Dust)
122. “Surprise, Surprise” (from Working On A Dream)
121. “Highway 29” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
120. “Fade Away” (from The River)
119. “The E Street Shuffle” (from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
118. “Candy’s Room” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
117. “I’m Goin’ Down” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
116. “Long Walk Home” (from Magic)
115. “Local Hero” (from Lucky Town)
114. “Darlington County” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
113. “Mansion on the Hill” (from Nebraska)
112. “Nothing Man” (from The Rising)
111. “She’s the One” (from Born To Run)
110. “Sinaloa Cowboys” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
109. “Seeds” (from Live 1975-85)
108. “Living Proof” (from Lucky Town)
107. “Out in the Street” (from The River)
106. “Used Cars” (from Nebraska)
105. “Pink Cadillac” (from Tracks)
104. “Paradise” (from The Rising)
103. “Murder Incorporated” (from Greatest Hits)
102. “Magic” (from Magic)
101. “I’m a Rocker” (from The River)
Songs 100-51 (Click on each song to read more about it.)
100. “Walk Like a Man” (from Tunnel of Love)
99. “Johnny Bye Bye” (from Tracks)
98. “My Hometown” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
97. “Reason to Believe” (from Nebraska)
96. “The Fever” (from Tracks)
95. “Into the Fire” (from The Rising)
94. “Devil’s Arcade” (from Magic)
93. “Lucky Town” (from Lucky Town)
92. “Two Hearts” (from The River)
91. “Mary Lou” (from Tracks)
90. “Livin’ in the Future” (from Magic)
89. “Jackson Cage” (from The River)
88. “Hearts of Stone” (from Tracks)
87. “Valentine’s Day” (from Tunnel of Love)
86. “A Good Man is Hard to Find (Pittsburgh)” (from Tracks)
85. “The Ties that Bind” (from The River)
84. “Working on the Highway” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
83. “Straight Time” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
82. “This Life” (from Working On A Dream)
81. “New York City Serenade” (from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
80. “Tunnel of Love” (from Tunnel of Love)
79. “Across the Border” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
78. “Growin’ Up” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
77. “I’m On Fire” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
76. “Tougher Than the Rest” (from Tunnel of Love)
75. “Adam Raised a Cain” (from Darkness on the Edge of Town)
74. “Terry’s Song” (from Magic)
73. “The Wish” (from Tracks)
72. “From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)” (from The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
71. “Outlaw Pete” (from Working On a Dream)
70. “Secret Garden” (from Greatest Hits)
69. “Because the Night” (from Live 1975-85)
68. “Point Blank” (from The River)
67. “With Every Wish” (from Human Touch)
66. “Downbound Train” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
65. “The Hitter” (from Devils & Dust)
64. “Radio Nowhere” (from Magic)
63. “One Step Up” (from Tunnel of Love)
62. “Linda Will You Let Me Be The One” (from Tracks)
61. “Happy” (from Tracks)
60. “Cover Me” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
59. “Factory” (from Darkness On the Edge Of Town)
58. “Nebraska” (from Nebraska)
57. “The Wrestler” (from Working On a Dream)
56. “Sherry Darling” (from The River)
55. “Ricky Wants a Man of Her Own” (from Tracks)
54. “American Skin (41 Shots)” (from Live in New York City)
53. “Johnny 99″ (from Nebraska)
52. “Wreck on the Highway” (from The River)
51. “If I Should Fall Behind” (from Lucky Town)
Songs 50-1 (Click on each song to read more about it.)
50. “None But the Brave” (from The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
49. “Streets of Philadelphia” (from The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
48. “Devils & Dust” (from Devils & Dust)
47. “Shut Out the Light” (from Tracks)
46. “The Last Carnival” (from Working On a Dream)
45. “Glory Days” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
44. “My Father’s House” (from Nebraska)
43. “Kingdom of Days” (from Working On a Dream)
42. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
41. “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” (from Magic)
40. “The Line” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad)
39. “Blinded By the Light” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
38. “Cautious Man” (from Tunnel of Love)
37. “I Wish I Were Blind” (from Human Touch)
36. “The Promised Land” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
35. “No Surrender” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
34. “You’re Missing” (from The Rising)
33. “State Trooper” (from Nebraska)
32. “The Promise” (from 18 Tracks)
31. “Zero and Blind Terry” (from Tracks)
30. “Prove It All Night” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
29. “Racing in the Street” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
28. “My City of Ruins” (from The Rising)
27. “Spirit in the Night” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
26. “Dancing in the Dark” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
25. “The Price You Pay” (from The River)
24. “Loose Ends” (from Tracks)
23. “Your Own Worst Enemy” (from Magic)
22. “Hungry Heart” (from The River)
21. “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
20. “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” (from Born To Run)
19. “Stolen Car” (from The River)
18. “Thunder Road” (from Born To Run)
17. “Meeting Across the River” (from Born To Run)
16. “Badlands” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
15. “Atlantic City” (from Nebraska)
14. “The River” (from The River)
13. “Highway Patrolman” (from Nebraska)
12. “Bobby Jean” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
11. “For You” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
10. “Independence Day” (from The River)
9. “Born In The U.S.A.” (from Born In The U.S.A.)
8. “Backstreets” (from Born to Run)
7. “Lost in the Flood” (from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.)
6. “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” (from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
5. “Brilliant Disguise” (from Tunnel of Love)
4. “Darkness On the Edge of Town” (from Darkness On the Edge of Town)
3. “Incident on 57th Street” (from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
2. “Jungleland” (from Born to Run)
1. “Born to Run” (from Born to Run)
Add a Comment
COMMENTS (163)
Dave Evans said:
57 Channels is by far the worst Springsteen song. The lines at the toilets always peaked during shows. Big Muddy is higher than 156???? [...] A découvrir en cliquant ici. [...] Dave Evans said:
Man, there are so many good songs this far down the list. What are the top 50 going to look like? I am sure I will disagree with many. Steve said:
What, no “Thundercrack”? As the precursor to Rosalita I figured it at least deserved a mention. Not Bruce’s most polished composition, but a hell of a lot of fun. nikolas gray said:
out in the street is far too lowdown, that’s one of the highlights of his current tour! great fun though. stefan said:
the person who put mary’s place at 198 has clearly never seen them live!! Jolene said:
where’s the rest of the list? bigfun@yooohaaa.com said:
This list would change year to year day to day with me. I want to say to dave that 57 channels was a great statement …and to this day I believe that Bruce played this song purposely badly on SNL to emphasize the point of the wasteland of TV. (much more subtle than Elvis Costello) Ryan said:
How come the list cuts off at 41? Gerry Angerman said:
Can’t wait to see the rest of this list! Me said:
“If I Should Fall Behind” number 51!??!!?!? Aw come on – that should be in the 20s at least! Rob said:
Boo – All the Way Home is a great track. This is a questionable list. “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” ahead of “Adam”? “Cover Me” before “Candy’s Room”??? Have you even listened to these songs? Matt Weber said:
Mary’s Place is a fantastic song… 198? Terry Danuser said:
Some lists are dumb to contemplate. This is one of them. Allan Juel Hansen said:
How can “Tougher Than The Rest” be at nr. 76?!? Greg said:
When I see “Long Time Comin’”, “Lonesome Day”, and “Long Walk Home” as far down on the list as they are, while numerous “Working on a Dream” songs are higher, I question the list. Bipper said:
Just looking at songs 200-130 I would have to disagree…a lot. Thought about making my own list and realized how much work that would be. *I think these are waaayyy too low on the list. Kathy said:
Mary’s Place that low on the list, no way, that is one of my favorites…… Paul Manning said:
great idea, but some shameless marketing going on here, trying to be controversial by putting highly rated songs so low in the list. Pretty Flamingo said:
Kitty’s Back, Mary’s Place, Streets Of Fire, The E Street Shuffle, Waitin’ On A Sunny Day are all WAY TOO LOW. I’d switch any of those with Devils & Dust at 48 easily and likely even higher. Sara said:
I looove ‘gloria’s eyes’ – don’t think the criticism does the song justice. Daniel Fuster said:
Wild billy’s and Dry lightning deserve a much better position. Besides, Devils is a better record than Working on a dream. I stopped reading when I saw that Drive all night was 151, it shoul be among the top 10!! Sam Brodsky said:
Out in the Street has got to be higher than 107. Lonesome Day is a great song, and higher than 126. I agree with Dave about 57 Channels – not a great song, nor in my opinion is queen of the supermarket and that is too highly ranked. Mary’s Place is fantastic live and merits a much higher spot. Michael Gagel said:
Fade Away number 120 come on thats a top 100 and open all night number 150…come off it Michael Gagel said:
oh and secret garden number 70 thats just wrong when shes the one is number 111 lucky said:
Wow this list is really horrid. Not even interested in the rest since it’s way the F off. I’d be sharing this link around just so my SPringsteen friends can see what boobs you guys are…but don’t think you deserve that much attention. Arrogator said:
I was happy to see Walk Like a Man crack the top 100 but it shouldve been higher. Not many songs delve into the complex relationship between a son and father as well as this one does. It also captures the essence of many of Springsteen’s own song inspirations: his rocky relationship with his Dad and the deep love he has for him despite the problems. Spencer said:
How is Mary’s Place #198? Why isn’t Queen of the Supermarket lower? That’s right up there with 57 Channels. Don’t agree with placing Streets of Fire in the first group either. roy o. said:
Here’s to hoping that “If I Was The Priest” makes your list. Excellent reading material thus far, even if I disagree with many of your rankings. That’s what makes it interesting. Keep up the great work. Kevin said:
I had some issues with some of your choices but nothing aggregious…until…GLORY DAYS??? Lower than Kingdom of Days, GOTJ and Girls in Their Summer Clothes???? Have you lost your mind?? johnny said:
let me start by saying Bravo, i read every word from every song.i disagree with a few choices, but thats what makes it so great. ive seen him 40 times, and what i think is different than the kid whos seeing him for the first time, but we all share the same passion. youve done an amazing job, i cant wait to see to top 50. I really had problems with Kittys Back and Shes The One. In Kitty, it just blows my mind how a 22 year old kid could write that, that alone i feel makes in the top 50. personnaly i think Shes The One might be his greatest work. How in the beginning hes like telling us i really want you to listen to me about this chick, he gets our attention, than Bam, loud,fast ass kicking rock and roll.Just one kiss shed fill those long summer nights with her tenderness, that secret pack you made back when her love could save you. genious. Your first love made you feel that way. Its in my top 10 for sure, but i appreciate your feelings as well for dropping it. thanks, and look forward to seeing the top 50. Joe said:
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Queen of the Supermarket at 130? are you high? David said:
How can Bruce Springsteen’s catalogue be properly evaluated while he is still adding to it? Also, some of the newer songs have not had the chance to stand the test of time. How can they possibly be accurately ratedin the first yearof their commercial life? Joe said:
haha this is abusurd.. i dont even care to see the rest of this its so bad Sam Brodsky said:
i’m on fire is AWESOME, way underanked here Mark S. said:
Oh, my. So much to argue that it’s actually pointless. Mary’s Place doesn’t belong on this list at all. “One Step Up” ahead of “I’m On Fire”, “She’s The One”,”Night”, and many others? You’re crazy. Why is this so slanted towards the recent stuff? The most obvious mistake is not having “Candy’s Room” anywhere near the top 50. Immediate and total credibility loss. Vegas Jersey Nick said:
I know these things are just to provoke readership and I don’t like that, but just seeing that Streets of Fire is at 184 and that Silver Palomino is so low “Proves it All Night” that the author of this list has his head up his a$%. Martina said:
hahaha…this is a joke, right?? no one can seriously do a thing like this ! Mathias said:
here is the top 5.. you heard it first here….thunder road, born to run, no surrender, badlands, the river. AlexisGonz said:
Uh-oh … looks like “Hungry Heart” made the Top 40. Aaaaagh … Jason said:
Sorry, I know these are completely subjective and everyone’s would look different, but I have a hard time respecting any list like this that has any of Bruce’s last four studio albums so prominently represented. He has put together maybe 6 or 7 great studio tracks in the last 17 years. Devils was one of his weakest albums ever, Magic was in the bottom third and Working On A Dream feels like outtakes from Magic. The Rising was solidly good, but still quite uneven. And it seems from various comments made that you put Born In The USA on a pedestal, when it’s more like his sixth best album. Kev said:
I couldn’t agree more that this list is a complete joke. I am now interested to see where ‘The Promise’ comes in the list. In my opinion its one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Andrew said:
“Something in the Night” below “Mary Queen of Arkansas”? I wouldn’t even put “Mary” on the list at all, nor would I include “The Angel”. And I agree that there is waaayy too much of his newer stuff on here. There were a few good songs from each of The Rising, Magic, and Working on a Dream, and Devils and Dust had fewer than those. Human Touch and Lucky Town songs aren’t exactly Grammy-worthy either. BTR, The River, Darkness, and Born in the USA are the four best albums, easily. Just about every song from those should be on here. I guess it’s tough to do this, though, which is why it really is a waste of time. Jay Sachs said:
How can any song from Darkness (something in the night, streets of fire, Candy’s Room)be anywhere but the top 50? “She’s the One” # 111, are you fucking kidding me? This is the biggest JOKE! Nancy Rogers said:
This is complete and utter bullshit..,,”Long Time Comin’ ” ranks below “57 Channels”, “Mary Queen of Arkansas”, “Man’s Job”, “Let’s Be Friends”? What kind of crack are you smoking? jen said:
any list that has ‘queen of the supermarket’ coming in lower than ’saint in the city’ is a list that has no value to me at all Gareth Johnson said:
Surprise, surprise is shockingly bad – I have to run to the player to skip it every time I listen to Magic. Inge said:
Hmm, whoever made this list can’t be too much of a fan. Dry Lightning and Something In The Night are in my top 20 list, but I agree about some. Can’t stand Mary’s Place… Or Jesys Was An Only Son. Tim said:
I’m disappionted in this list. I’m trying to remain nuetral, but in fact I don’t think the author is. Just a little research shows he dislikes Human Touch greatly. Half of the album ends up in the bottom 22, but why Real Man? Wouldn’t something like Pony Boy have been a better choice, considering he didn’t write it, and IMO, it’s totally out of place? That’s why I agree with Wild Billy’s Circus, as good as it is, it always felt out of place on the album, like filler, if you know what I mean. And if all those songs from 1 album are ‘that’ bad, how can 1, I Wish I Were Blind, be that good? BTW, it is one of the best on the album, but not top 50. So you stuck Night in there as the worst song from Born to Run, followed by She’s the One. How can these 2 songs, off what is considered to be one of the best albums of all time, be that far down in his catalogue? It simply doesn’t make sense. You make a point of saying that Bruce, as well as others, stole that from Bo. No one ever stole it, it is one of the greatest beats in rock history, people do it to pay homage to an under-appreciated icon of modern music. I actually stopped reading your reasoning around there. It was just plain wrong. CMarler said:
Roll of the Dice is so uplifting, it’s a travesty it’s so low on the list.Same with Waitin’ on a Sunny Day. New York City Serenade I’d put in my top 10 along with Roll of the Dice and Lucky Town. If I should Fall Behind always tears me up and would be in my top ten too.Ghost of Tom Joad and Girls in their Summer Clothes would be closer to the top also. My top ten would have 20 or more songs in it tho:) Matthew said:
Long walk home number 116? Ricky 1t 55 was a great non-album track that would have worked well on the River album. Aprt from the whole BTR album My predictions for the top 20 will include Incident, Bobby Jean and land of hopes and dreams. I also think that The promise will make the top 3. Elyse said:
Where is Jersey Girl?” Sam Brodsky said:
How is this for a more popular top 20? (in no particular order, just a top 20) Mike said:
We all have our list….this one so far is not bad but just a matter of ones view. Born in the USA is a good album but not as great as Magic. Tunnel of Love is awesome but it is not Nebraska. Born to Run is well…Born to Run. I could never rank these songs in any order except probably 57 Channels… MacHeath said:
I do agree with Dave. Sam Brodsky said:
and the promise Eric said:
This is a silly list. I look up and down it and see songs at the bottom that should be toward the top and vice versa. Bruce is one of those musicians though, whose songs have resonance and meaning in different ways to different listeners. What’s even the point of making a list like this? I don’t get it. Ken D. said:
Saint in the City at 155? Under Queen of the Supermarket? This guy is not a true Bruce fan. Ignore him. Sam Brodsky said:
i’m sorry, Val Reynolds said:
hmmm… JBev (author) apparently not a fan of Human Touch and apparently not REALLY a fan of Springsteen if he thinks a list of WORST to FIRST is even worth reading. I’m sorry I wasted my time on this “negative nancy” writing. steve said:
Just the mere fact that Suprise Surprise and Let’s Be Friends are not #’s 200 & 199 would take all credibility from this list. Tho since music is so subjective, this list is really just one man’s opinion and should be taken as such. (still, Girls in their Summer Clothes before Sherry Darling? get the fuck outta here!) weak knees willy said:
Steve is right, where is Thundercrack on this list? There are alot of great songs from Tracks that have been left off, and instead you put Pink Cadillac on this list. Bullshit Graham Stevens said:
Every time I have gone out in the last 30 years to pick up Bruce’s latest offering, I have taken it home and listened, and read the lyrics and looked at the pictures and felt that you and I were on a journey with the man, whatever he offered, we listened.In their own time, every album was a revelation and we gleaned from it what we needed, true sometimes it was a leap of faith, but it always bore out a reward after a few listens through.There is no other artist that has produced so many songs that can send a shiver down your neck. The holy trinity of The River, Born to Run & Jungleland (in no particular order!)have that effect from the first note on. So absurd to put this lot in order.The Gaslight Anthem are my new favourite band, but I felt the same about the White Stripes in 2005 and the Stray Cats in 1981, so ignore the running order, enjoy the excellent narritive accompanying this list and remember that when Bruce paints a picture, it may not suit your decor this season, but the best stuff hangs in the halls of Rock history for eternity! Karen S. in Cleveland said:
Fun list, interesting analyses. I have to say that while “Mary’s Place” isn’t anywhere near my favorite Springsteen cut, I think your perspective on it is off. More than some of his albums, The Rising was built as a true album of connected, post-9/11 tunes. “Mary’s Place” wasn’t conceived simply as a live-act show-stopper; in a record full of dirges, mourning music and spiritually searching songs, “Mary’s Place” represents the return to the upswing of life. People die, but others go on living – that sort of thing. That’s why it doesn’t make it as a pure party song; this isn’t the same party as he would’ve written for thirty years ago. Different times. Listen to it again in the context of the whole album and see if it doesn’t seem more organic to you. sandy said:
I dont believe there is any bad Bruce song.. the man is brillant!! I could and will listen to him forever Stephen Christie said:
Surely the purpose of lists like this is to provoke argument and disagreement. Some of my all time favourite songs are ranked way down the bottom but that’s the nature of a subjective list like this. But if Thunder Road and Badlands aren’t in the top five….. peter said:
Kitty’s bsck 2nd 100 nice job kid wnew bottom line you know more than us oldies Laura said:
Candy’s room rated way too low. Should be in the top 20. My friends and I spent an entire weekend memorizing the lyrics. Eric said:
#155 – It’s Hard to be a Saint in the City – should be ranked much better! This one has terrific lyrics and soul to it. And The Big Muddy should be dead last, without a doubt. [...] is in the midst of dissecting 200 of his favorite Bruce songs for JamsBio, a project dubbed No Retreat, No Surrender. Now, this ain’t no simple rundown of songs from top to bottom, oh no – JBev offers [...] Andrea said:
No way ANY song from Darkness or Asbury should be this far down. Also, glad to see from comments that Outlaw Pete and Queen of the Supermarket are getting some respect… I’m really fond of those songs, for some reason. José Luis said:
“The E Street Shuffle” at the #119? Are you nuts? And I agree with Laura. Candi´s Room is a top 20. Keely said:
I wasn’t a fan of Kitty’s Back until I heard Bruce and Patti sing it in concert. As for Outlaw Pete….I thought it was a really dumb song until I sat in my seat at the L.A. Sports Arena with my mouth open as Bruce and the band performed it like a Broadway play. Amazing!!! I actually think the worst Bruce song ever is Queen of the Supermarket. Jbev said:
Wow! Where did all you people come from all of a sudden? Thanks so much for all the comments, even the ones that compare me to the back end of a horse. I want to read through these comments closely and respond specifically to some commenters when I get the chance, but first let me say a few words to all that might help enlighten you on my methods and intentions with this list. First of all, some technical things. The 200 songs are comprised of every album cut released by Bruce along with selected other songs from official releases. There were no cover songs, nor any hallowed bootlegs allowed. Live versions of songs were only included if that was the only official release (a la “Seeds” or “Because The Night”) The list is solely based on my opinion of those songs. I know what you’re thinking: “Where do you get off?” Well the purpose of this list is not to get people all riled up and cause controversy, althought those certainly may be by-products. The purpose of this list, like the purpose of The Beatles list I did before it, is to celebrate one of the great artists in rock history and a personal favorite of mine. There are few artists that I would consider worthy of such an undertaking; Springsteen is definitely one of them. Like I said, I accept any criticism that you give, because you’re all passionate about the music. The only thing that I would ask is of those of you who’ve given up on the list because of some rankings that you think are out of whack. For those people, I would ask that, if you have the time, see the list through to its completion and read all of the writeups. Then decide if I’ve done the subject justice, even if you disagree with some of the rankings. To dismiss this project and claim that I’m not knowledgeable just because one of your favorites isn’t where you feel it should be seems pretty shortsighted. Like I said, I’m going to check out all the comments and respond periodically. Thanks for them all, good and bad, and I’ll be talking to you all soon. Have a good one, Amy said:
I give jbev loads of credit for what he has done here!!! No one will agree. And the comments are fabulous. Amy said:
I will come back often and read. Best list and article around I say. Ken said:
I think it’s great someone would do a list like this.”Ties that bind” is one of my favorites and I would think it should be higher up.Hard to rank all the great songs he has! Davidone said:
Stop drugs, please… Nat Coombs said:
Seeds is a killer song….. wiz said:
Magic is by far Bruce’s worst album, all of the songs save Outlaw Pete and The Wresler deserves to be in order from 200 and out.. Jesus beats Kitty??? I think you secretly may be a Dylan fan messing with us Sam Brodsky said:
thanks for the list, great, and i am loving reading about all the songs (even if if can’t understand some of the rankings – Out in the street is awesome!) Debbie said:
Human Touch #189 WTF? an incredible sexy song…… Pretty Flamingo said:
Even though I disagreed with much of this list earlier, I must give you credit for your description of Zero and Blind Terry, I thought it was dead on…what an amazing song! Tica said:
Bruce’s songs are like wine, get better over the years, I think at this moment it has no sense to make a list. Biagio said:
Queen of the Supermarket should be on the worst song list of EVER! JR said:
I think Bruce’s albums and songs mean different things to different people, be it why they like it or where they heard it, why it uplifts them or why they connect. I agree with most though that some of these selections are just wrong! At least it creates some healthy debate though. BRUUUUUUUUCE! Sheree said:
I’m loving this list so much – just hoping that ‘Incident on 57th Street’ is in there as it’s just the sexiest thing Bruce has ever done – his voice when he sing’s ‘like a cool romeo he made his move, oh he looked so fine’ just sends shivers – no matter what’s come since, this song has haunted me all my life – would love to meet ‘Spanish Johnny’ or be ‘Puerto Rican Jane’ Maurício Graboski said:
Well, every list will not be perfect! But this one it’s pretty bad. Maurício Graboski said:
My God, Let’s be Friends, for me, the worst springsteen music ever, 157 posicion!!! Better posicion than Wainting on a sunny day!!! PFfffff PopeofStAuguSt said:
“Mary Queen of Arkansas” # One ! Saw him do it live at the Stone Pony in 1972 ..seen 100’s of shows since …. nothing has topped it! Sue said:
I’m impressed with the undertaking…I would find it very difficult to rank all this great music. My #1 is Thunder Road, I do know that!Thanks for sharing! Ian said:
Great idea to put this list together. Looking forward to the top 25. I’m excited to read about: Incident, Badlands, Backstreets, Stolen Car, For You, Born to Run, Bobby Jean, Rosie, Thunder Road, and Jungleland. And, it’d be nice to see some other fun songs (that aren’t universally loved) like Seaside Bar Song and I Wanna Be With You. Rob Williams said:
Queen of the supermarket? lol You have to be joking.. wouldn’t even get a look-in on a Greg Khin outakes album. Complete Rubbish. David Garby said:
Dancing in the Dark at #26? – Thats a bad call! PICHON said:
No way that Streets of philadelphia is on top 50. Rakesh said:
Well, it’s just your list. My opinion is different. Human Touch is an incredible song and cant understand how it can figure so low on any list. The Boss said:
Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one. Stop complaining. Ric said:
Cautious Man blows, I love Springsteen but this song shouldn’t even be on the list, let alone in the top 50 Brad MacKenzie said:
First of all let me just say, I cannot even begin to imagine “The Ramones” doing “Hungry Heart”, I can’t see that being the right move for anyone involved. Andrew said:
“Your Own Worst Enemy” better than “Dancing in the Dark”? Are you kidding me? They should have let a real Bruce fan do this list. Marilyn said:
Top 5: Rosalita, Thunderroad, Born to Run, Badlands, Darkness, Freeze Out–A lot probably depends on how long you’ve been a fan. These songs have stood the test of time! bigfun@yooohaaa.com said:
The list is shaping up to be a provocation to longtime fans. If this was voted on by a committee it might have some validity. I will probably be logging my own top 100 at yooohaaa.com Iain of Australia. said:
I think having Streets Of Fire and Something In The Night so far low in the countdown is an atrocity. I find these two to be two of Bruce’s hidden gems and they’re very underrated songs. Streets Of Fire, is dark and haunting and the same goes for Something In The Night. When Bruce’s wail’s are powerful, emotional and you can really hear and feel his pain. Both masterpieces IMO. I would have also thought NYC Serenade and Growin’ Up to be much higher in the list as well. For a song which was written in 1972 and at the tender age of 23, it is epic. As for my top 5 5. Streets Of Fire/Something In The Night Rich said:
Well, now that Thunder Road was placed only at 18, I guess my prediction for the top 5 was wrong. Personally, Thunder Road is my favorite song, but the top ten will probably play out, in no particular order: Born to Run, Born in the USA, Rosalita, Incident on 57th street, the River, Backstreets, Bobby Jean (I hope), Darkness on the Edge of Town, Atlantic City and Jungleland. Seems a pretty solid bet now that hits like Badlands, Thunder Road, and Tenth Avenue Freeze-out are on the list already. Misha said:
The range of comment and disagreement shows the depth of feeling inspired by Bruce’s songs. A million fans would list a million different top 10s let alone a top 100. Accept that not everyone has the same opinion or viewpoint. What is apparent is that these songs, viewed as a body of work, are untouchable… Pretty Flamingo said:
That thunder road is 18 is travesty enough, but to put it one spot behind Meeting Across the River is just straight up wrong. Pete L said:
Sorry! Cowboy Pete really drives them out of the stands. Thunder road 18 are they kidding. The greatest rock song of all time. Dave Wood said:
What I find interesting is that everybody has their own likes and dislikes, which is evident in the comments. The notion of commenting on a list (opinion) made by, well, whomever, is a waste of time..speaking of which, there’s 1 minute of my life I wont get back. In the end, it’s about personal taste. In the end, do you respected the artist for what he/she stands for..for their integrity? Bruce is THE most respected entertainer in the world. He’s earned it. End scene! Iain of Australia. said:
How is My Love Will Not Let You Down not on here? Fantastic song. I can’t see it being top 15. Iain of Australia. said:
And I wonder if Blood Brother’s will feature in this list? JeffD said:
Thunder Road is not only the best Bruce song, it could well be the best rock and roll song of all time. It embodies everything that rock is about in 5 minutes, and presents it in a way that is unique to Bruce. Opinions differ, but #18 – and behind “Meeting Across the River”? Pretty obvious that this list is meant only to be generate comments. Maggie Mae said:
I was gonna complain about the placement of “Thunder Road” at #18, but then I looked up and saw that JeffD said it all for me! I agree completely that it is probably THE best rock ‘n’ roll song of all time. Jeffrey said:
Re: For You For some reason, “For You” to me has always been about some deep betrayal against the narrator and the narrator attempting coming to grips with it. He loves this woman, and perhaps still does (for reasons he can’t quite understand) despite the fact that it is clear that she has betrayed him (cheated on him?)in some way. That may be the “suicide” Bruce refers to– where she knowingly and purposely kills their relationship for reasons the narrator simply cannot grasp. It is hard for him to understand how she cannot feel about him the same way that he feels about her, and he cannot justify her actions in his own mind. There is a constant tension, therefore, between the narrator’s remaining feelings for her, against his intellectual knowledge that any remaining hopes for a relationship with her have been shattered: Ultimately, the relationship is too unbalanced for any rescue attempts– maybe she just doesn’t care; maybe there’s someone else, and this colors the narrators strong feelings with sadness and confusion: “I came for you, but you did not need my urgency” I think underlines this sense of imbalance beautifully and heartbreakingly Try giving it another listen (maybe the slow version, from Hammersmith, for example, or the Paris 08 bootleg are both gorgeous) with these ideas and mind and lemme know what you think! Anyway, kudos to the great list- I know a lot don’t agree with you, but if you’re a true bruce fan you set out to do this knowing you were gonna piss off a lot of people just by making this kind of list at all. Look forward to reading the rest! briana said:
I hope that Jungleland and Brilliant Disguise are included in the top 10. I’m sure Jungleland will be and I’m surprised Brilliant Disguise isn’t anywhere else on the list. Rich said:
Well, you heard it first here. The top 10 is official. In no particular order again: Lost in the Flood, Born to Run, Born in the USA, Rosalita, Incident on 57th street, Brilliant Disguise, Backstreets, Jungleland, Darkness on the Edge of Town and I can’t think of a 10th. I’m pretty upset that Bobby Jean isn’t in the top 10, it’s such a beautiful and sentimental song. I am glad that Lost in the Flood is in the top 10 though. It’s a very unknown Bruce song, and extremely powerful. I’d love to see it break top 5. @ Rich said:
Do you think maybe Thundercrack or Land of Hope and Dreams? Haven’t seen either yet, but they aren’t really on official releases, either. Paul S said:
Roulette is another off of Tracks that should’ve made the countdown. I predict that Thundercrack is the missing top five song. Oops, Rich forgot Independence Day. So, there’s 10. Andrew said:
Born to Run has to be #1, but Darkness on the Edge of Town, Jungleland, Brilliant Disguise, Incident on 57th Street, and Blood Brothers haven’t been used, meaning one of these will be left off. All are deserving of being on the list somewhere, and I think that Darkness and Jungleland will definitely be on there. So either Brilliant Disguise, Incident, or Blood Brothers will be left off. Hmmm…I’m not sure. My guess is either Blood Brothers or Incident won’t make it, even though they both should be on there. It really sucks that one of these will not make it, because all of them should. Paul S said:
The countdown is an even 200, and is said to include all the tracks off the proper albums, with songs off Tracks/Live/Greatest Hits/Live in NYC/The Essential sprinkled in randomly. That leaves Blood Brothers out, and rightfully so. I’ve groused about some of the rankings, but the top five we’re left with is hard to argue with. Well, Rosie and Thunder Road are two of the greatest songs of all time, so there’s that to grumble about. Iain of Australia. said:
@ Andrew. I don’t think Brilliant Disguise will be top five. Wouldn’t have thought Darkness would have made the top 5 either, but time will tell. Michael said:
Great list. Nice work. My bet on the last 5: 5. Working on a Dream The River, Backstreets and especially Thunder Road should be higher Michael said:
Well 5 was wrong as it is placed in 133′ I see now :O) GR said:
this hard land, my love will not let you down, Janey don’t ya lose heart, trapped, jersey girl, brilliant disguise, jungleand, darkness on edge of town, blood bros, Incident, roulette, BtR. (so far these all awesome songs are missing) GR said:
also “Be true” Pretty Flamingo said:
If Thundercrack doesn’t make your list, but Mary Queen Of Arkansas did I will probably throw up. And I don’t know how you can leave off Land Of Hopes and Dreams and/or Incident On 57th Street. Michael said:
Love the list, but at least one great song will be missing: BtR, Darkness, Brilliant Disguise, Jungleland and Incident will probably be Top 5. But This Hard Land and especially American Land really should be in the Top 200. Jersey girl is one of my favorites, but it’s Tom Waits’, not Bruce’s song, so it will probably be off the list (as well as the great Seeger session songs). Jeff said:
Brilliant writeup– reading your essays inspired me to play all of the top ten tracks again just now. Very insightful and fair. Obviously, I disagree with a few rankings, but that’s just a testament to the personal and powerful nature of these songs. This writeup will go into the Bruce canon and will be a great resource for those exploring Bruce and E Street’s music for the first time. David Braun said:
Can’t argue with any of the top three, but leaving out “Thunder Road” from the top 5 is inexcusable. And if this guy is honestly saying there are 17 songs in Bruce’s catalogue better than TR, then he has lost all credibility with me. Amy said:
I love the essays as well and thoroughly enjoyed the list. Thanks jbev! Iain of Australia. said:
JBev, brilliant, just brilliant. Your analysis’s were in depth, accurate and well thought, I can’t commend you anymore. A tough job that is always going to receive criticism from everyone, you’ve done something that not many other people would be ablle to do, and I salute you for doing so. Just truly brilliant. The final fives write ups were fantastic, I particular enjoyed reading about Jungleland (my fav song), as well as Incident which is in my top 5, just fantastic mate. And my word, this was EPIC. jndem said:
AWESOME! Great reading, great list. I do have to add my voice to the concern that TR isnt in the top five, though I do agree with the top two. That said, a great list…even better since the assholes at my company gave me a new computer sans I-tunes so now I have something to listen to at work again! Beez said:
This list is ridiculous. Pat said:
So much is wrong with this list. If you’re going to include songs off tracks you need to at least mention thundercrack. Also Kitty’s Back is worse than Working on a dream!!? You got to be kidding me.I also doubt there is a true Springsteen who can place 17 songs ahead of thunder road. This list is simply compiled from one source and is solely based on your opinion and should NOT be titled “ultimate Springsteen countdown” because it clearly is not. Fred Leonhardt said:
On Streets of Fire you write: “The utter lack of hope and the stifling arrangement make these “Streets” a place that no one would be to anxious to visit.” Unless you’ve been there — and then it helps to know someone else has shared the experience. Which is the essence of the blues, as opposed to the critique of the shallow and dull: “Yuk. It’s too depressing!” Maybe you’re not ready for this one. matt said:
“a worst-to-first countdown of every album cut in Springsteen history” Mark Vasto said:
Ok, you got me. I read your list. I read a few of your write ups. You’re a fine writer, but make no mistake about it — just like me for taking the time to write this — you’re an ass. Dave Atkinson said:
Help! Where is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ from ‘Live in NYC@?????!!!!! Michael Hoy said:
Hi. Thank you for taking the time to construct your list. While I don’t agree with the placings of alot of the songs I appreciate and thank you for the interesting read. A worthy read. Cheers, Michael Dan said:
You guys gotta give this guy a break. How about you put together your favorite 200 songs, then write WHY you put that particular song there. Yeah, didn’t think so. This is amazing. Well done JBev. Thank you! JP said:
It doesn’t matter if one agrees with the choices here or not, the pleasure is derived from reliving these songs and hearing them through another’s ears; a pleasure reserved for only the true believers. That said, love “Frankie,” “Rendezvous,” and “I Wanna Be with You” (has single written all over it)(all from Tracks) and would have liked to have seen them somewhere on the list. Keep on Rockin! [...] Points well taken, and kudos on taking on this unenviable job with aplomb and some pretty cogent analysis on most counts — but I still say that that they stuck “Thunder Road” way down at No. 18 just to annoy me. Full list here. [...] CJ said:
Although I am only 14 years old, I have come to truly appreciate and adore The Boss’ music. I also went to his ‘08 concert tour. It is extremely difficult to rank 200 magnificent songs, and I believe we should all thank JBev for spending his time on the list. However, I have some major changes that I would have made to the list. Firstly, The River should not be lower than #5. The song is a masterpiece, and it has such poetic and haunting lyrics that I often finish the song with tear-filled eyes. For me, the biggest surprise (and disappointment) was to find My Father’s House at #44. This is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard: certainly the saddest. This song gives the perfect definition of hell, and the sheer brilliance of this song would put this song as #1 on my list. NI said:
I had to scroll to #16 to find Badlands…the best song ever written/recorded/performed…that’s all the further I needed to read to lose any faith in the validity of this list. Lisa S said:
People, they all are good but they all can’t be top 5. Awesome music. Awesome effort. Oh, and JBev, why are you dissin’ Wild Billy? BK said:
where is Rendezvous – i love that song? i wish i were blind #37? Susie Q said:
Thunder Road #18? I read a fan poll last year that rated it #2. 18? This list is nonsense and that’s that. Hank said:
Any kind of comprehensive list such as this one bring to mind the acronym YMMV. A fun read though. Nice to see “Darkness on the Edge of Town” ranked so high. My .02: “Don’t Look Back” is an outtake from those Darkness sessions (it was later included on Tracks) that would rank high on my list. This intense mid-tempo rocker features a bruising performance by the E Street Band circa 1978. The track would have fit Darkness’ mood and tenor beautifully even though it sounds like no other song on the LP. Laurie said:
I have only looked briefly ans already I disagree. All songs on the wild are incredible except maybe the title song. Jerry said:
I think Thunder Road is the greatest song anyone has ever written. Wouldn’t think ‘Brilliant’ is top 5. And where the heck is the incredible ‘Back In Your Arms Again’? Freojonny said:
57 channels – Saw this song performed a couple of times live – the band really rip into it – agree it doesnt come across well on a cd, but performed live it lifts the roof. izzy1210 said:
Great effort…really enjoyed your thoughts. I must take issue with one HUGE omission though. Land Of Hope And Dreams not only should have been included but somewhere near the top. It is one of the great live songs. Musically powerful and lyrically includes everything Springsteen is about. The redemption of Everyman, a better life , chains broken, debts paid etc. stewart said:
tough to do alist like this but come on thunder road 18 and worse yet promised land at 36 it yells emotion PAUL DERBY said:
WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE WANT TO WASTE TIME PUTTING SO MANY GREAT SONGS IN ANY TYPE OF ORDER? A TRUE SPRINGSTEEN FAN ENJOYS ALL OF BRUCE’S WORK AND DOES NOT JUDGE OR PLACE 1 SONG ABOVE OR BELOW THE OTHER. JC said:
Although I agree with several that this list is near impossible to agree upon… I don’t think its a stretch to say… “How in the world does Stolen Car make the top 20??” Just sayin… C’mon, Please, Racing In the Street, Prove It All Night, No Surrender?? Any of which could have taken that songs place… AndyW said:
Hi. I just like to say thanks for a wonderful list. Of course if every Boss fan was asked for their top 200, we’d have a different list for every fan. But this is the sign of a truly great Rock star. Credit to Bruce for the sheer quality and quantity spanning nearly 40 years. Fantastic. Joe "slob" Gallo said:
187 Something in the Night – Cleary he has never seen this performed live 150-100 100-50 50-41 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-1 kiawah said:
The second I saw Thunder Road @ 18, I realized this list was absurd. Born To Run? Ask any hardcore Springsteen fan if they feel it’s his best song. Incident @ 3 is justified though it’s my personal favorite. Paul said:
did I miss it or where is Thundercrack from Tracks. [...] extreme acts of fandom (besides this post, I mean). Over the summer, JamsBio presented us with “No Retreat, No Surrender,” a “worst-to-first countdown of every album cut in Springsteen history” plus some bonus songs. [...] Elliott said:
No way. Wild Billy’s Circus Story #196? What? JHC said:
The great thing about Springsteen songs is that everyone has a different opinion as to which are better than which. Some on this chart are laughable though. Truely laughable! Danny said:
THUNDER ROAD No. 18?!?!?! ITS THE SURE FIRE NUMBER 1! Rick said:
Thundercrack and Santa Ana from Tracks should be on this list somewhere. Thunder Road should be in the top five in my opinion. |
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That and Drive All Night are my only favorites that didn’t at least rank in the top half. “… I’ll drive all night just to buy you some shoes and taste your tender charms.” Bruce at his finest. Why don’t you try that one on the girlfriend, JBev?
