Track Listing

1. Thunder Road
2. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
3. Night
4. Back Streets
5. Born To Run
6. She's The One
7. Meeting Across The River
8. Jungleland

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1216 in Music
• Released on: 2003-05-05
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Few albums are as fuelled by hope, possibility and the lure of the open road as Born to Run, a virtual concept album about small-town New Jerseyites in search of a better life via hot-rodding out on the turnpike, scoring some small-time hustle or blowing out of town altogether, either across the river to New York City or west for parts unknown. Songs such as "Jungleland", "Thunder Road", "Backstreets" and the title track are epic productions, both sonically and lyrically, borrowing from Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and West Side Story. When Born to Run was released in 1975, it earned the then-unknown Springsteen the rare honour of simultaneous covers on both Time and Newsweek in the US. The attention was warranted then, and it still is now. --Daniel Durchholz, Amazon.com

CD Description
BORN TO RUN is the album that turned Springsteen from a phenomenon into a superstar. His first couple of releases foundBruce working out his fascination with Dylan and Van Morrison on earthy, wordy, folk-rock-R&B tunes full of soul and punch. On BORN TO RUN, Springsteen became even more ambitious,synthesising Spectorian production with Orbison-esque dramaand Duane Eddy-influenced guitar work, creating something grand enough to be called rock opera but too proletarian to ever claim that title. BORN TO RUN was also the first album where the Boss began to crystallise his recurring theme of working class America's doomed-but-passionate rage against itscircumstances. With the earnestness and emotion that burstsforth from Springsteen's street poems, the album is never less than exhilarating, and songs like "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" (a tongue-in-cheek history of the E Street Band) providehumor. "She's The One" puts the Bo Diddley beat to its mosteffective post-'50s use, and the title track is Springsteen's quintessential underdog epic.

Customer Reviews

Springsteen's breakthrough album
It is difficult to find the words to write about this album. Released in 1975, when Bruce appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek simultaneously, it was an album that musically and lyrically did something that no other rock artist had done for quite sometime. Combining a powerful, thrilling, Phil Spector style "wall of sound" with heartfelt, genuine, intelligent lyrics, it proved to the world what Springsteen already knew: that rock n' roll has the power to save your life. Despite two earlier LP's which were critically acclaimed but sold poorly, this feels like the start of Bruce's search for himself and his sense of community. Simply one of the greatest rock n' roll LP's of all time. Buy it and find out why.

Why only five stars?
One of the greatest rock albums ever. A work of art. Most artists would kill to have written the weaker tracks, and to have Thunder Road, Backstreets, Born to Run itself and Jungleland all on one album is unbelievable. An album for all ages, all moods, all time. Too many five star reviews are handed out too easily. 25 years on, this is worth every star and more. It's easy to forget that when he wrote this masterpiece Bruce was barely known. The confidence and authority is astonishing. Rolling Stone were famously moved to say they'd seen the future or rock n roll, and how right they were. I know some take The River as their favourite Bruce album but for me - like many doubles - it has a bit too much padding. This is the one.

The definitive Springsteen
If ever there was a benchmark for Springsteens work then this is it. I have struggled to find a more poetic and moving album than this in the 20 years since I first purchased it at the age of 14. It means more to me now than anything (unfortunately) a British songwriter can produce. A real insight into the youth of the day (and TOday I would hasten to add) this should be the first stop for anybody of thinking about checking what all the fuss is about.
Unfortunately, I have yet to experience THE BOSS live (I must be jinxed as he sells out before I can get a ticket but I'm still trying) but his albums speak so much truth he is only a CD away.
Do yourself a favour and start here. It's never too late for BOSS TIME!!!