La maggior parte dei fans di Bruce conosce certamente il brano che Eric Church dedicò nel 2012 al Boss, intitolandolo esplicitamente “Springsteen” e che ebbe un discreto successo arrivando al n. 1 delle classifiche Country, Top 20 Pop. Ma non tutti sanno, probabilmente, che Springsteen è citato nei testi di moltissime altre canzoni, ben prima e dopo di allora. Tante le citazioni dirette a Bruce, a Springsteen, o al Boss nel testo o nel titolo addirittura; tante quelle indirette alle sue canzoni, con snippet o interi versi ripresi. In alcuni casi Bruce compare come un personaggio stesso della canzone come in “My Life Is Good” di Randy Newman o in “Talkin’ Woody, Bob, Bruce & Dan Blues” di Dan Bern. In altri, c’è un riferimento alla sua musica, (come in “Grey Cortina” di Tom Robinson o “Listen to the Eight Track” di Ian Hunter) o al suo aspetto (come in “Stars Tonight” di Lady Antebellum o la maliziosa “Badlands” di Norma. Altre volte, Bruce è citato come simbolo degli ideali americani (“It’s America” di Rodney Atkins) e modello di songwriter (“Kid Inside” di John Mellencamp, già nel 1977 quando era conosciuto come John Cougar). Rick Springfield lo cita scherzosamente in un brano, in cui racconta che le persone – e persino la sua ragazza –a causa del suo cognome lo confondono con il Boss. Ma quante e quali sono le canzoni che citano Bruce Springsteen? Talmente tante che divideremo questa rubrica in varie parti, rispettando un ordine cronologico che coprirà l’arco di tempo che va dalla fine degli anni 70 ad oggi. Ogni titolo è di seguito accompagnato da nome dell’autore, dall’anno di pubblicazione, dal video del brano, da alcune note esplicative o, in corsivo, dai versi in cui compare la citazione a Springsteen. Tra le tantissime parodie, sono state incluse solo quelle più popolari.
Parte I (1977-1989)
Parte II (1990-1999)
Parte III (2000-2009)
Parte IV (2010-2015)
James Braha “Like Springsteen” (2010)
Suarez “L’Indécideur” (2010)
James Dean et Rambo, Springsteen et Django
Thea Gilmore “Automatic Blue” (2010)
The radio is broken, so you hum a Springsteen tune
The Ark “Singing ‘Bout The City” (2010)
It’s the Springsteen curse but only in reverse, life’s a pity in the city – hell, what does Bruce know about spruce?
Ezio “Bruce Springsteen” (2010)
“But your friend said you like Bruce Springsteen”
“You must be cool because you like Bruce Springsteen”
“I’ll never be the boss just lower management I guess
He never went to Vietnam”
Lady Antebellum “Stars Tonight” (2010)
Girls in their heels and a skinny pair of blue jeans
Boys in black pearl buttons lookin’ just like Springsteen
Nakk Mendosa “Nakkos” (2010)
J’suis le boss j’ai envoyé un mail à Bruce Springsteen
Titus Andronicus “The Battle of Hampton Roads” (2010)
And I’ve destroyed everything that wouldn’t make me more like Bruce Springsteen
So I’m going back to New Jersey, I do believe they’ve had enough of me
David Nail “Sound of a Million Dreams” (2011)
My 18th summer I was a cocky up-and-comer/Crankin’ up ‘Born to Run’
Eric Church “Springsteen” (2011)
When I think about you, I think about seventeen
I think about my old jeep
I think about the stars in the sky
Funny how a melody sounds like a memory
Like the soundtrack to a July Saturday night, Springsteen
Frank Turner “Redemption” (2011)
I was walking home to my house through the snow from the station
When Springsteen came clear in my headphones with a pertinent question
Oh is love really real and can any of us hope for redemption?
Lee Spitzer “Sweet As A Peach” (2011)
So I go through my records, I pull out Springsteen Live, I put it on the table, I sing “Jersey Girl” all night
Smokey Bastard “Aspirations, I Have Some” (2011)
I wish that when I sang, it sounded just like Springsteen… and when I write a breakdown that sounds like “Racing In The Street”
Josh Abbott Band “I’ll Sing About Mine” (2012)
Gabrielle Aplin “Romeo Must Die” (2012)
You’d send me records in the post, Like ‘Born To Run’ by Springsteen, You knew the songs I loved the most
Lana Del Rey “American” (2012)
Flirting with the girls like you’re so pretty
Springsteen is the king don’t you think
I was like, hell yeah that guy can sing
Like ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, whoa
Sheri “Sounds Like a Springsteen Song to Me” (2012)
Lori McKenna “All It Takes” (2012)
Five strings on a six string, initials on a gold ring, anything Bruce Springsteen, sometimes – that’s all it takes… to remind me of you
Brian Davis “Under The Influence” (2012)
Springsteen runnin’ since the day I was born
Jared Evan “4th Chapter” (2012)
This is the genesis of all my dreams, I’m a Boss, I’m Springsteen at 16
Ryland Rose “Lost In NY” (2012)
Standing with my old man, preparing the playlist, Springsteen on, maybe some Miles Davis
Urthboy “Orphan Rocker” (2012)
Springsteen, “Nebraska”, slow down your speed.
Vacca “Mi No Born Rich” (2013)
Sono il boss più di Ross più di Bruce Springsteen
Jay Leighton “Wish I Was Springsteen” (2013)
Sam Keyes “Tougher Than The Rest” (2013)
I wanna Go To See Bruce Springsteen
Deaf Havana “22” (2013)
“With Springstein in my headphones singing mockingly away,
Oh Brucey baby, I’ve seen better days
These are not better days”
Hannah Hennessy “Just Like Springsteen” (2013)
“He loves every second he’s onstage/It’s amazing to see the smile on his face/Under the neon lights, he moves just like his heroes have before/Rockin’ out in his denim jeans/Looking just like Springsteen”
Kurt Vile “Snowflakes Are Dancing” (2013)
Snowflakes are dancing, this man is pumping
Headphones are loud, chilling on a pillowy cloud
Comfort of codeine, and Springsteen pristine
You should sing just whatever
Jake La Furia “Esercizio Di Stile” (2013)
Sono il Boss come Springsteen
Kissaway Trail “The Springsteen Implosion” (2013)
Kirin J. Callinan “Come On USA” (2013)
I cry when I listen to Springsteen, every time that I listen to Springsteen
Frank Patrouch “Use To Look Like Springsteen” (2013)
Supastition “The Blackboard” (2013)
Shoot the soulpatch off of Bruce Springsteen
Caparezza “Cover” (2014)
ll mondo mi dá le spalle come Bruce Springsteen
The Felice Brothers “Saturday Night” (2014)
I ain’t the boss but I’m his illegitimate son
‘Cause baby I was born to run
I took a Valium and I had a vision
Dad, it must have been the haunted child
On Letterman on my television
As the nation went wild
Bluvertigo “Zero” (2014)
Ti piace Springsteen?, o.k. non c’è’ problema
Blackout Problems “For The Road” (2014)
You could have said that you think Bruce Springsteen is bullshit
Emily’s Army “Alien’s Landing” (2014)
Not even Springsteen’s immortal
Five No Risk “Springsteen” (2014)
Yea Big & Kid Static “The Nameless” (2014)
With Tommy Lee, Bruce Springsteen and Pamela
Brett Fromson “Heartbeat Like A Train” (2014)
You can barely hear Springsteen on the radio, driving through the birthplace of rock ‘n roll
Danny Shafer “Jesus, Tonto & Springsteen” (2015)
Ben Varian “Non-Springsteen Song” (2015)
Björn Van Der Doelen · Allez Soldaat “Och War Ik Maar Bruce Springsteen” (2015)
The Title Trackers “The Trackers Send Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.” (2015)
Dar Williams “FM Radio” (2015)
Take a lesson from the FM that I knew then.
It’s like a public pool, you decide where to jump in
To feel the sexiness, the passion, the fusion and the fission.
Remember Bruce Springsteen divorced a model and married a musician
Lifehouse “Hurt This Way” (2015)
Open the screen door, the transistor plays an old Springsteen song from my father’s glory days
Björn Van Der Doelen “Och War Ik Maar Bruce Springsteen (If Only I Were Bruce Springsteen)” (2015)
Il testo è il dialetto olandese e l’autore è un grande fan di Springsteen e un eccellente storyteller che frequentemente cita Bruce.
Adam Barnes “Nebraska” (2015)
She collects Springsteen like it’s out of fashion
Moonshine Bandits “Top Off The Tank” (2015)
Cutting down a two-lane with the top rolled down Cranking up Springsteen, heading out to the creek
Moonshine Bandits “Lady Luck” (2015)
She love that Kid Rock, Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen
No Dice “270” (2015)
I never thought you would end up like me, born to run like Bruce Springsteen, two Freehold products march, maybe he was cursed right from the start
Dylan Owen “The Best Fears Of Our Lives” (2015)
I still believe that you can be the next Springsteen, kid
Paperi T “Resnais, Beefheart & Aalto” (2015)
Let’s do like Bruce on the first song of “Born To Run”