From the Turntable: Bruce Springsteen- The Wild, the Innocent & the E-Street Shuffle, 1973

Bruce Springsteen, The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle, 1973

Label: Columbia

Producers: Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos

While Bruce Springsteen’s epic sophomore album was not the commercial breakthrough that its successor Born to Run would become, 1973’s The Wild, the Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle was instead the future legend’s true artistic arrival. Four plus decades and nearly twenty albums later, it remains one of, if not his most, ambitious and remarkable career achievements, as well as one of rock music’s most acclaimed albums of all time. It’s a passionate and inspiring revelation of musical art, much in the same way Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was upon its release six years earlier. Not only did it reveal Springsteen’s own vision as an artist, songwriter, storyteller, and band leader, but it also stands as one of those defining examples of what rock music can be capable of, not just as a performance vehicle, but as an art form as well.  The narrative and arrangements throughout are strikingly cinematic, with each song playing out like its own mini-movie, and the overall body of tracks parlaying into a stunning musical drama. In other words, it absolutely lacked any regard for the conventional run-times, structure, or topics of commercial radio at the time; all the more impressive considering the Boss was in desperate need of a breakthrough single. That moment would come eventually, and it goes without saying, that putting art above commerce paid dividends for Springsteen in the long run.

Proving equally as important to the album’s success as Springsteen’s songwriting and performance talents is the fact that it proved to be the first defining moment on record for his E-Street Band. As the title suggests, this is their official coming-out party. While the beginning ingredients were certainly present earlier in the year on Greetings From Asbury Park, this follow-up finds the troops firmly in place and ready to forever capture the raw and exuberant spirit of their burgeoning live stage show. They waste little time in doing so, launching with rapid-fire opener “The E-Street Shuffle”. Right out of the gate, Springsteen already sounds more confident and defiant than on Greetings, investing fully in every vivid image the song portrays of rebellion, revelry, and pure joy. After making just a few cameo appearances on the prior album, legendary sax-man Clarence Clemons emphatically establishes his status as one of rock music’s most important side-men, with a blistering set of licks that transcend the tune into near funk-territory, before transitioning into an infectious sing-along climax that evokes pure 50s rock & roll. That brilliantly thrilling blend of styles remains a constant thread throughout the entire record.

Equally vivid and dramatic, only on a much more romantic and somber note, the band immediately segues into “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”, a classic that would become a career-long hallmark of Springsteen’s live repertoire. This really served as the first of many occasions where the Boss proved that nobody can do young heartbreak and nostalgia quite like him, with his voice offering a beautifully ragged sense of longing and desperation that would become a signature trait.

Further elevating “Sandy” and the tunes surrounding it on this record are the vivid details with which Springsteen colors them, unveiling those aforementioned cinematic qualities that would set him apart from so many other rock writers. These character sketches and the settings in which they take place are not merely window dressing for the music. Each listen places us squarely in the song, whether it be wandering the lonely boardwalk in “Sandy”, observing the surprising depth hiding underneath the big top life in “Wild Billy’s Circus Story”, or waiting for Spanish Johnny to return to Puerto Rican Jane in the thrilling three-part drama of “Incident on 57th Street”. It is Springsteen’s unique knack to paint such an engaging picture, coupled with the enthralling arrangements, that also makes the sprawling nature of the music (half of the tunes clock in at 7:00 or longer) so easily digestible in spite of their length. In lesser hands, such exercises in excess would and have come off as unbearably pretentious. But, that’s of no concern here.

The greatest records in the classic rock catalog have always been stylistically diverse, unafraid to venture off from a core rock sound by experimenting with a wide array of influences and sub-genres. On Shuffle, gems like “Kitty’s Back” serve as an American musical tour all in one song, seamlessly transitioning from hard rock to jazz to doo-wop without blinking an eye, and all the while providing stirring storyline arcs and twists that leave the listener intent on catching every lyric just as much as every guitar or sax lick.

Those same qualities of artistic diversity, stunning storytelling, and emotional highs and lows are in full bloom on the classic two-song sequence that closes out Side Two, and finds Springsteen delivering two of his most beloved and very best performances. It begins with the vintage classic rock sound of “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”, a future staple of AOR radio. It’s the first standout example of Springsteen and Clemons’ unmatchable chemistry on record, with a sizzling and invigorating performance the exudes pure bliss via the triumphant union of a young couple. But this is a Springsteen record, and as we would soon learn, sing-along happiness does not usually last long when Bruce is behind the mic. Thus cues “New York City Serenade”, ten minutes of pure musical brilliance, and one of the most stunning pieces to ever see release on a commercial record. The opening segment is a stunning showcase for the signature piano playing of David Sancious. It builds fantastically, taking the listener through a wide range of moods before settling into the subdued elegance of Springsteen’s own acoustic solo, which leads us to the streets of Manhattan and the sad stories that linger there. It’s an intoxicating and emotional journey that could only reside on an album like this. Again, Springsteen may have still been unproven on the sales chart, but this is the moment where the American icon that he would eventually become officially reveals himself.

Regarded today as one of the most remarkable recordings in American music, The Wild, the Innocent and the E-Street Shuffle is an unrivaled masterpiece. If Bruce Springsteen had recorded nothing else in his career, this record alone would have established a small legacy to be proud of in the rock lexicon. Instead, this proved to be a young man officially finding his first of many tastes of artistic greatness. As in many cases, it just so happened to come before his overall career found any sound footing. Nearly five decades of superstardom later, there still isn’t anything quite like this record in Springsteen’s catalog, or in anyone else’s. Regardless of taste, if you’re an appreciator of music on any level, you simply must hear this record at least once in your lifetime, to witness the captivating birth of a rock God and a true artistic journeyman.

Track Listing:

1. “The E-Street Shuffle” (Bruce Springsteen)
2. “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (Springsteen) *1974 Single Release
3. “Kitty’s Back” (Springsteen)
4. “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” (Springsteen)
5. “Incident on 57th Street” (Springsteen)
6. “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” (Springsteen) *1979 Single Release
7. “New York City Serenade” (Springsteen)

Previous: Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ

Next: Born to Run

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