I've been really neglecting MOG recently, which is a shame because I really love it, so here is one, in hopefully an ongoing revival of my music based blog.

Recently, my die-hard fondness for everything the Boss has done has been subject of rather widespread mockery amongst my peer group. The majority of this seems to stem from ignorance ("I find Born To Run boring, like, 3-minute long violin solo's, what's the point?"), some sort of misplaced feeling that he's uncool("he dresses like an idiot, and what the hell with all the synths??") or just unfounded prejudice ("yeah well the Ting Tings may be bad, but they're much better than Springshit (sic.)")

Now, it's none of my business as to why the NME buying public appear to have some deep-seated hatred for one of America's best songwriters, nor am I able to find any reason as to why a the music of a poor New Jersey native should have any sort of huge resonance to a middle class, privately educated boy from the Home Counties.

Now, as far as i'm concerned, one of the best things about Bruce's songwriting is the sheer versatility. Take, for example, Atlantic City, I've heard countless versions of this song since I first started listening to Bruce, and it's perfect in pretty much any incarnation. Take the original, from Nebraska, and contrast it with the sessions band version Live at Dublin, listen to the Hold Steady's cover version from the War Child album, three entirely different versions, but all holding true to the nature of the song. The lyrics read like a portion from some unwritten great American Novel, whilst maintaining the ability to both send shivers down your spine, and fill you with a sense of foreboding, whilst maintaining a feel of hope fingering it's way through the dark at the same time. Similarly, on first listen one could be forgiven for seeing Born In the U.S.A as a patriotic anthem, but his solo acoustic version on the Live In New York CD recontextualises it as something closer to it's original meaning, a story akin to that of Cimino's The Deer Hunter or Ron Kovic writer of Born on the 4th of July. The inherent storytelling nature of Springsteen shows him to be not only a fantastic songwriter, but also a grade a raconteur, a true troubadour.

Which brings me neatly on to my next point, that despite his fantastic talents, he doesn't appear to take himself to seriously, or suffer from having a huge ego. Tracks such as Red Headed Woman and his cameo in High Fidelity show him to have a great sense of humour. Similarly, lyrics such as "It's a sad funny ending to find yourself pretending A rich man in a poor man's shirt" depict that he completely understands how one could see his blue collar tones could be seen as hypocritical, when coming from a multi-platinum selling musician, especially one who never really had a real job before becoming a musician. The sense of escape, and the feeling that if you really try then you CAN be who you want to be, a sense that is most apparent in the early albums, particularly the first three, can serve as an inspiration to anyone, regardless of how they were brought up.

Finally(well not finally, but I'm descending into rant...) he's a fantastic, and timely commentator. Just as Bob Dylan pointed society's direction in the early 1960s, Springsteen picked up the torch in the Mid 1980s, and has been holding it ever since. 2002's The Rising came at a time when the world needed someone to tell them that things would be OK, and that society could rebuild. Disregarding the fact that it was written in the late 90s, My City of Ruins displays a fantastic ability to derive a feeling of hope from desolation, of the ability to rise above the fear and the hate. He shows huge affection for his country, and his countrymen.

for any people not convinced, check out the following

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)-The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle

A gleeful, show-stopper of a track, who can help but feel unbridled joy, how can one help but feel exultation when a young Springsteen exclaims that "the record company Rosie, just gave me a big advance"

Backstreets-Born To Run

Quite different from the previous track, but a fantastic example of the "four corners" technique he used for writing the first few albums, the closer to Side One of Born to Run is a classic tale of companionship, and the feeling of betrayal and crippling heartbreak at a friendship turned sour.

I'm On Fire-Born In The USA

A small song in size, it more than makes up for it in the empathy Springsteen shows for a man stuck with unrealistic expectations, a topic which is not touched upon nearly enough.

The Ghost Of Tom Joad-The Ghost Of Tom Joad

With a name nicked from Steinbeck, the focus on detail paints an image of a dystopian refugee camp.

You're Missing-The Rising

A standout track from post-911 album the Rising, this widow's lament never fails to bring a lump to my throat and make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.

So in short, either I'm completely wrong, or should find myself a new peer group.