Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen!!!

Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen!!! 59 years old today!

I have been obsessed with Springsteen (not like in a stalker kinda way lol) since I was about 12-13 years old. A few years before Born in the USA became a big hit, then of course all the other songs that were huge hits too. It dawned on me that I don't think a lot of people know how I came about this obsession. It also made me think, ya know I bet a lot of people think it started with the Born in the USA song (which it did not, and which is NOT a patriotic song either; but I digress... I'll explain more about that song in a bit)

There used to be a guy that worked as a bagger in the grocery store (the only grocery in the very very small town that I'm from) and he was a Springsteen fan. Now to back the story up a little bit when I was younger (8-9-10'ish) Andy's mother used to babysit for my siblings and me when my mom worked in Tobacco. We'd go over there at dark-thirty in the morning and then his mother would have me wake up Kim (his little sister). I don't think Andy lived at home then.. I don't really remember.

Anyway.. back to the original explanation, in talking to him one time when he was wearing a Springsteen shirt I said, something like, "Who the heck is that?". He told me a singer etc, but the next time I went in there he gave me a 45 (yes I'm old and if you don't know what a 45 is google it, I ain't explaining it!) of Thunder Road. I listened to it, and fell in love with his story telling, his sound... him! So from then on I was constantly calling the Radio Station and requesting Bruce.. a few of the stations kinda laughed me off the phone but whatever.. in a couple more years Bruce would become the biggest thing out there!

Sooo back to my "Born in the USA" story.. It's a GREAT song, but not for the reasons that everyone sings it or loves it. You know my favorite thing is when campaigners use it as background music when they're on stage waving and getting ready to speak or just got done. That's just down right HILARIOUS!! Cause if you really listen.. it's about America not being so great after all. It's about a man in the USA not being able to find a job, about having to go to Vietnam and kill and then come back and be spit on and unemployable, it's about PTSD and it's about not being able to make it in this country without resorting to crime, and it's about going to Prison. So yahhh rahhh for being Born in the USA. It's a song about truth. Not the pretty truth of America but the sad truth.

Google the lyrics if you don't know the song and really read it. It's a sad song.

I have been a Bruce fan for about 25 years. I had my senior pictures taken with superimposed album covers as the background, my 16th bday cake said, "Lisa loves the boss". My senior ornament said, "Lisa loves Bruce". Most of my entire life has somehow revolved around my love for Springsteen and The E Street Band.

Thunder Road... BY FAR the GREATEST song ever written. Written in 1975 by Bruce, and on the Born to Run album. I've always thought if I could ever afford to see Bruce and the E Street band live that's the only song I want to hear. (btw.. they did not sing Thunder Road in concert)

I had the chance this past March to see Bruce live at Conseco FieldHouse in Indianapolis. I was in awe! I don't get into the celebrity stuff, but I actually shed tears when the man FINALLY came onto the stage. I was kinda bummed because one of the original members, Danny Federici has been off battling Melanoma. About 2 hours into the concert Bruce announced he had a surprise. I beat the heck out of my friend Jeanette that went with me and was yelling, "Danny Federici, Danny Federici" AND.. it was!! He played about 3 songs with them and I was just in awe.. Constant smiling!!! I actually got to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. All of them. It was a whole, it was a great life-moment for me. Sadly, Danny passed away less than a month later. He never performed with Bruce and the boys again after the night I saw them. I know this sounds ridiculous to you; but I'm truly honored to have been in the crowd when Danny did his last show with his "band of brothers".

So.. Happy 59th Birthday Bruce and RIP Danny. Thanks for the music, wherever y'all are :)

Peaceout Girlscout