There are few musicians who have achieved the incredible success and longevity of Bruce Springsteen. The Boss was born (in the U.S.A.) 71 years ago on September 23rd, 1949.
“The Boss” has been playing music for over fifty years and has released eighteen studio albums in that time—all of which have received at least a Gold certification, and the majority of which have gone Platinum at least once over. He’s earned countless awards for his work, including twenty Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and induction into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
To his scores of die-hard fans, Bruce’s live performances are an equally significant facet of his legacy. Springsteen has played thousands of shows over the course of his career, building a devoted following of fans that keep coming back to his shows. He has developed a reputation as a road warrior, mounting extensive tours with performances that push four hours per night and that feature constantly changing setlists. Many fans follow Springsteen and the E Street Band, going to countless shows in different cities around the world.
To showcase what makes Bruce Springsteen live show so special, check out this awesome video from his performance with the E Street Band in Leipzig, Germany in November 2013. It was during the performance when Springsteen noticed a sign requesting “You Can Never Tell” by Chuck Berry—a tune many know as the song John Travolta and Uma Thruman danced to in Pulp Fiction. The sign is passed forward to the stage, and with a wry smile, Springsteen informs the crowd that they “haven’t played that song since they were…I don’t know, 16,” but they’d give it a shot. After going back and forth with guitarist Little Steven trying—with some difficulty—to pick a key, Springsteen confers briefly with the band, gives some directions, and then BAM!–busts out an immaculate, rocking performance of “You Can Never Tell.” Like a boss. The Boss. Watch the video for yourself below!
Bruce Springsteen – “You Never Can Tell” – 7/7/2013
[Video: Bruce Springsteen]
[Originally published 9/23/17]