The tour guide I had back then to all things New Jersey pointed me toward songs and gave me insight that the average musical tourist passing through would have certainly missed, and I'm sure I reciprocated with things Liverpuldian. We saw the concert that followed this album together and have often reminisced about it. I'm lucky to have such an amazing now 30+ year friendship, and even luckier that Jovo's musical hero wasn't Jackyl.
Bruce was just coming off the whole Born in the USA album/tour/misinterpreted Jingoistic mega-movement. He was in the last throes of a failing first marriage, and much of the album is introspective; songs about doubt, struggle, perhaps the disenchantment of love in theory, and marriage in reality. I remind myself before listening to the album again that Bruce was 37 when writing this. Mid life crisis, that hard steep staircase from our dream floor to reality that we all tumble down, perhaps this album was meant to carpet those steps. Like most of us, Bruce eventually landed and found reality to be wonderful, but boy that first step can be a doozie.
Ain't Got You- Bruce stripped down, voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica. You get the idea that he's setting the tone for a change in sound. The song is too similar in concept to another favorite of my friend's and I, that I can't help but point it out.
Tougher Than the Rest- I remember how wide and keyboard driven this sounded in concert. Mostly recorded in Bruce's home studio. The whole sound, drums, layered synth, it sounds heavy...weathered. Bruce sings "well there's another dance, all you gotta say is yes, and if you're rough and ready for love, honey I'm tougher than the rest." It's not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up that counts.
All That Heaven Will Allow- a quick but warm and thick sounding song that first refers to the girl as all that heaven will allow, but then talks about how having the right love makes you want a long life: "I want all the time, all that heaven will allow"
Spare Parts- a rocker albeit dark and bleak. An unwed mother struggling to survive after the father runs off, contemplates drowning her son to avoid the commitment. This song seems a little out of place on the album.
Cautious Man- starts out in classic Springsteen story telling mode. Guitar, voice... but when the pad layered synth sound comes in, it adds a gravity and depth that's breathtaking. "On his right hand Billy'd tattooed the word Love and on his left hand was the word fear, and in which hand he held his fate was never clear"
Walk Like a Man- is a song to Bruce's father, a song from a perspective he'd never had before, that of a husband. Perhaps a little more forgiving and understanding of the difficulties his father endured. "Well I was young and I didn't know what to do, when I saw your best steps stolen away from you, Now I'll do what I can, I'll walk like a man"
Tunnel of Love- Side two of the album (the last of Bruce's albums to be officially released as side one/side two) opens up with the title track. I've always loved the metaphor, the carnival ride for marriage. "The house is haunted and the ride gets rough, you've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above" I bet even my best friend didn't know the middle part was a lift from the Moody Blues. Nah, he probably knew.
Two Faces- describes the inner struggle of man, the conflict of a duality. One face of him swears to make her happy, and yet one makes her cry. The writing is good, but the choice of guitar tone and organ, horrible.
Brilliant Disguise- was the first single released (Tunnel of Love was the 2nd). Both made it to the #1 spot on Mainstream Rock charts. It's a song about doubt, in self and partner. "who do I see when I look in your eyes" I know this blog has been about listening to the music, but I can't forget the video for this. It broke MTV ground for being the first single shot video without edits. It's a song about trust, looking into someone's eyes; the almost painful video is a slow zoom of Bruce looking into the camera. "God have mercy on the man, who doubts what he's sure of"
One Step Up- was the third single released from the album. It's a song about the inability to resolve differences, degrading to cheating. The singer accepts his role and responsibility "When I look at myself, I don't see the man I wanted to be" Bruce recorded and played all the instruments on this song, the only other person to sing, ironically, is the woman he would marry after his break up, Patti Scialfa.
When You're Alone- I listen to this song again, and I'm struggling to find it's meaning. At first I hear it as an angry song, and then it turns to sad, then forgiving, but then vengeful. Maybe that's the point, so many emotions swirling around that it's difficult to think straight?
Valentine's Day- somehow this song got past me, I'm sure I've heard it before... but I don't remember "hearing" it. It's such a gem--perhaps in the last song on the album, the final landing on the bottom step of reality/dream, maybe that fall knocked some sense into Bruce. "It wasn't the bitterness of a dream that didn't come true... No No baby it was you"
What a great listen that was for me, now on the adult side of the bumpy steps. Not all marriages last, nor do many many more relationships. Maybe the pieces don't match up, maybe there were gaps too large for the glue of love to set hold, or perhaps one or both of the people just weren't ready... I'm not going to act like I have any more answers than the next person... but I can appreciate Springsteen's tunnel of love metaphor; the ideal, excitement and dream of love upon entering, and the hard work, struggle, strain, and commitment through the sometimes dark and scary ride, that it takes to see the light at the end of it.
Next Up- #474 Otis Redding- Otis Redding Live in Europe (1967)
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