Let’s set the Wayback Machine for Black Friday, November 26, 1976, at the Bottom Line club in New York City.
The Patti Smith Group is playing two shows on that stage this night, and there’s a special guest in the house for both of them: Bruce not only joins the band on guitar for several numbers during each show, he also backs Patti by himself–on the piano.
As much of Patti’s work does, “Picture Hanging Blues” originated as a poem. which Patti recited on stage as early as 1971. (It’s often listed on bootlegs as “Jesse James,” since it seems to revolve around the legendary outlaw, sung from the perspective of his girlfriend.)
For Springsteen fans, the delight of this performance isn’t so much the quality of his piano playing, but rather in how Bruce gamely rises to the challenge of keeping up with Patti in a highly improvisational performance.
When I listen to the clip below, I can’t help but think that Bruce is getting a taste of his own medicine–he must feel like Max does when he’s got eyes on Bruce, trying to anticipate his next move so he can keep up. He does a pretty good job.
(Listen to the end of the track: when the song ends, Patti goes off on a hilarious tangent about New Jersey. For more of Patti’s ruminations on New Jersey and why she was late to appreciate Bruce’s music, see “Slowly Walking Down by the River” from that same night.)
Picture Hanging Blues
First performed: November 26, 1976 (New York City, NY)
Last performed: November 26, 1976 (New York City, NY)
