On the Magic Tour, Bruce started acknowledging and honoring sign requests; by the end of the tour, what started as an occasional lark had become a full-fledged mini-set that brought a jolt of spontaneity to every show.
When the Working on a Dream Tour picked up just a months from where the Magic Tour left off, the sign requests became increasingly obscure, often including covers of classic rock songs Bruce had never played before. And every once in a while, one of those one-off covers conjured true magic.
Case in point: “Little Bit O’ Soul,” originally released in 1965 by a British band called The Little Darlings.
The Little Darlings’ version didn’t make any noise on the charts, but The Music Explosion sure did when they covered it two years later–it made it all the way to Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a garage rock classic.
Both versions are instantly recognizable thanks to the infectious riff that serves as the song’s signature, but it’s the latter one that clearly captured Bruce’s attention.
When a fan with great musical taste brought a sign for “Little Bit O’ Soul” to the opening show of Bruce’s final stand at the Philadelphia Spectrum, it proved too much for Bruce to resist.
After a minute of consultation to work it out, the E Street Band nailed the song–and we’re fortunate that the moment was captured on video. Bruce’s smile while performing says it all.
Here’s the one and only time Bruce has covered “Little Bit O’ Soul,” from that epic stand at the Spectrum in October 2009.
Little Bit O’ Soul
First performed: October 13, 2009 (Philadelphia, PA)
Last performed: October 13, 2009 (Philadelphia, PA)
