When a fellow fan asks me what shows I most wish I could have been at, the famous Asbury Park All-Star Revue shows from May 1977 rank pretty high on the list.
Technically, they weren’t Springsteen shows–they were supposed to be Southside Johnny shows. But Southside got sick and couldn’t perform, putting four shows at the Monmouth Arts Center at risk of cancellation.
Steve Van Zandt saved the day, though–he not only fronted The Asbury Jukes for those shows, he had Bruce on stage the whole time as well on guitar and backing vocals–a rare instance of a full show with Steve as the front man and Bruce as the sidekick. (Bruce did take lead vocals on a few of his own songs with the E Street Band, but this was still Steve’s night.)
Early in the set for both the early and late shows on May 13th was Steve’s own song, “Some Things Just Don’t Change.” Here’s that standout performance from the early show:
Although Steve wrote “Some Things Just Don’t Change,” it first appeared on Southside Johnny’s new (well, at the time at least) album, This Time It’s For Real.
It only took forty years for Steve to record his own version, finally and gloriously appearing on Soulfire.
…which makes “Some Things Just Don’t Change” a curiosity: a cover performed 40 years before the original artist released it.
Some Things Just Don’t Change
First performed: May 13, 1977 (Red Bank, NJ)
Last performed: May 13, 1977 (Red Bank, NJ)
