“Sufferin’ in the Land” was released as a single off of Jimmy Cliff’s self-titled 1969 album, but it failed to chart anywhere but the Netherlands and Cliff’s native Jamaica. So perhaps it’s a bit of a deep cut for us to expect it to show up in a Springsteen set list.
Then again, the same could be said of “Trapped” and “Many Rivers to Cross,” both released as singles by Cliff to little notice until Bruce added them to his set lists.
Bruce has long been a huge Jimmy Cliff fan, and over the years he’s performed many of Cliff’s songs, sometimes with the artist himself.
But Bruce has never covered “Sufferin’ in the Land” in concert, despite rehearsing it during warm-up sessions for the Working on a Dream Tour. Luckily for us, that rehearsal was captured and managed to escape into the wild.
Okay, granted that’s neither the E Street Band’s strongest performance nor Bruce’s best vocal (the bluffing gives away the lack of a teleprompter), but in fairness it’s not something they ever expected anyone outside of the room to hear.
Still, that escapee recording allows us to hear what an E Street Band cover might sound like if we’re ever fortunate enough to hear them try it.
Sufferin’ in the Land
First performed: March 18, 2009 (Asbury Park, NJ)
Last performed: March 18, 2009 (Asbury Park, NJ)
