Bruce first covered “Then He Kissed Me” in concert during the summer of 1974, which is also when he recorded “Born to Run.”
I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
We know that “Born to Run” was inspired by Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” technique, and for my money there’s no better example of that sound than The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me.”
It’s no wonder why “Then He Kissed Me” is one of Bruce’s favorites: In addition to the Spector touch, it’s simply one of the greatest songs of the girl group era, combining two of Brue’s great influences. With soaring vocals and a backing track filled with sublime strings, castanets and kettle drums, horns and harps, “Then He Kissed Me” has a lush sound that can’t help but enchant even the least romantic among us.
And Bruce is nothing if not a romantic.
He’s not alone. “Then He Kissed Me” was a huge hit when it was originally released in the summer of 1963, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was still remembered fondly a decade later when Bruce brought it back to the stage during his tour behind The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle.
He played it a few times that summer and autumn, and when he took the E Street Band back out on tour the following summer to promote Born to Run, “Then She Kissed Me” was a staple throughout the month of August, including and most especially at his legendary breakthrough stand at The Bottom Line in New York City.
Bruce’s cover was superbly faithful, although he made one very noticeable change: Much later in his career, Bruce would grow more comfortable singing from a woman’s or a gay man’s perspective, but in 1975 he apparently felt more comfortable flipping gender pronouns and retitling the song, “Then She Kissed Me.”
Then again, he wasn’t the first cover artist who felt the need to invert “Then He Kissed Me.” The Beach Boys did that first back in 1965, and a lot more awkwardly to boot. (“Her” is an awful word to hold a note on, and Al Jardine had to swallow it each time.)
“Then She Kissed Me” was an early highlight each time it appeared in Bruce’s set, and yet it was gone from his set lists by the time Labor Day rolled around.
Bruce didn’t perform it again for thirty-three years… to the day. Whether he knew it or not (probably not), Bruce chose the anniversary of the day he’d last played “Then She Kissed Me” to perform it again, opening his instantly legendary Magic Tour show in St. Louis with it on August 23, 2008.
That was no audible, and to the best of my knowledge it wasn’t by request. Bruce just seemed to be in a 1975 mood that night–those of us in the lottery line outside the arena were able to hear him soundcheck not just “Then She Kissed Me” but also “When You Walk in the Room” and “Little Queenie,” two other notable 1975 tour covers. Not only that, he even played “Mountain of Love” during the show by request. (You can listen in on that soundcheck below.)
Bruce performed “Then She Kissed Me” once more (by request this time) the following summer in Sunrise, Florida, but it’s been absent from his set list ever since.
It’s clearly a song for which Bruce has a great deal of affection, though, so all it might take is a well-positioned sign on the next tour for “Then She Kissed Me” to make a return visit.
Then (S)he Kissed Me
First performed: July 13, 1974 (New York City, NY)
Last performed: September 13, 2009 (Sunrise, FL)
Ken, So glad you included mention of the classic 1965 Beach Boys’ version of “Then I Kissed Her” from the Summer Days (and Summer Nights) L.P. Love Al Jardine’s vocal of deep longing and Brian’s Spectorish production. Must assume it’s the Wrecking Crew on all instruments. Thank you.