Roll of the Dice: Without You

Buried at the bottom of his 1996 Blood Brothers EP, “Without You” is a forgettable entry in Bruce Springsteen’s catalog. Forgettable, that is, except for the day you listen to it, the entirety of which you’ll be unable to get it out of your head.

That’s because “Without You” is a perfect pop song. as light as air and as fun as a house party. And a party is pretty much what “Without You” sounds like, from its opening “Sherry Darling“-esque party noises to the carte blanche, ebullient backing vocals that pervade it.

“Without You” was recorded during the E Street Band’s brief reunion in 1995 for the Greatest Hits sessions, and maybe it was that revived camaraderie that inspired the notoriously controlling Springsteen to allow the band members (plus producer Chuck Plotkin and percussionist Frank Pagano, in their only credited vocal appearances on a Springsteen song) to cut loose and create one of their most infectiously joyous tracks.

One listen to “Without You” is all it takes to realize how much fun the band must have had recording it, but if there’s any doubt, watch this video of an almost-final take and see for yourself.

It feels silly to analyze Bruce’s lyrics for “Without You.” First of all, there aren’t that many of them: two verses, a bridge, and a three-syllable chorus, all of which boil down to: I miss you, baby. 

Monday, I go to work
Tuesday, can’t find my shirt
Wednesday, I’m feeling blue
I’m helpless, darling
Without you, without you
Without you, without you

Thursdays, everything’s fine
Friday, I’m out of my mind
Saturday, Sunday too
It’s hopeless, darling
Without you, without you
Without you, without you

Each and every night of the week
I toss and turn in my sleep
Worrying if you’re all right
Wondering where you are tonight

Second, “Without You” is just a standard “calendar song” in the mold of “Seven Nights to Rock” or “Friday I’m in Love”–a pop song built around the days of the week, an easy crutch for a songwriter to latch onto. But easy doesn’t necessarily make for an earworm–for that you need talent.

The E Street Band had talent in spades, and even after not playing together for more than six years it’s remarkable how tightly in sync they are, even while they’re each given space to stretch. Almost every band member is individually prominent in the mix, with Roy, Danny, Max, Garry, and Clarence all shining throughout.

So why is this gem so well-hidden? It had the misfortune of being recorded at a time before Bruce was prone to including pop trifles on his albums. It would be a few years yet before songs like “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day,” “Surprise, Surprise”  or “You’ve Got It” would start appearing in his catalog.

The bigger mystery is why the band has yet to break it out in concert, because it would be a perfect encore opener and crowd-pleaser (if not a head-scratcher).

Perhaps one day we’ll get to crash this party, too.

Without You
Recorded: January 1995
Released: Blood Brothers (1996)
Never performed live

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