It’s a well-known story: When Bruce Springsteen finally hit the big time with Born to Run, the inequity built into his contracts with agent Mike Appel became clear. A ten-month lawsuit over control of Bruce’s publishing rights ensued, with Bruce legally prohibited from recording in the studio until it was resolved.
Ultimately, Bruce paid Appel what amounted to a hefty severance fee and won back control of his entire catalog, to date and ongoing.
His entire catalog, that is, except for a half-dozen songs that Appel wanted to keep for himself.
“Thundercrack” was one of those songs–an early showstopper that Bruce would release on Tracks in 1998. “Song for Orphans” was another; Bruce wouldn’t release that one until 2020.
“Cherokee Queen” was a third.
“Cherokee Queen” remains unreleased (and presumably unrecorded) to this day. We only know it from surviving bootleg recordings from the Bruce Springsteen Band era, and it’s likely to stay that way, thanks to some cringeworthy 50-year-old lyrics that land uncomfortably on modern ears.
Ah she’s a Cherokee queen
Yeah prettiest thing I have ever seen
She’s an Oklahoma lady
And she drives me crazy
I don’t know what it is about her
But I just can’t live without her
She’s got me in a trance sir
In her heart she’s a dancer
Like the wind she silently comes
The melody she sweetly hums
She’s got the words to all my songs
She sang to me all night long
She goes, “Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won’t you rock my crazy bones”
“Daddy sing me a cradle song
Like you did a long time ago
Daddy sing me a silly song
Won’t you rock my crazy bones”
She strayed off her reservation
Oh and into my arms
Bringing bad legislation
With her Indian charms
I don’t know what it is she does sir
That make me wanna love her
It’s that crazy way of smiling
Oh it just drives the boys wild
Reminds me of one of my high school haunts
She knows what I need and she knows what I want
She’s got the words to all our songs
And she sang to me all night long
Yeah… we won’t unpack these particular lyrics.
It’s too bad, though, because if not for Bruce’s insensitive lyrics, “Cherokee Queen” could have been one of his earliest contenders for a radio hit. It’s certainly one of his most ear-friendly and catchy early songs, with David Sancious a particular standout.
Bruce seems to have belatedly recognized its potential, too: in early 1983, he bought the rights to it back from Appel, and on May 31st he registered it with the U.S. Copyright Office. “Cherokee Queen” belonged to Bruce again, but to date that copyright remains unutilized.
Well, mostly unutilized. There actually is a commercially available studio track of “Cherokee Queen” available–it’s just not Bruce performing it. We’ll take a listen to it later this month.
Cherokee Queen
Never recorded
Never released
First performed: July 1971 (South Amboy, NJ)
Last performed: October 23, 1971 (Richmond, VA)
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