How big of a Springsteen fan is David Gray?
Big enough that on his 2007 live album, A Thousand Miles Behind, he included not one but two covers of Bruce’s songs.
We listened to one of them–an affecting cover of “Streets of Philadelphia“–a couple of years ago.
It’s the other one that speaks to Gray’s deep appreciation, though, because it’s a song you’ll almost never hear on the radio: “Mansion on the Hill” from Nebraska.
On the live album, it’s overshadowed by the more well-known (and frankly stronger performance of) “Streets of Philadelphia,” but fortunately that wasn’t the only time Gray covered “Mansion on the Hill” live and captured it for posterity.
In 2019, Gray stopped by Sirius XM to appear on the Howard Stern show, and “Mansion on the Hill” was one of the songs he performed live in the studio. Twelve years on from his live album, Gray turns in a much stronger performance with an arrangement that superbly captures Bruce’s Nebraska vibe, especially in the wordless bridge.
Gray is no stranger to Bruce’s Nebraska material; he’s been known to play “Atlantic City” and “Used Cars” live as well.
Gray is on tour this summer–will he break out a new Springsteen cover when he plays New York and Philly (no New Jersey stop this year)? Odds are pretty decent, I think.
