Today marks the end of Year Five of this site’s daily mission to document every song Bruce Springsteen has ever written, recorded, or performed in concert!
Five years of daily publishing feels like a marathon with no end in sight, but when I stop and consider that today also marks the end of Year Fifty of Bruce’s professional career as a major label artist, I think I can take inspiration and keep this going for a while.
Before we start Year Six, however, I want to thank you for reading, commenting, sharing your stories, telling your Bruce friends about this blog, and for just being a part of this ongoing odyssey. Whether this is your first visit or whether you’ve been with me from the beginning, I appreciate you and hope you’ll stick with me in 2023!
As always, special thanks to those of you who have written to me with corrections, additional information, absolutely amazing “I was there” stories (especially my “Where the Band Was” guest bloggers who gave me welcome writing reprieves from time to time–please drop me a line if you’d like to share your story), personal anecdotes, and alternative interpretations. That’s been my absolute favorite part of these five years, and as a result I feel like I’ve learned as much as I’ve shared.
And my profound thanks to two special people who make me sound much more polished than I otherwise would:
- Robyn Sherer reads each and every draft (except this one!) and without fail points out my run-on sentences, extraneous words, redundancies, and generally helps me sound way less long-winded than I am in person.
- Lori “Eagle Eye” Pierce, my pro bono, ex post facto copy editor, appears in my inbox within minutes of a typo showing up in one of my essays (in other words, most days). She gives me a chance to do a quick clean-up of my articles before most of you read them.
I am deeply grateful to Lori and Robyn. I owe them both more thanks than I can adequately express here.
As always, today also marks the completion of my annual refresh project–every Roll of the Dice, Cover Me, Meeting Across the River, Where the Band Was, Spare Parts and Two Faces entry is now refreshed with repaired media links and new cross-site links. (It’s a longer project every year!)
And finally, today marks the end of the year-long Kingdom of Days series–but if you enjoy those, fear not: the series restarts tomorrow, with new events from 2022, repaired and fresh media, and new information turned up during my research this past year.
A final note: I know my publishing cadence has slowed this year (I used to publish two articles each and every day), and that’s a reflection of my life getting busier and fuller.
Rather than commit to a cadence and have this site become more burden than joy, I’ve decided to just publish as I’m able to find the time, which organically seems to be working out to 2-3 articles a week in addition to the daily Kingdom of Days post. I’ll continue to spotlight original Springsteen songs, covers, or team-ups throughout the year, just a bit less frequently than in years past.
According to my tracking spreadsheet, I still have about 150 articles left to write before I bring this project to a close, so we’ve still got a long way to travel together. I hope you stick with me for the rest of the ride!
Thanks again for reading. Onward to Year Six!
Thanks so much Ken & Team ! See ya on tour hopefully ! 🎸🎷
KEN—We are so GRATEFUL for your tireless service and dedication to all things Springsteen. May your light shine forever, and rock on in 2023!
Awesome job! Go out and celebrate this momentous anniversary!
Great news! Thanks for the great work!!! Every single day!
Thanks for all you do with this project, Ken. I discovered it about two years ago and have been an avid reader ever since – your insights have brought a lot more depth to my appreciation of Bruce’s music and I immensely enjoy listening to the songs with a different perspective. Keep up the great work!
Happy anniversary, Ken. Thank you for being a big part of my day. When I get up in the morning, at the sound of the bell … I go to my email to see your daily posts.
Many congratulations, Ken! It’s hugely appreciated here on a regular basis – and I’m also grateful that you continue to share posts in my ‘Point Blank’ Facebook group, which focuses on Bruce anniversaries and news. Definitely staying with you for the rest of the mystery ride – cheers!
Happy Anniversary Ken. I genuinely love your work, so please keep on going.
Congratulations! What a great resource you’ve created for Bruce fans. Thanks!
Well done Ken.
What a very special thing you’re doing. It’s a pleasure reading you’re essays. I’ve learned so much over the last few year’s. You deserve to slow down a bit. I’ll still look forward everyday to your email coming in.
Thank you
Dave (Sligo, Ireland).
Thank you Ken. I enjoy each and every one of your posts – long may it continue.
Thanks for your and your team’s hard work and attention to detail. I can safely say your emails are the only ones I look forward to receiving every day. Take care and have a happy and safe new year!
Just heard about this blog at the Tuesday Night Record Club lady evening. I wish I had heard about earlier !! Jackie O
Thanks for your dedication to this. It is really appreciated.
You all are amazing and bring me so much happiness and great information. I truly appreciate the work you are doing. Thank you so much!
Ken
Absolutely awesome job!!!
It’s simply amazing what you have done and are doing!
I am 65 and am obvious diehard
A over 100 💯 x er at shows!
For e it started in 1976 as BSESB did the shows at The Academy here in the city!
And after seeing him it went from anothe rock n roll guy along with Zep and Purple and ELP and AB’s and Tull to another level
There was Bruuuuuce and then all the others!
I have never stopped !!
His shoes are the most exciting nite of entertainment anywhere
In 99 reunion I did 10 out of 15 mesdowsmalnd show and then when he came back to the Garden for 10 more – I was at 7🤷🏼♂️
And on and on!!!
Soooo I love every detail you provide
My breakfast is coffee special k and you!!!
Thanks man!!
Rock on!!
Jim totten
🎸🎷😎
Thanks Ken for yet another step in this quite phenomenal , erudite and above all entertaining blog . Your knowledge and passion for Bruce is , IMHO , unparalleled and provides a staggeringly enjoyable browse . A massive “ Thank You “. !!
YOU FRICKIN ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!See you in a few weeks
Awesome output! Love, love, love you analysis of songs in particular…always insightful and despite being a long time Bruce fan, I always learn a lot from your analysis!
Ken, thanks for an outstanding five years. You forgot to mention that your full life will also include a tour this year! Take good care and savor your life with your family and especially granddaughter. God bless you all.
Ken, thanks for all the wonderful postings. I’ve searched far and wide for a video or audio of Bruce at the New Haven coliseum 8/28/78 but have had no luck. The reason I’m interested in this particular show is that wife fiance at the time, now my wife, and I were in attendance and at that show Bruce dedicated a song to us for our upcoming wedding on 9/10/78. It was the 3rd song of the second set, It’s Gonna Work Out Fine, an Ike & Tina Turner cover a tour debut. He introduced it by talking about his old band and the guys in it and asked the audience who was married then proceeded to do the song and added our names and talked about how we met and when we were getting married. I have a partial audio of it but and would love to see the video if it exists or even an better quality audio.
Thanks for your time and everything you do. Happy New Year, Abe
thanks Ken more than words can tell long may KIngdom of Days run run run and run run and run !