Dark, brooding, and haunting, “Wages of Sin” is one of Bruce’s bleakest and finest outtakes. Backstory, evolution, analysis, and one gorgeous performance inside.
Author: Ken
Bruce sticks to the background on this one, supporting his wife on the Hammond B-3 organ in Patti’s lovely deep cut from her third album.
Lefty Frizzell’s 1959 tale of a falsely accused man who accepts his sentence rather than confess his secret was a natural temptation for a Bruce Springsteen cover treatment. Watch one of its frequent outings on Bruce’s 2006 Seeger Sessions Tour inside.
New Jersey legends The Hudson Falcons unleash the inner punk in Bruce’s 1980 power pop outtake.
One time only, in the studio and on stage: Bruce joins Dropkick Murphys on their Celtic punk transformation of the sweet standard “Peg o’ My Heart.”
Who the heck would ever think to combine samba rhythm, middle eastern melody, a self-guitar duel, discordant strings, cowbell, and a gospel choir? Bruce Springsteen, that’s who!
Bruce has played Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” in concert twice: once in 2011 with Seger himself, and once way back in a 1980s club appearance. Catch both fun performances inside.
When Steve Van Zandt produced a comeback album for Darlene Love, Bruce contributed an original song that’s both unmistakably Springsteenian and custom-tailored for Love. Take a listen inside.
“When You Need Me” was one of the first songs Bruce recorded for Tunnel of Love, but given the direction of the final album, this pop trifle never stood a chance.
One time only: Bruce and Neil Young join Bob Dylan on stage for an encore of “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (and no, Bruce doesn’t sing the chorus).