Bruce Springsteen pays tribute following death of friend who inspired ‘Glory Days’
Bruce Springsteen has paid an emotional tribute to his high school friend Joe DePugh who inspired his classic track, ‘Glory Days’.
The aforementioned song was released by Springsteen in 1984 and appeared on his seminal album Born in the USA. In the track, Springsteen recounts a chance encounter he had with DePugh at a bar in 1973 when they reminisced about playing baseball together as children when life was simple.
DePugh has now died, aged 75, in Florida following a battle with cancer. Remembering his late friend, Springsteen wrote on Instagram: “Just a moment to mark the passing of Freehold native and ballplayer Joe DePugh.”
‘The Boss’ continued: “He was a good friend when I needed one. ‘He could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool’….Glory Days my friend.”
DePugh discovered he was the subject of ‘Glory Days’ when he listened to Born in the USA for the first time in 1984 and was shocked to hear Springsteen reminisce about their conversation which had occurred more than a decade before.
“My wife starts bawling. That’s how I knew exactly that it was me,” DePugh later told the New York Times about his memories of hearing ‘Glory Days‘ for the first time.
Despite inspiring a huge hit, their paths didn’t cross for more than 20 years when they finally arranged to meet at an Italian restaurant in New Jersey and talk about their glory days once again.
DePugh said of the evening: “Bruce pulls in and I point at him and he points at me, and that’s when the hugging started. He said, ‘Always remember, I love you,’ not like some corny Budweiser commercial, but a real sentimental thing. I was dumbfounded.”
Meanwhile, earlier today, Springsteen shared details of a new project called Tracks II: The Lost Albums which will be launched on April 3rd.
Springsteen hinted at an announcement earlier this week which has now been confirmed to be Tracks II: The Lost Albums. However, the full details surrounding the project have still been kept under wraps ahead of the imminent statement.
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