The one songwriter Bruce Springsteen “always envied”
Bruce Springsteen is often hailed as one of the greatest songwriters to pick up a guitar and hum a tune. His music transcends time, as tracks he wrote decades ago still resonate with listeners today. Themes of nostalgia, escape, and meaning don’t expire, and songs like ‘Thunder Road’, ‘Dancing In The Dark’, and ‘Glory Days’ are sung together with just as much (if not more) vigour than they were initially.
Bruce Springsteen always intended to write songs with meaning. While melody and creating something people can sing along to are important, he also wanted to make something honest and that people could relate to. One of his biggest songwriting inspirations for this side of his music was Bob Dylan.
“I was very influenced by Dylan. I always say he’s the father of my country,” said Springsteen, “He initially provided me with a picture of a country that I recognised. One that feels real, feels like the truth.”
He kept Dylan’s work close to his heart whenever he wrote music. “I want people to get the same experience from listening to one of my records as I had when I listened to Highway 61 Revisited,” he said, “The idea that something was revealed to them that was fundamentally true and essential, and gave you a view of your world, your country, your town, your neighbours, your family.”
Dylan wasn’t the only songwriter who influenced Bruce Springsteen, though. While many of The Boss’s songs invoke feelings of nostalgia and joy, they aren’t necessarily built for humour. Humour was always something Springsteen aspired to within his music, given that his songs were supposed to reflect what people tended to experience in everyday life, but it was never something he could achieve.
One of the artists he was always jealous of because of their ability to intertwine honesty and humour within their songs was Warren Zevon. “[Warren] would write something that had real meaning,” he said, “And it was funny, too. I always envied that part of his ability and talent.”
Zevon is widely considered one of the most underappreciated talents of modern America. He had a way with songwriting and melody that was unlike anything else in music. He was what people commonly call an “artist’s artist”, as he was capable of uncovering different parts of creativity that other writers struggle to tap into. This is a realm of honesty and humour that strikes an uncompromising balance.
Bruce Springsteen’s other songwriting hero, Bob Dylan, also confirmed once that he was a fan of Zevon. He described his work as “down hard stuff” before continuing, “’Join me in LA’ sort of straddles the line between heartfelt and primeval. His musical patterns are all over the place, probably because he’s classically trained.”
Dylan and Springsteen aren’t alone in their opinions, either. Other songwriters who admired Zevon’s work included Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris, T Bone Burnett, Tom Petty, and Don Henley. He passed away at the age of 56 and had a lot more to give, but he left behind an exciting legacy of music that continues to transcend and inspire.
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