Stimulating sounds: "Nebraska" by Bruce Springsteen

Year released: 1982
Personnel: Just the man by himself (vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, organ)

You're only ever going to see one album by the Boss in these pages; the rest of his work was a little too popular, over-the-top and well, just too well-known for my tastes. So I will say without reservation that this is the greatest Springsteen album of all time. At least the greatest one I've ever heard. First, a biography of the album, courtesy of wikipedia.

Sparsely-recorded on a cassette-tape Portastudio, the tracks on "Nebraska"were originally intended as demos of songs to be recorded with the E Street Band. However, Springsteen ultimately decided to release the demos themselves. "Nebraska" remains one of the most highly-regarded albums in his catalogue. The songs on the album deal with ordinary, blue collar characters who face a challenge or a turning point in their lives. Unlike his previous albums, very little salvation and grace is present within the songs.

Initially, Springsteen recorded demos for the album at his home with a 4-track cassette recorder. The demos were sparse, using only acoustic guitar, electric organ (on "Open All Night"), harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, tambourine, organ and and Springsteen's voice.

Springsteen then recorded the album in a studio with the E Street Band. However, he and the producers and engineers working with him felt that a raw, haunted folk essence present on the home tapes was lacking in the band treatments, and so they ultimately decided to release the demo version as the final album. Complications with mastering of the tapes ensued because of low recording volume, but the problem was overcome with sophisticated noise reduction techniques.

The Boss told "Rolling Stone" in 1984: "I got a little Teac four-track cassette machine, and I said, I'm gonna record these songs, and if they sound good with just me doin' 'em, then I'll teach 'em to the band. I could sing and play the guitar, and then I had two tracks to do somethin' else, like overdub a guitar or add a harmony. It was just gonna be a demo. Then I had a little Echoplex that I mixed through, and that was it. And that was the tape that became the record. It's amazing that it got there, 'cause I was carryin' that cassette around with me in my pocket without a case for a couple of week, just draggin' it around. Finally, we realized, "Uh-oh, that's the album." Technically, it was difficult to get it on a disc. The stuff was recorded so strangely, the needle would read a lot of distortion and wouldn't track in the wax. We almost had to release it as a cassette."

Springsteen fans have long speculated whether Springsteen's full-band recording of the album, nicknamed "Electric Nebraska," will ever surface. In a 2006 interview, manager Jon Landau said it was unlikely and that "the right version of "Nebraska" came out". But in a 2010 interview with "Rolling Stone," E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg praised the full band recording of the album as "killing." Somewhat different band arrangements of most of these songs were heard on the 1984-1985 "Born in the USA" tour and have been played in various guises ever since.

Other songs demoed during the Nebraska sessions include "Born in the USA," "Downbound Train," Child Bride," (later retitled "Working on the Highway"), "Pink Cadillac" and more. Some have leaked on bootlegs.

The album begins with the title cut, a first-person narrative based on the true story of 19-year-old spree killer Charles Starkweather and his and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, and ends with "Reason to Believe", a complex narrative that renders its title phrase into contemptuous sarcasm.

The remaining songs are largely of the same bleak tone, including the dark "State Trooper," influenced by Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop." Criminal behavior continues as a theme in the song "Highway Patrolman:" even though the protagonist works for the law, he lets his brother escape after he has shot someone (this became the basis for the Sean Penn-directed film "The Indian Runner.") "Open All Night," a Chuck Berry-style lone guitar rave-up, does manage a dose of defiant, humming-towards-the-gallows exuberance.

Springsteen stated that the stories in this album were partly inspired by historian Howard Zinn's book "A People's History of the United States."

A music video was produced for the song "Atlantic City"; it features stark, black-and-white images of the city, which had not yet undergone its later economic transformation. "Atlantic City" was released as a single in the United Kingdom, but not the U.S.

In 1989, "Nebraska" was ranked 43rd on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the "100 greatest albums of the 1980s." In 2003, the album was ranked number 224 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the "500 greatest albums of all time." Pitchfork Media listed it the 60th greatest album of the 1980s. In 2006, "Q" magazine placed the album at #13 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".

And here's a thorough review/analysis, from Janet Sandford at helium.com.

The front cover of Springsteen's "Nebraska" album gives you an insight into what lies within. A desolate road, grey and forlorn, as seen from behind the windscreen of a car. Skies filled with chilling clouds and fields with no trees, like the waste ground has been burnt out. Four colours only used; black, white, grey and bold red lettering. You know the old saying--"every picture tells a story"--well this one definitely does. This album is a haunting piece of work; music to listen to on your own late at night when the rest of the world sleeps. One man only with the sounds of acoustic/electric guitars and his harmonica with a few flourishes of mandolin and glockenspiel thrown in to lighten the dark, heavy load.

For the first ten years Springsteen had moulded his career around rock and roll. He was gutsy, energetic and had a heart of fire. He was successful and adored by millions in the USA. His songs were songs about the real working men of New Jersey and the words he spoke were stories of what went on in their lives; the pain, suffering, laughter, the games they played. So why did he change direction? Surely, it was a great risk commercially? I think he knew that but was willing to take the risk - he wanted to record an album that was personal and he knew that the 10 songs would be best told by him alone with his guitar.

The sound of the album is sparse; originally recorded on a four track in his home the songs were meant to be demos for an 'electric' album but after a session in the studio with his E Street Band, Bruce and recording engineer, Mike Batlin, decided that the 'man alone' sound worked better. Bruce wanted to keep the raw, chilling essence of the acoustic folky sound he had originally created. Good job he did because this is one of his top selling albums of all time and my favourite album of his. It is a masterpiece and I don't use that word lightly.

So what is it all about? A shocking and violent look into the minds of Americans whose dreams have been consumed by the country they live in. The America we see in the pictures Bruce paints is a bruised and battered America and the theme running through the canvas is one of terror, violence and death.

The title track, "Nebraska," is my favourite track. I have played it hundreds of times and every time it leaves me cold and numb. Suddenly Bruce becomes Charlie Starkweather and as he tells us in his Dylanesque way about what him and his 14 year old girlfriend got up to in Wyoming.

I saw her standin' on her front lawn just twirlin' her baton
Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died
From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path

The acoustic guitar here is delicate and soothing and his voice is relaxed but so scary. I always believe that he becomes that person - he is the killer. It is such a chilling song and send shivers down my spine and makes my shoulders ache from listening to every terrible word. When he says ...

I can't say that I'm sorry for the things that we done
At least for a little while sir me and her we had us some fun

you hear the madness in his voice; there is no remorse--he isn't sorry. It's like there is a cold evil chill in the delivery of these words--it is so terribly haunting.

When the jury finds him guilty and he speaks near to the end you sense not only irony in his words but sarcasm and contempt. The lyrics are very clever--you don't know whether to believe that he wants to die with her because he loves her so much or he wants to make sure that she gets the death sentence too for her part in the heinous crimes.

Sheriff when the man pulls that switch sir and snaps my poor head back
You make sure my pretty baby is sittin' right there on my lap

The song is associated with the spree killer, Charles Starkweather who murdered 11 people in November 1957 and January 1958 during a road trip with his young girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, through Wyoming and Nebraska. The track is the strongest on the album and works so well because of the calmness of the guitar sound, haunting harmonica and chilling narrative. The delivery of the words is direct. Springsteen is calm and collected as he tells his unromanticised tale of cold blooded murder. An outstanding track in every way.

Moving on to "Atlantic City," the second track, we are introduced to violence once more in the form of mob war but at the same time we are introduced to the honest guys-- the ones who are trying to pay off their debts and looking to be rescued from moral corruption and evil. Bruce has moved through his beloved New Jersey, roaming into Atlantic City. I just love the chorus in this song and all the howling noises in the background. There is a sense of being on the edge and an overall feeling of panic in his voice here. Every line is sung with compassion and there's no way out. It's a very dark place and there's no peace, no peace at all but just one little thing like a pretty girl's hair and a meeting at the casino can bring sunshine back into this dark and damaged world.

Well now everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Well I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus

If you listen to the words carefully you will notice the quirky way in which he adds the word, 'sir' on to the end of some of the lines. Like when he's talking to the judge in Nebraska but also on Mansion on the Hill when he says, 'there's a place on the edge of town, sir'. This is Springsteen's way of telling a simple tale in language used by the ordinary man who shows respect. Like Joe Roberts in the story of the Highway Patrolman...

My name is Joe Roberts I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number 8
I always done an honest job as honest as I could
I got a brother named Franky and Franky ain't no good

Lovely, soothing guitar on this track--and if you listen carefully you can just catch the harmonica--soft, mellow and wholesome. Spot the mandolin also played by Bruce--gently, gently--oh so gently--this is a lullaby in some ways--a sad, menacing lullaby if there is such a thing. Bruce takes on the main role of Joe Roberts, a man who works for the law. It's a tale of brotherly love and loyalty when he lets his brother drive free after shooting someone down. When he delivers this last line of the chorus, you feel his shame and disapproval but you know he did what he had to because of the permanent ties of family love.

Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good

Another moody track and possibly my third favourite is "State Trooper." Bleak and very dark but with a great bass rhythm on the guitar. The song starts off quietly but gradually builds up and gets louder. Love all the "whoooo" noises and howling by Bruce--really cool. The image is so strong here that I can actually see Bruce driving down the New Jersey highway with the Mr. State Trooper on his tail.

The first few songs on the album concentrate on the evil that can be found in the badlands of America and the killers who spill the blood. Springsteen has always had a special gift when it comes to telling a story. He is a master of his craft and if there is anyone in America who knows the weaknesses of his native land then it is surely him. He's not afraid to tell the world about the wrong doings of the country he loves so much and on this album the picture he paints of America isn't pretty. It is a landscape filled with dust. A stark land with a meanness in the air. The songs are deliberate and unadorned. The images are cold, sparse and very grim.

If there are any signs of optimism then I think you will find them in the song "Used Cars." Again, such wonderful story telling and delivery of the song. At least the protagonist in this song knows that his dreams of vanquishing this miserable life are empty dreams. He's so sick of seeing his Pa work so hard and sick of walking the same old dusty streets and so, so sick of sitting in a used car.

My little sister's in the front seat with an ice cream cone
My ma's in the black seat sittin' all alone
As my pa steers her slow out of the lot for a test drive down Michigan Avenue
Now, my ma, she fingers her wedding band
And watches the salesman stare at my old man's hands
He's tellin' us all 'bout the break he'd give us if he could, but he just can't
Well if I could, I swear I know just what I'd do

Now, mister, the day the lottery I win I ain't ever gonna ride in no used car again

Love the way he delicately plays the acoustic guitar here and the harmonica again, is so beautifully played. I think Springsteen must be my favourite harmonica player. He's never out of tune and it's always a joy to listen to. Which is more than I can say about Dylan's playing. Also, I actually rate Bruce as a good acoustic guitarist. I prefer his acoustic style to electric and love the way he makes the strings talk.

A little upbeat number comes in the form of a rockabilly track, "Open All Night." Possibly the weakest track on the album but still okay.

And then we come to the big one--by the big one I mean the song that tears at your heartstrings. A beautiful song that makes me cry every time I hear it. Before this album Bruce had written other songs about his father and "My Father's House" is the last song in a cycle of father songs. As Bruce quietly and slowly relates his dream about going to the sanctuary that is his father's house and falling into his arms I sense a feeling of devastation and wonder if this is the real Bruce in this song and not one of his characters. When he awakes he finds that his Pa has gone and the house stands at the end of the highway, "where our sins lie unatoned." This track would melt most hearts, I reckon and is my second favourite.

Finally, the last track--"Reason to Believe." A touch of black humour from Bruce in the form of a complex narrative that is full of scorn and sarcasm. Another terribly haunting song. Bruce sings in a confused way - sort of perplexed but with respect for the story's characters. The guitar slowly chugs behind the narrative and waves of bluesy harmonica come floating by every now and again. First class stuff, once again.

So there it is--the finished canvas of a landscape painted by one man and his old fashioned tools--no technology here. Springsteen's "Nebraska" canvas is cold, cutting and brutally abrasive. The characters who are part of the canvas are people who are just ordinary blue collar workers tying loose ends up. People who have come to the crossroads in their lives and realised that it's time to run or face a new challenge. This was the first of the Springsteen challenges. He did well - this is a fantastic portrait of America and I think he can be proud of this work as he can of the rest of his portfolio.

I will just add a small footnote here. I am bound to praise this album because I am a great fan of this man's work but I know other people who are not 'into' Springsteen but really love this album.

To which I agree!