Ringside Report Book Review: Long Walk Home. Reflections on Bruce Springsteen
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By Anthony “Zute” George
Long Walk Home: Reflections on Bruce Springsteen, is a wonderful read of anecdotes from people who genuinely get the man many people refer to as, The Boss. I prefer to call him Bruce. In this life, you either get Bruce Springsteen the way the contributors of this book do, or you do not. This declaration is not to suggest that you cannot enjoy the music from New Jersey’s favorite native son in way which is separate to what others know as the ‘Bruce, Religion.’ Having said that, Long Walk Home does an effective job of pointing out how Bruce is so much more than just the music.
The editors of the book, Jonathan D. Cohen and June Skinner Sawyers, carefully crafted stories of testimonies from Bruce fans. Some of what you can expect from this read are testimonies of how Bruce was an essential part of people’s lives when such game-changer events such as John Lennon’s murder and Ronald Reagan defeating Jimmy Carter in the Presidential Election. Long Walk Home also taps into what happens when fans who are also gifted musicians interpret Bruce’s music. Stories that even non-Bruce fanatics can relate to.
What separates Bruce from any other musician ever born on planet Earth is his commitment to his fans, and how that commitment translates in concert. You get plenty of stories of Bruce and how he has impacted fans though his live concerts. Referring to them as mere concerts are not fair to how magical a Springsteen show is, but I have yet to think of a word that can truly capture what occurs when Bruce performs for his fans. If you have been touched by the sermon, you will relate. If you have ever camped out for tickets, you will read with joy. These testimonies even reveal a trick or two when Bruce performs. Separate from the ‘Magic Trick,’ Bruce refers to so eloquently during his Broadway performance. Perhaps my favorite story in Long Walk Home was how a fan managed to get Bruce to perform one of his rare gems during a show. I will not give away which song, but it is indeed a song even fans who are veterans of over one-hundred shows are probably still chasing.
Then there is the politics, the politics, oh the politics. Bruce and politics are like peanut butter and jelly. But it was not always that way, this book does a fantastic job of illuminating that dynamic. Today, there is just no getting around how political Bruce is. So much so, his fans are indeed divided. Some fans love Bruce’s politics. That would be this author. Then there are a good number of Springsteen fanatics who which he was as political as, let’s say, Huey Lewis. With that said, the majority of the Bruce catalog is not overly political. American Skin (41 Shots) is one of the more controversial songs that Bruce has crafted and is addressed with visceral emotions in this book. Still, I do not see politics when I hear that magical song, I hear right and wrong, and how unfortunate it is that a particular group of people have to live in the so-called land of the free and home of the brave. Bruce has always been more about equity than politics from my side of the fence. Whose fault is it that the majority of the oppressor’s Bruce addresses are part of a political party who are on the right side of things?
Regardless of how I feel about it, political debate was certainly a goal of the editors when putting together this book. The very first testimony comes from Eric Alterman, a man who is to the left of Lenin. This was not an accident. Mr. Alterman even goes after Bruce for his politics, despite the fact that he is a Superfan among Superfans, the amount of shows he has attended is mind-boggling. I will not get into detail, that will be for the book. The subject of racism is also a significant contributor to these stories. To be more specific, Blackness. The good news is, if you do not feel comfortable mixing your Bruce with your politics, you can read this book and keep it to yourself.
I highly recommend you read this book. Long Walk Home taps into the magic of Bruce Springsteen, a lot of it is separate from the politics, but a good deal of it is. Fans will continue to be split in that regard. As will the United States of America. But there are certain magical aspects, there is that M word again, of Bruce that could only be found in the engine of an old parked car, or perhaps somewhere in Nebraska, or deeply rooted in The Darkness on the Edge of Town. If you know what it is like to hide on the Backstreets or have ever danced in the dark. If you have ever been on fire from sensual thoughts or had a promise broken. If you know what it is like to leave your wallet in your working pants, or juggled feelings of happiness and feeling weak. If you ever tried to break into the secret garden of a loved one or had to pay high wages for your sins, you indeed know what it is like to take a Long Walk Home. And on that walk, a passionate man from New Jersey has also tapped into your soul, as well as helped you navigate through the Badlands. If you are one of those people, you will not be able to put this book down.
Long Walk Home: Reflections on Bruce Springsteen can be purchased HERE.
Anthony “Zute” George is the Author of Tough Man: The Greg Haugen Story, a new boxing book that covers the skilled champion from Auburn, Washington, as well as the scope of the times during his days of pugilism.
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