Thunder Road

[;ivlunsdystf]

A word of advice to everyone: Get all that stuff from the 70s on vinyl, especially The River. These CDs were mastered at the beginning of CD manufacturing and were probably make digital by worse converters than all of us have in our basement studios. I hated The River completely and wholeheartedly because I thought it sounded like complete shite, but on vinyl, it will grip you and hold you for the whole thing.

2nd to that. I would not be half the Bruce fan I am today, had I not heard it all first on vinyl.

[Knight79]

Ha ha! "The Springsteen version is inappropriate".

Hey if you ever see Bruce, tell him that. "Bruce, your version of Thunder Road is totally inappropriate". Make sure to be real condesceding and half way roll your eyes when you say it, that would be great!

From what I have read Springsteen was a Despot in the studio. He got whatever he wanted from his band, often coming up with multiple versions of the same song. The Classic Albums series of "Born to Run" can confirm this since there are some really bizarre alternate takes of the title cut. I'm not much of a Springsteen fan but that show was great.

So I promise you, the original version of Thunder Road is as close to perfection in Bruce's head as he could get before the band probably tried to kill him.

[NarxistDan]

The Boss' version sounds completely inappropriate, from the peppy piano parts, to the little guitar flourish after the "make this guitar talk" line. Its almost as if Bruce brought the song to the band, they interpreted it 180 deg wrongly and then he didn't notice. I've never really been a fan of Bruce Springsteen, but never really had a chance to listen to him.

W.Oldham's voice and delivery absolutely captures the washed up desperate character in the story. Tortoise reinterprets the intro and outro in a more appropriate fashion.

I guess I can kind of see what you're saying about Springsteen's studio sound, but seriously, that tortoise track is completely flat compared to the original. If you think that this song should have no emotional dynamics, then the Tortoise version is more appropriate, but...
I'm a big fan of Springsteen, but not a big fan of his production style. For me, the songs make up for the overcooked nature of his albums. Live recordings (and performances if you get the chance) always have more power and immediacy to me. I think his arrangement of Thunder Road is (obviously) the definitive arrangement. Definitely prefer any number of live recordings of it to the studio version though.

2nd to that. I would not be half the Bruce fan I am today, had I not heard it all first on vinyl.

I also have The River and BTR on vinyl, and to me they sound overcooked in any format. I wouldn't be half the Bruce fan I am today, had I not heard it all first on the live box set.

And by the way, who the fuck is this douchebag:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/t ... under-road

Hate to agree with some douchebag from pitchfork but he kinda nailed it.

the cover sounds limp after these aging indie royals piss away the invitational spirit, preternatural passion, and everything else that makes "Thunder Road"

Exactly

[Spoonie]

For me the defining Springsteen album is always darkness on the edge of town something about it is just amazing, maybe it's the feel on songs like racing in the street or something in the night but no other record of his had that for me. Also watching Bruce on stage now is just embarrassing, like what he is doing?

[Esmo]

I wonder if tortoise/oldham think there version is better. Probably not...

[Blort]

I'm a huge Will Oldham fan, but it's difficult for me to abide that BPB/Tortoise version after being introduced to the song through the original. Sure, the Born to Run version is hyper-melodramatic, but it's also undeniably passionate. It keeps piling on the tension (and the sounds) until the climactic drums-only break, leading into that killer coda. (One of my all-time favorite moments.)

Bradb--this version might be a better bridge between the BPB/Tortoise version and Springsteen's; it's focused and intense where that 76 live version was kind of hammy. Just piano and and a magnificent vocal performance. Enjoy:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PYPSZiE0OAs

[leftofthedial]

What a total piece of shit cover. Maybe the worst thing I've ever heard.

[lyle76]

pretty ballsy move covering a song like "thunder road". ill-advised.