Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll

Front Cover
W. W. Norton & Company, Jun 4, 2012 - Biography & Autobiography - 512 pages

A vibrant biography of one of the greatest rock 'n' rollers, the America that made him, and the America he made.

Smart and incisive, this unique book takes us through Bruce Springsteen’s life by tracing the cultural, political, and personal forces that shaped his music. Beyond his constant stylistic adaptations, Springsteen developed over the decades from expressing the voice of a guy from working-class New Jersey to writing about the larger issues facing the country, including war, class disparity, and prejudice. Marc Dolan draws on a range of new and little-known sources—including hundreds of unreleased studio recordings and bootlegs of live performances—making this an indispensable reference for avid Springsteen fans as well as those interested in learning the stories behind his music. Combining political analysis, music history, and colorful storytelling, Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock ’n’ Roll reveals how a gifted, ambitious community college dropout achieved superstardom—and spent decades refining what he wanted his music to say.
 

Contents

What I need is some proof tonight 19861992
239
the soul gospel Songs
307
l2 Baptized in these Waters and in each others blood 19972005
339
sense of loss Springsteen seemed similarly preoccupied with the idea of racial
365
Psychologically everyone needed McAuliffe quoted in the liner notes to
371
public service announcement Introduction to Land of Hope and Dreams
380
I3 A million different voices speaking in tongues 20052008
386
39
445
Permissions Credits
493
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2012)

Marc Dolan is a professor at John Jay College and the City University of New York, where he teaches English, American studies, and film. A New Jersey native, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Bibliographic information