She's the One (Bruce Springsteen song)

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"She's the One"
Song by Bruce Springsteen
from the album Born to Run
ReleasedAugust 25, 1975
RecordedJune 1975
Studio Record Plant, New York City
Genre Rock
Length4:30
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Bruce Springsteen
Producer(s) Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau

"She's the One" is a song by Bruce Springsteen. Frequently featured in Springsteen and E Street Band concert performances, it first appeared on the Born to Run album in 1975. It was also released as the B-side to Springsteen's "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" single. [1]

Contents

Music and lyrics

"She's the One" was one of the songs that Springsteen wrote before beginning to record the Born to Run album, along with "Born to Run", "Thunder Road" and "Jungleland", although originally he was not sure whether to include it on the album. [2] Several versions of the song were recorded for Born to Run between April and June 1975, and the June 1975 version recorded at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, New York is the one that was officially released.[ citation needed ]

The topic of the song is the rock staple of an intensely attractive, but cold-hearted woman, who causes massive emotional turmoil for her lover. Although the singer knows the woman is a liar, he wants to believe her. [3] The lyrics reflect both the joys and yearnings of summer nights. [4] Like other songs on Born to Run, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" and "Night", the story of the relationship is told in a flashback. [5] Musically, it has a staccato beat and a rhythm reminiscent of the Bo Diddley beat. [1] [4] As if to emphasize the Diddley-like riff, Springsteen has sometimes led into "She's the One" in concert with a Diddley song — either "Bo Diddley" or "Mona". [6] The percussive piano sound and the rhythms that are reminiscent of some Buddy Holly songs sound like an homage to older rock 'n' roll songs. [3]

"She's the One" has connections with other Springsteen songs. The line from "Backstreets", "I hated you when you went away" was originally a line in "She's the One". [3] "She's the One" includes references to French cream and French kisses, which were originally included in an early Springsteen song, "Santa Ana". [3] [6] Springsteen has claimed that he wrote the song primarily because he wanted to hear E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons play its sax solo, and after he wrote the melody he then changed his mind. [1]

Live performances

The percussive piano part is a highlighted feature of one of many concert performances of "She's the One" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Working on a Dream Tour, Hartford Civic Center, April 24, 2009. ShesTheOneHartford042409.jpg
The percussive piano part is a highlighted feature of one of many concert performances of "She's the One" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Working on a Dream Tour, Hartford Civic Center, April 24, 2009.

The song has become very popular live, and has been played 468 times as of 2008. [7] Some fans have claimed that "She's the One" and "Born to Run" were first played at a concert where Springsteen opened for Bonnie Raitt at Harvard Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 9, 1974. [8] This has never been confirmed, and bootlegs of the concert do not contain either of these songs. [8] The first confirmed live performance of the song was on October 4, 1974.[ citation needed ]

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, Robert Christgau of The Village Voice said that "She's the One" "fails the memory of Phil Spector's innocent grandeur". [9] Pitchfork Media's Mark Richardson felt that it is "powerful and catchy", but because "Springsteen at this point didn't know much about women or relationships", "She's the One" does not successfully portray its character. [10] On the other hand, Rolling Stone magazine later ranked it number 63 on its list of the 100 greatest Bruce Springsteen songs of all time. [11]

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon: [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen song)</span> 1975 single by Bruce Springsteen

"Born to Run" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, and the title song of his album Born to Run. Upon its release, music critic Robert Christgau took note of its wall of sound influence and called it "the fulfillment of everything 'Be My Baby' was about and lots more".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out</span> 1975 single by Bruce Springsteen

"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is the second song on Bruce Springsteen's breakthrough album Born to Run, released in 1975.

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"The River" is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, accompanied by the E Street Band, in 1979. The title track of his fifth album, it was a hit single in parts of Europe in 1981; reaching No.24 in Ireland, No. 25 in the Netherlands, and the top 10 in both Sweden and Norway. Its B-side was either "Independence Day" or "Ramrod", depending on the country of release.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Humphries, P. (1996). Bruce Springsteen. p. 23. ISBN   0-7119-5304-X.
  2. ↑ Marsh, D. (1979). Born to Run. p.  147. ISBN   0-440-10694-X.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kirkpatrick, R. (2007). The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen. pp.  42–43. ISBN   978-0-275-98938-5.
  4. 1 2 Sawyers, J.S. (2006). Tougher Than the Rest. p. 257. ISBN   978-0-8256-3470-3.
  5. ↑ Marsh, D. (1979). Born to Run. p.  159. ISBN   0-440-10694-X.
  6. 1 2 Basham, P. (2005). The Pocket Essential Bruce Springsteen. p. 29. ISBN   1-903047-97-8.
  7. ↑ "Statistics from brucespringsteen.it" . Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  8. 1 2 Kirkpatrick, R. (2007). The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen. pp.  28. ISBN   978-0-275-98938-5.
  9. ↑ Christgau, Robert (September 22, 1975). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ Richardson, Mark (November 18, 2005). "Bruce Springsteen Born to Run: 30th Anniversary Edition > Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 1, 2006.
  11. ↑ "100 Greatest Bruce Springsteen Songs of All Time: She's the One". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 90. ISBN   978-1-78472-649-2.
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