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"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" | ||||
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Single by Bruce Springsteen | ||||
from the album Born to Run | ||||
B-side | "She's the One" | |||
Released | January 1976 [1] | |||
Recorded | July 13, 1975 (completed) | |||
Studio | The Record Plant, New York City | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:11 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
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"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, from his 1975 album Born to Run .
The song tells the story of the formation of the E Street Band. The meaning of the title is unclear. Springsteen says in the Born to Run documentary Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run: "I still have no idea what it means. But it's important." [3]
The song's protagonist, "Bad Scooter", is a pseudonym for Springsteen himself (as indicated by the initials they share). In the third verse, "Big Man joined the band" refers to Clarence Clemons, the band's long-time saxophonist.
As stated by Springsteen in the Wings for Wheels documentary, the idea for the composition of the horn intro was Steven Van Zandt's. The single was a chart dud, getting no higher than #83 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1976, and #82 in Canada. [4] Record World said of the single release that "to find out what [Springsteen's] all about on vinyl, listen to this disc." [5] However, it has always had a strong following on album-oriented rock radio and amongst Springsteen's fan base.
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon: [6]
"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" has become a staple of Springsteen's E Street Band concert tours, with regular appearances from the 1975 and on the Born to Run tours through the 1984 legs of the Born in the U.S.A. Tour, with one of the latter documented on the later Live/1975–85 , and the 1988 Tunnel of Love Express. It then returned with a featured regular spot on the 1999–2000 Reunion Tour, often used as an introduction of the band. An extended 20-minute version was captured on the subsequent Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in New York City release, and was frequently played during most of the legs of the 2007–2008 Magic Tour and during the 2009 Working on a Dream Tour. It opened the four-song set at Springsteen and the band's high-profile half-time appearance at Super Bowl XLIII, which included Springsteen pointing out that the verse about "the Big Man" joining the band was the important part of the song.
A slower version of this song was played during the Born to Run tours, on December 31, 1975, in Philadelphia.
After Clemons' death, Springsteen used the song as a memorial/tribute to both him and the late Danny Federici on the Wrecking Ball Tour, the first E Street Band tour without Clemons. During the song's third verse of "Big Man joined the band", Springsteen paused the song where Clemons' sax solo would traditionally be performed while a video of Clemons and Federici played on the stage screens. On the High Hopes and River 2016 tours, Springsteen removed the pause from performances of the song, but kept the video tribute.[ citation needed ]
Springsteen joined his longtime friend Billy Joel on stage at Madison Square Garden on July 18, 2018 to perform the song (along with "Born to Run") for Joel's 100th appearance at MSG.
Born to Run is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on August 25, 1975, by Columbia Records. Springsteen co-produced the album with his manager Mike Appel and the producer Jon Landau. Recorded in New York, it was Springsteen's effort to break into the mainstream following the relative commercial failures of his first two albums. Springsteen sought to emulate Phil Spector's dense, crisp, and energetic yet difficult-to-achieve Wall of Sound production, leading to prolonged and grueling sessions with the E Street Band lasting from January 1974 to July 1975; six months alone were spent working on the title track.
The E Street Band is an American rock band that has been the primary backing band for rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. In 2014, the E Street Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing career, the band included guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa, keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg and saxophonist Clarence Clemons.
The Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour was a lengthy, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place over 1999 and 2000.
"Jersey Girl" is a song composed and originally sung by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits from his 1980 album Heartattack and Vine.
"Prove It All Night" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on May 23, 1978, as the first single from his fourth studio album Darkness on the Edge of Town.
"Badlands" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released as the second single from his fourth studio album Darkness on the Edge of Town in July 1978.
"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.
"Bobby Jean" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen, from his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. Although not released as a single, it reached number 36 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
"Darlington County" is a 1984 song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. It was released on the album Born in the U.S.A. and has remained a popular concert song for Springsteen and the E Street Band.
"Ramrod" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen for his fifth album, The River, released in 1980. It was recorded at The Power Station in New York on June 12, 1979. The song was written and originally recorded on September 12, 1977, for Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town album, but that recording was not used for its release on The River.
"Night" is a song by Bruce Springsteen which first appeared on the Born to Run album in 1975. Although this is one of the lesser known songs from Born to Run, "Night" has become somewhat of a stage favorite for the E Street Band. The song was not immediately played during the 1975 portions of the Born to Run Tour, but later became a frequent set-opener, especially during the 1976 and 1977 legs. It was still sometimes being used as an opening song decades later during the 2007–2008 Magic Tour.
"Independence Day" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. It was originally released on his fifth album, The River, in 1980. It was recorded at The Power Station in New York, on April 24–25, 1980.
"Out in the Street" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen from the 1980 album The River. It was recorded at The Power Station in New York between March and May 1980, as one of the last songs recorded for the album. Originally, Springsteen was going to keep the song off the album because it was so idealistic.
"Adam Raised a Cain" is the second track from Bruce Springsteen's fourth album Darkness on the Edge of Town.
Tower Theater, Upper Darby 1975 is a live album by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, released in February 2015 and was the third official release through the Bruce Springsteen Archives. The show was originally recorded at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, on December 31, 1975.
Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey 1984 is a live album by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, released in May 2015 and was the fifth official release through the Bruce Springsteen Archives. The show was originally recorded live at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 5, 1984.
Palace Theatre, Albany 1977 is a live album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, released in August 2017. It is the fifteenth such release by the Bruce Springsteen Archives. The show was recorded on February 7, 1977 at the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY and is the first-ever soundboard recording to surface from the 1977 tour which features early renditions of “Something In The Night,” “Rendezvous” and “The Promise” along with the unreleased original “Action In The Streets” featuring the Miami Horns.
Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY 1977 is a live album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, released in August 2017. It is the sixteenth such release by the Bruce Springsteen Archives. The show was recorded on February 8, 1977, at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, NY and is one of the first soundboard recordings to surface from the 1977 tour which features early renditions of "Something in the Night", "Rendezvous" and "The Promise" along with the unreleased original "Action in the Streets" featuring the Miami Horns.
The Summit, Houston, TX December 8, 1978 is a live album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, released in September 2017, and is the 19th official release through the Bruce Springsteen Archives. The show was recorded on December 8, 1978, at The Summit in Houston, TX during the Darkness on the Edge of Town Tour.
"Darkness on the Edge of Town" is the last song on the 1978 album of the same name, Darkness on the Edge of Town, by Bruce Springsteen. It was the last song recorded and mixed, and in April 1978 it was designated the title song to a thematic album whose songs portray the struggles of the less-fortunate, not only to survive, but to keep their spirit and will to live. The title track portrays a hard-luck loser in life who refuses to give up. Springsteen's fourth album, released three years after his 1975 effort Born to Run, was delayed two years because of legal problems with his former manager, Mike Appel. Expectations were high after he took one year to complete the album.