Voice of America | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 7, 1984 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1983–1984 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Rock, Pop, AOR | |||
Length | 40:51 | |||
Label | EMI America | |||
Producer | Little Steven | |||
Little Steven chronology | ||||
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Singles from Voice of America | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | C+ [3] |
Voice of America is the second solo studio album by Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul released on May 7, 1984, four weeks before Bruce Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A. [1]
This album traded in the horns and the R&B influences of the previous Men Without Women for a raw, garage rock sound. Politics came to the lyrical forefront, with the general theme being opposition to the Reagan Era's American foreign policy.
"Out of the Darkness", a synthesizer-led anthem with sweeping arena rock and hair metal atmosphere, garnered some airplay, as well as music video play on MTV, and was effective in concert, while the somewhat softer and evocative "Checkpoint Charlie" also received considerable radio airplay. "Los Desaparecidos" gained praise as an effective protest song on behalf of the 1970s and 1980s victims of state-sponsored forced disappearance in South America. On other songs, the political viewpointing became more strident and was criticized as somewhat artless.
"I Am a Patriot", which held roughly that dissent was not disloyalty, became a favorite song of Jackson Browne, who covered it on his 1989 album World in Motion , and who frequently performed it in his concerts. In 2004, the two would duet on the song during the last of the Vote for Change shows. Pearl Jam has covered the song as well.
In 2019, the album was remastered for release as part of Van Zandt's career-spanning box set Rock N Roll Rebel: The Early Work . The digital deluxe edition of the album was released on October 25, 2019, containing 10 bonus tracks, including the studio outtake "Rock N Roll Rebel", which was written following Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen's 1983 removal from Disneyland due to their clothing being deemed inappropriate. [4] The digital deluxe edition also includes the reissued Vote! bonus EP.
All tracks are written by Steven Van Zandt, except where noted
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Voice of America" | 3:30 |
2. | "Justice" | 3:18 |
3. | "Checkpoint Charlie" | 4:37 |
4. | "Solidarity" | 3:26 |
5. | "Out of the Darkness" | 4:34 |
6. | "Los Desaparecidos (The Disappeared Ones)" | 5:15 |
7. | "Fear" | 4:43 |
8. | "I Am a Patriot (And the River Opens for the Righteous)" | 3:26 |
9. | "Among the Believers" | 3:54 |
10. | "Undefeated (Everybody Goes Home)" | 3:40 |
Total length: | 40:51 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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11. | "Vote!" (non-album single, 1984) | 3:59 | |
12. | "Caravan" (live; B-side of "Forever", 1982) | Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington | 3:56 |
Total length: | 48:46 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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11. | "Voice of America radio spot" (1984) | 1:07 | |
12. | "Rock N Roll Rebel" (studio track, 1983 – previously unreleased) | 5:02 | |
13. | "Caravan" (live at Marquee Club, London, October 18, 1982 – previously unreleased) | Tizol, Ellington | 4:17 |
14. | "I Don't Want to Go Home" (live at Marquee Club, London, October 18, 1982 – previously unreleased) | 4:35 | |
15. | "Alive for the First Time" (writing session, the birth of a song, 1983 – previously unreleased) | 9:10 | |
16. | "Out of the Darkness" (12" single, 1984) | 5:31 | |
17. | "Inside of Me" (live, French TV, 1983 – previously unreleased) | 5:14 | |
18. | "US Festival radio spot" (1983) | 0:21 | |
19. | "It's Possible" (studio track, mono, date unknown – previously unreleased) | 4:23 | |
20. | "Vote! (That Mutha Out)" (12" single, 1984) | 4:36 | |
Total length: | 85:07 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Vote! (That Mutha Out)" (12" single, 1984) | 4:36 |
2. | "Vote! Part II" (rap version) (1984 – previously unreleased) | 6:56 |
3. | "Vote! Part III (After World War III)" (rap version) (12" single, 1984) | 6:25 |
4. | "Vote! Part IV" (instrumental) (12" single, 1984) | 4:36 |
5. | "Vote! Part V" (rap version) (1984 – previously unreleased) | 5:11 |
Total length: | 27:44 |
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Album
Chart (1984) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200 | 55 |
Norwegian Albums Chart [9] | 6 |
Swedish Albums Chart [10] | 8 |
Single | Chart (1984) | Position |
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"Los Desaparecidos (The Disappeared Ones)" | Mainstream Rock [11] | 27 |
"Out of the Darkness" | Norwegian Singles Chart [9] | 8 |
"Voice of America" | Norwegian Singles Chart [9] | 9 |
Born in the U.S.A. is the seventh studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 4, 1984, by Columbia Records. Produced by Springsteen, Jon Landau, Steven Van Zandt, and Chuck Plotkin, the album was recorded in New York City with the E Street Band over two years between January 1982 and March 1984. Some of the songs originated from the same demo tape that yielded Springsteen's previous album, the solo effort Nebraska (1982), while others were written after that album's release. The sessions yielded between 70 and 90 songs; some were released as B-sides, some later saw release on compilation albums, while others remain unreleased.
"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" is a 1973 song by Bruce Springsteen, from his The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle album, and is especially famed as a concert number for Springsteen and The E Street Band. The song, which clocks in at just over seven minutes, is a story of forbidden love between the singer and the eponymous Rosalita, whose parents disapprove of his life in a rock and roll band. It is included on the compilation albums The Essential Bruce Springsteen and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Greatest Hits. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked it the 446th greatest song of all time on their updated 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
Darkness on the Edge of Town is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 2, 1978, by Columbia Records. The album was recorded after a series of legal disputes between Springsteen and his former manager Mike Appel, during sessions in New York City with the E Street Band from June 1977 to March 1978. Springsteen and Jon Landau served as producers, with assistance from bandmate Steven Van Zandt.
Steven Van Zandt, also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared in several television drama series, including as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos (1999–2007) and as Frank Tagliano in Lilyhammer (2012–2014). Van Zandt has his own solo band called Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, intermittently active since the 1980s.
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 Miami Horns are an American horn section best known for touring and recording with Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven and The Max Weinberg 7. They have also toured, performed or recorded with, among others, Diana Ross, Gary U.S. Bonds, Robert Cray, Bon Jovi, Cissy Houston, Joe Cocker, Dave Edmunds, Darlene Love, The Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and Ricky Martin. As individuals, the various members have also worked with the likes of Aerosmith, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Power Station, Graham Parker, and They Might Be Giants.
Hearts of Stone is the third album by New Jersey rock band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, released in October 1978. The album peaked at number 112 on the Billboard 200 chart during the week of January 13, 1979. All of the album's songs were written by Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt. Van Zandt, the band's manager, also produced, arranged and played guitar.
Men Without Women is the debut solo studio album by American musician Steven Van Zandt, credited as Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. It was released on October 1, 1982 by EMI America. The title track was inspired by the Ernest Hemingway collection of short stories of the same name.
Freedom – No Compromise is the third solo studio album by Little Steven, released in May 1987 by EMI.
Revolution is the fourth solo studio album by Little Steven, released in 1989 by RCA Records. His backing band, the Disciples of Soul, were gone in all but name, and the music was largely electronic with a rock-soul-funk sound.
Born Again Savage is the fifth solo studio album by American musician Little Steven, released in September 1999 by Renegade Nation. It was his first album since 1989's Revolution.
"Glory Days" is a song written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. In 1985, it became the fifth single released from his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A.
Sun City is the first and only album by Artists United Against Apartheid, released on October 25, 1985, by EMI Manhattan Records. The Little Steven-led project features contributions from more than 50 artists from the rock, hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, reggae, latin, and world music genres. The album contains two versions of the "Sun City" protest song against apartheid in South Africa as well as other selections in the same vein from that project.
Jean Beauvoir is an American singer, bassist, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and entertainment executive. He came to prominence in the early 1980s with the punk group the Plasmatics and went on to work with Little Steven, Kiss, the Ramones and as a solo artist.
Dedication is a 1981 album by American singer Gary U.S. Bonds.
This Time It's for Real is the second album by New Jersey band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, featuring three compositions by Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, as well as an additional five by the latter. Like their first album, I Don't Want To Go Home, there are a number of guest artists and duets, a trend that would be dropped for their next album, Hearts of Stone. "Check Mr. Popeye" features Kenny "Popeye" Pentifallo on vocals with The Coasters on background vocals. The track "First Night" features the Satins on background vocals and Steven Van Zandt on duet vocals. "Little Girl So Fine" features background vocals by the Drifters.
Toby Warren Scott is an American record producer, engineer and sound mixer. In addition to serving as an engineer on 18 Bruce Springsteen albums and numerous live performances, Scott has also recorded artists including Bob Dylan, Natalie Merchant, Steve Perry, Bette Midler, Blue Öyster Cult, Alison Goldfrapp, Tommy Tutone and Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul.
Soulfire is the sixth solo studio album by Little Steven, released on May 19, 2017. It marks his first studio album since 1999's Born Again Savage. The album consists of Van Zandt's versions of songs that he either wrote or co-wrote for other artists and describes it as "me covering me!" In June 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Soulfire number 28 on their list of the "50 Best Albums of 2017 So Far."
Soulfire Live! is the first live album released by Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul in 2018. The album was recorded during various live performances on the Soulfire tour in 2017. While the initial April 2018 release of the album was digital-only, deluxe versions of the album were reissued on CD in August 2018 and vinyl in February 2019, containing additional songs recorded during the tour. A Blu-ray edition was also released, containing video of all of the tracks present on the digital, CD, and vinyl editions. An "expanded edition" of the album containing four CDs of material was released on January 29, 2021.
This is the discography of Steven Van Zandt, an American songwriter, singer, musician, and actor. Van Zandt has been featured on records steadily since 1975 as a member of Bruce Springsteen's The E Street Band and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, as well as with his own band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.
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