Still in Rotation: Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)
Still in Rotation is a feature that lets talented writers tell Midlife Mixtape readers about an album they discovered years ago that’s still in heavy rotation, and why it has such staying power.
I don’t remember how I first discovered Val Haller of Valslist.com, a website that help busy adults keep up with new music. I just remember knowing right away she was my musical soul sister, my brother from another mother. We met online and bonded in real life when I snuck away from BlogHer in Chicago for a few hours to catch a concert with her (of course). And I’m thrilled to have her doing a guest post today.
Born to Run (1975)
The tunes I listened to during my “formative music years” (high school through college) from 1971-1979 made such an impact on me that I started a music business at age fifty. The obsession started young with me; I was different when it came to music. The oldest of five, I distinctly remember every Thanksgiving—amidst the frenzy of relatives coming over, helping mom in the kitchen, my dad and brothers glued to football—how I would go to the cupboard and pull out the Christmas albums. Adding holiday music to the scene just made everything better.
In second grade I used to sneak over to my junior high neighbor’s screened porch to listen to records with the older kids. I learned the F word from the Standells’ 1966 hit “Dirty Water”. My first 45 record (I was allowed to buy just one) was “Penny Lane” (Beatles) and “On a Carousel” (The Hollies). In high school my tape deck, turntable and stacks of vinyl occupied our living room floor (my mother was a saint) as I put together mixtapes for friends and events. If something required music, I was your go-to girl. And I never let go. Even when I grew up.
My kids (I have four grown sons) will tell you that family road trips included serious games of Name that Tune with my husband Mark. When I drove carpool we played Name that Band (okay, I made it up, but hey, it takes a village to make sure the kids in the hood are well-rounded.)
When Nancy approached me to write about my favorite album of all time I knew that would be impossible. Not the writing part, the choosing part. Then I had an idea.
Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, was released in August 1975 – the exact month that bridged my high school and college years. That transition to college will forever be etched in my soul with the Born to Run soundtrack. Even now when I close my eyes to listen, I see the past in all its glory: the Cutlass Supreme I drove to college, my freshman dorm at Miami University (Oxford OH), a photo of me out front by the packed car, the outfit I wore that day – hip hugger bell bottoms, Dr. Scholls sandals, a polyester paisley top, a feathered hair style, my complete album collection on the back seat of the car with me.
The sounds: oh, the sounds. I stepped out of the car and radios were blaring–a warm welcome to a music lover like me. Anxious parents with smiles masking tears were carrying wooden crates and big stereo speakers up the stairs, guys in (short) cutoff jean shorts – long layered hair – large rimmed glasses, girls in halter tops – bare midriffs – tanned from their last summer of carefree fun, we smiled as we passed each other – the background music was the universal language that connected us.
Born to Run was everywhere during those four years. “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out“ blasted out of screen-less frat house windows on Fraternity Row (as we freshmen were ushered en masse to orientation.) “Born to Run“ screamed you can do anything from large stereo speakers precariously propped on dorm rooftops. Music was our community, the earliest form of social networking; it drew us together. “She’s the One“ confirmed your newest crush, “Thunder Road” detoured a bad test score. Back then there was no individual listening, no iPod, no earbuds…We knew every lyric to every song, intimately, because there was no fast forward button, no skips; you just listened to the album from start to finish.
And while you waited for your favorite song to come (“Jungleland”), you grew to love the other songs along the way (“Meeting Across the River”). Lucky for you. And really lucky for the artist. When I listen to the songs now, thirty years later, I hear new things I didn’t notice back then. I love that it still sounds new, and still speaks to me.
One admission… you’ll probably find this strange. I won’t go to a Bruce Springsteen concert now. I think I’m the only Boomer who hasn’t. His newer catalog doesn’t compare to the old days. I don’t want to ruin the memory from back then. You see, Bruce Springsteen played at our campus every year. He filled a quarter of the arena. A concert the old school way: we called our friends from the wall phone to make plans, met up with them to tailgate (yep, that’s our word, kids), everyone went because there weren’t a million other distractions, and we watched and listened and danced to Springsteen music. No cell phones, no video, no texting/tweeting/Instagram/Vine. We were 100% present.
Rah-Rah old-school. You rock.
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Val Haller, a music-obsessed Baby Boomer and founder of a boutique music website Valslist.com (and new mobile app ValslistRadio) has one mission: to help busy adults keep up with new music. Unlike Pandora (which is algorithm based) Val hand picks every track for her curated playlists. Author of a music blog “mini music note” and monthly music contributor to Make It Better magazine, Val authors a weekly music feature for NYT’s “Booming” blog called Music Match, introducing readers to new emerging artists. She recently launched a grass-roots project, Music Club – to encourage adult music-lovers to get back out to live music. She believes strongly that the music industry needs to pay attention to the important adult audience (who buys music.)
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