In Conversation PLUS with Steven Hyden (Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." book)
Added 2024-06-05 17:00:26 +0000 UTCEnjoy this special edition of Office Hours In Conversation with music critic/author/podcaster Steven Hyden! Tim and Steven go deep on Bruce's work and a little less deep on other related topics including Bruce's wardrobe, Bruce's haircut, Bruce's stage antics, and a little bit of Paul McCartney and Dylan talk. This is all in celebration of Steven's latest book "There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and the End of the Heartland." Get your own copy here!
Los Angeles! Go see Steven in person at Book Soup on Tuesday, June 11! Read more here.
Get our official weekly recommendations for patrons only right here. Bookmark it and check back whenever you need a rec.
PROGRAMMING NOTE! We're off next week, but we'll be back on TUESDAY, June 18th with another very fun LIVE surprise for you. More info on that coming soon!
Comments
Hey Tim, have you listened to the alternate version of Racing in the Streets off The Promise? It's got violin! It's a great version. Anyway, loved this chat.
Kyle Sikorski
2024-06-10 03:44:03 +0000 UTCVery good.
KD
2024-06-10 02:43:48 +0000 UTCLoving to laugh since 16
Brendan Livingston
2024-06-08 12:38:49 +0000 UTCDon’t really know much Bruce besides Born In The USA which is a great album, but I loved this talk. Makes me want to check more of his albums out
Colton Caulkins
2024-06-07 16:24:24 +0000 UTCOh man I wrote that before you came back to "Magic" at the end, good call on the "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" having a Stephin Merritt vibe!
Mick Zazworsky
2024-06-07 07:26:26 +0000 UTCI'm glad you (briefly) gave love to "Magic", it's such a good album. "Girls In Their Summer Clothes", "You'll Be Coming Down", and, "Long Walk Home", are some of the best pure pop songs he ever wrote, equal parts heartfelt and catchy as hell. And "Zone Of Interest 2" made me legitimately laugh out loud. Any time I've seen Bruce over the last 5 years or so, video, still photo, interview, concert, whatever, the first thing I do is zero in on the hair.
Mick Zazworsky
2024-06-07 05:56:09 +0000 UTCI saw Bruce last year (first time) and loved when he showed his chest lol. It was simultaneously self-deprecating and boastful, very silly, I laughed out loud.
Kazu Watanabe
2024-06-07 03:39:43 +0000 UTCCool rockin daddy from New Jersey here wanting to make sure you give that story Bruce tells about his Dad before singing The River a listen. Wowwe zowie! Bruce was forced upon me because I grew up in the great garden state. I did not connect to Bruce until I was older. I'm glad I eventually connected. https://youtu.be/F0FDIezoMtI?si=O7f0jhfDjDGQWfeg
Jim D.
2024-06-06 15:44:12 +0000 UTCGreat episode! Please have Mr. Hyden back on in a traditional episode. I wanna talk some 36 From The Vault, dead, and phish with him. Controversy creates conversation.
Nate Jones
2024-06-06 14:23:33 +0000 UTCHahaha And yeah the Bruce song is definitely a relationship gone wrong, thinking there might be an intentional double entendre. Mr. Springsteen works surprisingly "blue" in some of his stage banter (and songs)
Steve Clark
2024-06-06 02:33:26 +0000 UTCExcellent episode 👏
Dan
2024-06-06 02:20:50 +0000 UTCI haven't quite finished Zanes' Nebraska book yet but I haven't found it nearly as dark as the album itself. More matter-of-fact than anything. In fact it pretty remarkably frames Springsteen as the first major artist (and still one of the few) to ever make a bedroom album - which I'd never considered. Personally very inspiring.
Jonathan Olson
2024-06-05 22:50:31 +0000 UTCBear with me: Last year my best friend (whom I met on Twitter and first saw in person at Bruce's 2016 book tour in Chicago) FINALLY got me into Pearl Jam. I read Mr. Hyden's PJ book and loved it. Cut to October, same friend and I see Dylan together and AFTER the show he tells me that when I went to the bathroom before Bob played he recognized Hyden sitting behind us and chatted him up. What the hell? Thanks for introducing me lmao. Then last week a copy of this book shows up at my door. I didn't even know it was coming out but my friend had pre-ordered it for me. I guess we're even. Absolutely cannot wait to watch this and read the book. Thanks for doing this! P.S. I named my two rescue dogs Bruce (in 2016) and Eddie (last fall).
Jonathan Olson
2024-06-05 22:46:30 +0000 UTCYes! Amazing
Tim Heidecker
2024-06-05 22:45:02 +0000 UTCThe Nebraska book is VERY GOOD.
Parker Shields
2024-06-05 22:42:50 +0000 UTCI remember Norm MacDonald talking about Kenny Roger’s two massive hits Coward Of The County and Ruby. Listen to those songs and imagine just sitting in a Friendly’s diner with 3 generations of your family and these songs come on while you’re eating burgers!?
Kenneth Messer
2024-06-05 22:39:03 +0000 UTCI think it’s about him getting the feeling like he’s going to get dumped.
Kenneth Messer
2024-06-05 22:34:04 +0000 UTCEven I'm Goin Down? (And is that song really about what it sounds like?)
Steve Clark
2024-06-05 22:30:20 +0000 UTCIt is wild how commercial Born In The USA is given the heaviness of the lyrics. As I advance in age nearly every track makes me cry. I really enjoyed this.
Kenneth Messer
2024-06-05 22:01:11 +0000 UTCThis is GREAT. That's it, I'm going out to pick up the book... maybe check out the Nebraska one too if it doesn't get me feeling like jumping off a cliff. I'm a Bruce (and Heidecker) megafan who thought Bruce was probably a bimbo when I saw him at age 14 in Dancing in the Dark; then soon after saw the Born in the USA video, slowly realizing it was the same guy, and started to wonder if there wasn't something more going on here. Thanks for the interview, Mr. Hyden seems like a really good bloke too.
Steve Clark
2024-06-05 21:15:14 +0000 UTCThis was such a a gift, thank you guys. Bruce is life. T have you seen the documentary about the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town? I think it's called The Promise. It's amazing.
Melissa
2024-06-05 19:31:35 +0000 UTCThe best music writer out there. I was hoping he’d be on the live show so I could call in to talk about Phish and Pearl Jam. The Trinity’s favorite topics!
Parker Shields
2024-06-05 17:13:59 +0000 UTC
