Song of the Day 2/11: Bruce Springsteen, “I’m Goin’ Down”
Prompted by the fact that Bruce Springsteen is having perhaps the roughest week of his public life. First he filmed a commercial for the first time — for Jeep, of all corporation-people — that was panned by people across the political spectrum. That dust hadn’t settled when news of a DUI arrest last November hit the news, making the Boss look more like Boss Hogg than the champion of the downtrodden he spent 35 years portraying.
It turns out the arrest might be nothing but — pardon the expression — trumped-up bullshit. Word reached the press (with the help of Springsteen’s management, undoubtedly) that Springsteen was nailed for taking a shot of tequila from a fan who spotted him in a park parking lot. Unfortunately, they were also spotted by a cop, who understandably arrested a driver he just saw downing a shot. Apparently that was the only alcohol in his system — the source says Bruce blew a 0.02 on the booze-o-meter.
The official release of “I’m Goin’ Down” came with “Born in the USA” in 1984. But an earlier version, with a few different lyrics, was recorded in May 1983 at the Record Plant in New York for an album tentatively titled “Murder Incorporated.” It’s never been officially released, but Springsteen is among the most bootlegged musicians in history. The raw mix makes the backing instruments more prominent, and the spirited coda more than makes up for the lack of studio gloss.
The finished version, from “BitUSA.” As a single, it reached No. 9 in 1985.
That commercial was pretty screwed up. How do you screw up Bruce getting in a jeep and driving? I don’t know. Somehow the suits at Fiat Chrysler figured it. out.
Love Bruce, but have always hated “Born in the USA” and every track on it. It felt like a big money grab at the time and still does.
He recorded more than 60 songs for possible inclusion on that album. Not a very efficient money grab.
The “Middle” commercial set my teeth on edge. The image of the salt-of-the-earth heartland type representing the decency of the American spirit is so out of touch. Those are the people who gave us Trump, and who cheered at the prospect of shooting the Speaker of the House. They most decidedly are not interested in moving toward the middle. If they want to get back to the middle, they need to take a left and keep walking a long time until their head clears up. What I saw in that commercial was a corporation begging to stay on the right and not move toward the center. Shame on Bruce for allowing himself to be used in this way.
When he effects that Woody Guthrie Okie accent, it strikes me for what it is: inauthentic authenticity.
Best thing that happened to him is that Jeep pulled the commercial.