Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are generally regarded as one of the … Read Full Bio ↴Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are generally regarded as one of the best live bands ever. Famous for their extremely long concerts, the band is well-respected throughout rock. Note that only live recordings can be credited to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. The official artist credit for all of Bruce Springsteen's studio recordings (even for those recorded with the E Street Band as his studio band) is Bruce Springsteen.

Since forming in 1972, the band's members have changed; however, core members include saxophonist Clarence Clemons, organist Danny Federici, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, pianist Roy Bittan and, of course, guitarist/singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen. Guitarist Steven Van Zandt joined the band while recording Born to Run and made this record at least possible. He became one of the most honored and most influential members.

Other musicians important to the band include guitarist Nils Lofgren (who stepped in after Van Zandt quit); guitarist/singer Patti Scialfa (who is also Springsten's wife); and pianist David Sancious and drummers "Mad Dog" Vini Lopez and Ernest "Boom" Carter, who all had left the band prior to Born to Run. Also, The Rising tour saw the official addition of violinist Soozie Tyrell.

In 1989 the band split up, after the massive success of the Born in the USA tour and the quieter Tunnel of Love tour. However, in 1999, the band reunited and embarked on a rather successful 18-month reunion tour - the "E-United Tour" - and now were powered by three guitars (Springsteen, Van Zandt and Lofgren, with Scialfa usually playing a fourth, acoustic guitar).

Following the events of September 11, 2001, Springsteen and the Band embarked on their first studio recordings (excepting a short recording session for Springsteen's 1995 Greatest Hits album) since 1984's Born in the U.S.A. The band recorded The Rising in 2002, and then hit the road for another marathon, two-year tour.

After The Rising, Springsteen recorded two more albums without the E Streeters followed by "Magic", released in October 2007 and featuring the hit single "Radio Nowhere". Magic was followed up by a traditionally strong tour throughout 2008, during which original band-member and friend Danny Federici passed away. Federici had already been temporarily replaced by Charlie Giordano, with whom Springsteen played the year before during the Seeger Sessions. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rounded the 100-show tour at Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration.

On January 27, 2009 Springsteen's twenty-fourth album "Working on a Dream" will be released. According to the official press release, Working on a Dream was recorded with the E Street Band and features twelve new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album. A new tour for 2009 is expected to be announced soon. Springsteen and the E Street Band will play The Super Bowl halftime show on February 1, 2009.

Saturday 27th July 2009 saw Bruce and the E-Streeters played The Glastonbury Festival, England. This was the band's first-ever UK festival performance, a total of 135,000 people watched an epic, two-and-a-half hour headlining set.

Current members
* Bruce Springsteen - lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano
* Garry Tallent - bass guitar, tuba
* Max Weinberg - drums, percussion (joined September 1974)
* Roy Bittan - piano, synthesizer (joined September 1974)
* Steven Van Zandt - lead guitar, mandolin, backing vocals (officially joined July 1975 after playing in previous bands; left in 1984 to go solo; rejoined in early 1995) Steven Van Zandt
* Nils Lofgren - guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals (replaced Steven Van Zandt in June 1984; remained in group after Van Zandt returned)
* Patti Scialfa - backing and duet vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion (joined June 1984; became Springsteen's wife in 1991; they have a daughter and two sons)
* Soozie Tyrell - violin, acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals (joined 2002, occasional appearances before that)

Former members
* Vinnie 'Mad Dog' Lopez - drums (inception through February 1974, when asked to resign)
* David Sancious - keyboards (June 1973 to August 1974)
* Ernest 'Boom' Carter - drums (February to August 1974)
* Suki Lahav - violin, backing vocals (September 1974 to March 1975)
* Danny Federici - organ, electronic glockenspiel, accordion, other keyboards (on medical leave of absence from late November 2007, temporarily replaced by Charles Giordano) (Danny passed away on April 17, 2008 after a battle with cancer.)
* Clarence Clemons - saxophone, percussion, backing vocals, larger-than-life persona and Springsteen foil (died 2011)

Summertime Blues
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm a-gonna raise a fuss
I'm a-gonna raise a holler
About workin' all summer
Just-a trying to earn a dollar

Every time I call my baby try to get a date
My boss says "No dice, son
You gotta work late"

Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues
Well my mama and papa told me
"Son, you gotta make some money
If you wanna use the car
To go a-ridin' next Sunday"

Well, I didn't go to work
Told the boss I was sick
"You can't use the car
'Cause you didn't work a lick"

Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues

I'm gonna take two weeks
Gonna have a fine vacation
I'm gonna take my problem
To the United Nations

Well, I called my congressman
And he said, quote:
"I'd like to help you, son
But you're too young to vote"

Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do

But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues

Overall Meaning

In Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's song "Summertime Blues," the lyrics speak to the frustration and dissatisfaction that can arise from working hard all summer to make a living. The singer expresses a sense of rebellion and defiance, declaring that he will raise a fuss and a holler about the endless grind of trying to earn a dollar during the summer months. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, highlighting the struggle of balancing work responsibilities with personal desires and freedoms.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of missed opportunities and thwarted plans due to work obligations. The singer's attempts to arrange a date with his significant other are constantly thwarted by his boss, who demands that he work late instead. This recurring obstacle creates a sense of powerlessness and frustration as the singer laments his inability to enjoy the summer as he wishes, painting a picture of a stifled and restricted existence.

The mention of the singer's parents in the lyrics adds a layer of generational expectation and pressure. The singer's parents emphasize the importance of earning money in order to enjoy privileges such as using the car for recreational purposes. This highlights the traditional values and expectations placed on the younger generation to prioritize financial stability and responsibility over personal enjoyment and leisure.

Despite the singer's attempts to break free from his work constraints and seek a solution to his predicament, he finds himself facing more obstacles. From feigning illness to seek time off to contacting his congressman for help, every avenue seems blocked or ineffective. The closing lines of the song emphasize a sense of resignation and acceptance that there is no easy solution or cure for the summertime blues, capturing the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of work and responsibilities with no clear way out.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm a-gonna raise a fuss
I am going to express my frustration

I'm a-gonna raise a holler
I am going to make some noise

About workin' all summer
Complaining about working throughout the summer

Just-a trying to earn a dollar
Just trying to make some money

Every time I call my baby try to get a date
Whenever I try to make plans with my partner

My boss says 'No dice, son You gotta work late'
My boss tells me I have to work extra hours

Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do
Occasionally I ponder my options

But there ain't no cure For the summertime blues
There is no remedy for feeling down in the summer

Well my mama and papa told me 'Son, you gotta make some money If you wanna use the car To go a-ridin' next Sunday'
My parents said I must earn money to use the car for a trip

Well, I didn't go to work
I skipped work

Told the boss I was sick
Said I was ill to my boss

'You can't use the car 'Cause you didn't work a lick'
You can't have access to the car since you didn't work at all

I'm gonna take two weeks Gonna have a fine vacation
Planning to take a two-week vacation

I'm gonna take my problem To the United Nations
Seeking help at a higher level for my issue

Well, I called my congressman And he said, quote: 'I'd like to help you, son But you're too young to vote'
Contacted political representative who couldn't assist due to age restriction

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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