Bruce Springsteen, The #27 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 

(Continued from Part Two)

 

In 1985, Bruce helped record "We Are The World" with other artists for the charity single and played a key role in the success of the song.  It raced to #1 and not only was one of the top songs of the year but is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

 Springsteen released the five-album box set Live/1975-85 in 1986, which debuted at #1 on the Album chart.  It is one of the top live releases in history, selling over 13 million copies in the U.S. alone.  Bruce released a single, "War", from the album, which reached #2 in a couple of countries (Ireland and Norway) and was a Top 10 hit in most countries.

Springsteen won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance for "War" and he was nominated for Best Stage Performance for "Born To Run" from the Live album.  He released the album Tunnel of Love in 1987.  One of his best career singles, "Brilliant Disguise", raced to #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #5 overall and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male at the Grammy Awards.

 

The album hit #1 in the United States, the U.K., Canada, Norway and Sweden.  The title song is inspired by the amusement rides on the boardwalk of Asbury Park.  Springsteen used the "Tunnel Of Love" ride as a metaphor for the ups and downs of a relationship.  Nils Lofgren was passing through town when he called Bruce.  Springsteen told him he was working on a track and asked if Nils would drop by and give it a shot.  Lofgren's guitar solo is featured.

"Tunnel Of Love" also topped the MR chart and peaked at #9 and earned a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance.  Springsteen also was nominated for Video of the Year and Best Male Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  

 Tunnel of Love has now sold over three million copies in the U.S. alone, with "Paradise By The 'C'" nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the Grammys.  "One Step Up" is another worthy song, a #2 Mainstream Rock hit that stopped at #13 on the Popular chart.

Springsteen played several instruments on "Tougher Than The Rest", which did better in Europe than in the U.S., including a Top 10 performance in Ireland.

On the tour, Springsteen became involved with backup singer Patti Scialfa, and his marriage obviously ended in divorce within months.

Springsteen's concert in East Germany drew 300,000 fans who were hungry for freedom and the right to hear the best music.  Later in the year, Springsteen headlined the Human Rights Now! tour for Amnesty International.  The following year, Bruce broke away from the E Street Band and he married Scialfa, with the couple moving to California.

In 1992, Springsteen released two albums simultaneously, Human Touch and Lucky Town.  Whereas earlier albums symbolized the working man's quest for a good life, the positive songs included in the albums were not accepted well by many of his longtime fans.  Still, the album reached the Top 5 in every major country and #1 in the U.K., Norway and Sweden.  The title song from "Human Touch" reached #1 on the MR chart in the U.S. and hit #2 on the Canadian chart as well.  Springsteen was nominated for Best Male Video at the MTV VMA's. 

"Human Touch" was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male at the Grammy Awards.  A performance on MTV Unplugged didn't go well, however, and Springsteen seemed unable to continue the momentum of his blockbuster Born in the U.S.A.

 Lucky Town was a Top 5 album as well, including #2 in the U.S., and has sold over one million copies.  "Better Days" reached #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

 Springsteen released another single from Human Touch, "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)", a worthy song that not only certainly describes the decline of the cable and satellite industry but gave him another Top 10 Mainstream Rock hit.

Part Four of Bruce Springsteen is next!