Check Out: Springsteen covers The Clash, Johnny Cash
Bruce Springsteen is no stranger to surprises. From impromptu performances with Arcade Fire to “Ghost of Thom Joad” guitar fun with Tom Morello, you never know you’re going to get when an opportunity to see the Boss presents itself.
For folks who attended Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band’s concert in Nashville, Tennessee this past Friday, they got a double whammy. On top of a usual sensational setlist, which included a cover of Johnny Cash’s ” Springsteen, as becoming customary on the current tour, once again took requests from his loving fan base. The surprise of the night? Springsteen and his band choose to pay tribute to the late Joe Strummer’s 56th birthday with a rendition of “I Fought the Law”.
Why just do “I’m on Fire” when you can lead into it with a bit of “I Walk the Line”? (With the Sommet Center right next door to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Springsteen paid tribute to Johnny Cash with an impromptu verse of the Man in Black’s trademark tune. With Bruce on vocals and Nils on guitar, the only possible complaint about this magical moment was that it was too short.) Why just do “Growin’ Up” when you can include one of those long-loved and much-missed stories in the traditional spot? (Bruce was obliging a sign that read, “Play Growin’ Up… and tell us a story about that God Damn Guitar!”) Joe Strummer’s birthday? Let’s do “I Fought the Law.”
Check Out:
“I Walk the Line”/”I’m on Fire”
“I Fought the Law”
Setlist:
Out in the Street
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Spirit in the Night
Good Rockin’ Tonight
Growin’ Up
I’m Goin’ Down
Held Up Without a Gun
Loose Ends
Youngstown
Murder Inc.
Mona/She’s the One
The Promised Land
Mary’s Place
I Walk the Line/I’m on Fire
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Encore:
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Thunder Road
Born to Run
I Fought the Law
Rosalita (with Dave Bielanko)
American Land
Dancing in the Dark
While you are technically correct since the Clash did record it, as well but “I Fought The Law” is actually a Bobby Fuller Four cover.
Nice blog!
True. Thanks for pointing that out.
Awww man…I was getting all ready to point that out!
Oh well…nice review. I’m not a huge Springsteen fan myself but I love LOVE The Seeger Sessions. The band did those songs the way they were meant to be played and if I were a social studies teacher I would use that album in a heartbeat. So I can only imagine that they turned out great covers of those songs.