Bruce Springsteen: Two Hearts, the Story

by Dave Marsh

Book Overview

The definitive biography of one of the most important songwriters and performers of the last three decades. Dave Marsh has traced Springsteen's career from its beginning, through careful documentation and critical description of Springsteen's work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 041596928X
• ISBN13: 9780415969284
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 754 Pages
• Weight: 2.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

great book - thanks!

item rec'd in good readable condition, just as promised. very happy with this transaction. thanks!

Loved this book. A great find for any Bruce fan big or small.

Dave Marsh is certainly a bias writer, but who better to write this tribute to Bruce than a friend. I loved it.

A MUST-READ FOR BRUCE AND/OR ROCK FANS

An eye-opening read for every level of Springsteen fan. Take everything you know about him and put it aside. This book opens doors you walked by in the past. Marsh's insights are superb. I especially appreciated the coverage depth of Bruce's early years. The author could have simply analyzed the works for face value. Instead he brings a great deal more to the table, blending first-hand accounts into colorful commentary, bringing the reader closer to Bruce's complex & mysterious creative circle. Some believe the more recent Springsteen albums were short-changed with only a few sections devoted to their content. I highly disagree. Marsh could have easily inked another 300+ pages. Although doing so would have created more of a chronicle than a character study. The most important aspects of Bruce's life and how they solidified his musical abilities are given full attention. Those who question Marsh's style simply misinterpret his intentions. Springsteen continues his success today because of the paths he's traveled through "Born in the U.S.A." Albums produced thereafter may have incorporated new subjects & recording methods, but did not play a groundbreaking role in his abilities. They were simply extensions of his life experiences. Personal styles may change, but Bruce will always remain true to his roots. "Two Hearts" will only complement an appreciation for Springsteen as an incredibly talented musician and a highly-centered man.

Excellent, but not enough new material after 1986

First off, the positives. 1) Dave Marsh is an excellent writer who clearly loves his subject -- Bruce Springsteen -- and is great at bringing the concerts to life; 2) Springsteen himself is a fascinating figure, almost too good to be true (except that he's not!); 3) Many of Bruce's songs are brilliant, and Marsh does an excellent job exploring the themes -- life, death, movement, stasis, hope, despair, love, loneliness/alienation, faith, emptiness -- that run like a river through them all; 4) Despite obviously loving Springsteen and his music, Marsh rarely if ever sinks into the hero worship and "hagiography" he has been incorrectly accused of. Now, the negatives. The book claims to be "The Definitive Biography, 1972-2003," yet it barely covers anything after 1986. Hey, that's 18 years ago; has so little happened in Bruce's life and music since then? In addition, I found the book to be a little repetitive at times, particularly in the introductory sections. But the most important criticism I've got is that, with the exception of "The Rising," the book largely ignores Springsteen's post-"Born in the USA" career: "Tunnel of Love," "Lucky Town," "Human Touch," "The Ghost of Tom Joad." These are all basically glossed over in a rushed, short, final couple of chapters. As much as I hate to say it, this makes me suspect that the publication of "Two Hearts," and its release just in time for the Christmas shopping season 2003, was in large part an excuse (by Dave Marsh?) to make a few bucks and to cash in on the post-"Rising" surge of interest in Springsteen. OK, sure, this IS America and it IS a MARKET economy, but I thought the whole book was about how Springsteen -- and by extension, Dave Marsh, his #1 fan and biographer -- only put something out there in the marketplace when it was ready from an ARTISTIC point of view. From that perspective, this book, which is really two previous books plus one quickie update covering 1987-2003, wasn't quite ready. Still, it's great for what it is, and Bruce Springsteen truly is an American hero worth emulating. At the least, it made me run to my stereo to listen to "Nebraska," "Live 1975-1985," and the rest with a heightened awareness of what it's all about. Bruce Springsteen truly is one of the greatest American artists ever; a national treasure to be listened to, appreciated, and savored, not the least in these difficult, dangerous, and frightening times.

For fans, soon-to-be-fans and rock music aficionados.

The author of two previous Springsteen bios ("Born To Run" and "Glory Days"), Mr. Marsh has fused the two into a very satisfying history of what may very well be the only rock artist to age with grace and relevance in the public eye, yet maintain his unbreakable bond with his fans.The first tome covered Bruce's career up to "The River", the second his explosion into the public awareness caused by "Born In The USA".Now, with some judicious paring and streamlining, Marsh has crafted an account of an impossibly passionate and driven man, who knew as a teenager what he wanted to do, and proceeded against all odds to do exactly that.The book is inspirational much in the same way Springsteen's music is inspirational. Bruce can somehow evoke universal feelings, or make broad statements, by using precise lyrics with cinematic musical accompaniment. The Springsteen saga from small town New Jersey to international fame (and not insignificantly, back to New Jersey) is not exactly "rags to riches" or "the little engine that could", but it's sure close.Springsteen the man (as opposed to the musician) is depicted not as a saint, perhaps, but certainly virtuous and often quietly heroic. Allowing for a modicum of journalistic variability, the accounts surrounding his initial entry into the "music business", the career-stalling lawsuit of the mid-seventies, and the relatively "brave" idea to release a demo tape of haunting tunes essentially "as is", all create an image of an artist "sticking to his guns". Springsteen feels authentic, fresh...real. His efforts towards the needy, the Veterans, the homeless, the hungry were not promotional gimmicks, but clearly based on the belief that "nobody wins unless everybody wins", an idea found throughout the book. Too many people talk about doing something. Here we have somebody who simply went out and did it. It's presented not in any glorifying manner, more as a personal mission. There but for the grace of God go I. I can help so I shall. It's heartening to know that someone who's such a mythic figure to many, actually may really be a decent guy.Each of his albums, from "Greetings..." to the massive "Live 1975/85" gets a fairly detailed history...what was happening not only with Bruce, but with America and with the music business at the time...providing sufficient context for the music. The peek into their genesis is fascinating...how albums are constructed, what "works" and what doesn't...even the difficulties of the actual record cutting process or creating an album cover...I ate it up with a spoon. "Integrity" is another word that keeps coming to mind while reading this. Bruce always seems to maintain his, and no more so than during his concerts. Live shows, both here and abroad, illustrate the uncommon bond between Bruce and his audience, and here Marsh nearly places you in the arena. He does an amazing job of making the performance come alive on the page. If you have ANY familiarity at all with Springsteen, it'll pl