Magic in the Night: The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen

by Rob Kirkpatrick

Book Overview

The definitive look at The Boss and how his music has both shaped and confronted American mythology

Emerging on the music scene with 1973's "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.", Bruce Springsteen was heralded as "the future of rock and roll", and since then his influence and popularity have exploded. Rob Kirkpatrick's Magic in the Night uses Springsteen's biography as a lens through which listeners can reevaluate his music as he morphs...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312533802
• ISBN13: 9780312533809
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A necessary addition to any Springsteen library

Rob Kirkpatrick has done a wonderful job with this revision and updating of his book about Springsteen and his music. He presents the context and development of each and every album (except "Working on a Dream") in a detailed, thorough, and engaging manner. He also presents a quite complete and detailed biography of Springsteen here. So we emerge with a very clear idea of where these works came from, how they fit into Springsteen's overall development, and how they fit into the history of our nation and society. Kirkpatrick is admiring of Bruce, and obviously takes great joy in his music; but the work is free of hagiography, and Kirkpatrick never comes across as just another gushing fan. His abilities and discernment as a knowledgeable commentator always shine through. Kirkpatrick is clear about what of Springsteen's music he likes, and what he doesn't; while we may from time to time disagree with his judgments (as any good Springsteen fan would), we never doubt the depth and plausibility of his perspective. Finally, Kirkpatrick is obviously an excellent writer, and his tone throughout, while intelligent and knowledgeable, is always engaging and lucid-- neither overly informal, nor overly detached and scholarly. In sum, "Magic in the Night" would be an excellent (and necessary) addition to any Springsteen collection.

A New Insight into the Boss's Music!

Rob Kirkpatrick follows the evolution of Bruce Springsteen's music through the decades with an in-depth look of the events of the Boss's life and the influences they had on his music. This book has perspectives and information not found in other Springsteen books. All true Springsteen fans will want to have a copy of this musical retrospective in their collection!

excellent

just finished reading this. excellent,in-depth,well-researched, meaningful and entertaining Bruce book going through the albums and tours chronologically. the author is definitely a fan but does an excellent job discussing the controversies in Bruce's history. I'm a big fan and i am glad to know so much more about BRUCE. The author does a great job of categorizing and cross-referencing the songs and themes and he extensivelly researched Bruce's personal, literary and musical influences.the book is great. i definitely want to read more about Bruce. the only other Bruce book i have read is It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive and that was great too.

All of his significant albums, in chronological order

Other books have covered the life and works of popular musician Bruce Springsteen, but few offer the depth of analysis and critical assessment of The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen, which opens with a brief biography before it turns to the heart of the matter: all of his significant albums, in chronological order, which provide a musical analysis of themes, motifs, and underlying ideas. College-level students of popular music will appreciate the attention to detail and the insights which lend to a far greater appreciation for Bruce Springsteen's works.

Excellent Overview of Springsteen's work.

The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen is a very detailed look into Bruce's body of work. Rather than focusing on Bruce as an pop icon, the book looks at his songs, his albums, how they were written, what they mean and how each song fits into the theme of the album. It also suggests that each album is a building block for the next album, that all Bruce's albums are connected. The Words and Music Of Bruce Springsteen may not be for the casual fan looking for another fan's view of the boss. It is an exhaustive look at the creative process of writing songs as individual pieces yet all connected to a larger theme. Each song within the album is an individual scene from a movie. Each arranged to take you further on a ride toward the climax. For the true Springsteen fan (or for those interested in the creative process of developing concept albums)this book is an absolute must. It is one of the best books I've read about Springsteen.