Hit Parade | “Tramps Like Us,” Part 1

Podcast: Hit Parade (Slate Podcasts)
Host: Chris Molanphy
Episode Date: July 17, 2021
Topic: How Bruce Springsteen became a chart-dominating pop icon—by chart history, influence, and the circuitous route of his songs to the summit of the pop charts.

Episode Overview

In this first part of a two-episode saga, host and pop-chart analyst Chris Molanphy delves into the slow, surprising ascent of Bruce Springsteen from revered Jersey bard to one of the most dominant pop forces of the 1980s. Molanphy uses storytelling, chart trivia, and song snippets to illustrate how Springsteen’s path to pop stardom was far from direct—often succeeding initially as a songwriter for others before breaking big as a solo performer. The episode contextualizes Springsteen’s journey within half a century of pop music history, using charts and covers as guideposts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Springsteen’s Breakout in ‘84—But Not Overnight

• Springsteen’s Peak: In July 1984, "Dancing in the Dark" from Born in the USA was a No. 2 single and the album topped the Billboard chart—Springsteen’s biggest mainstream breakthrough.
  • “At his peak, Bruce Springsteen kind of was that popular. He even tied one of Jackson's most storied Billboard chart records, and he remains the only guitar rock act ever to pull this off on the pop charts.” (02:53)
• 1985: By July the next year, “Glory Days” is the fifth Top 10 single from the same album; Born in the USA out-sold the rest of the top five combined.

2. Songwriting Success Before Chart Dominance

• Not an Instant Hitmaker: Springsteen was widely admired for live shows but, through the ‘70s, pop radio largely ignored his own performances.
  • Many early Springsteen compositions charted only when performed by others.
• Pop Hit Paradox: Like Bob Dylan and Randy Newman, Springsteen hit No. 1 as a songwriter (but not as a performer, at least initially).
  • “These three troubadours have all scored number one hits on the Hot 100 as songwriters, but they've all peaked at number two as artists.” (08:05)

3. Comparison to Bob Dylan and Randy Newman

(Timestamp starts at 07:34)

• Chart Trivia:
  • Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” (No. 1 by the Byrds), but Dylan as an artist peaked at No. 2.
  • Newman’s “Mama Told Me Not to Come” (No. 1 by Three Dog Night); Newman’s own “Short People” stuck at No. 2.
• Springsteen’s Path: He's anomalous—eventually becoming a pop icon, generating many top 10 hits, and surpassing his contemporaries in chart success.

4. Early Career: The Jersey Years & Development (16:00–32:00)

• The Castiles & Pre-Fame Years: Springsteen’s initial bands and Asbury Park scene.
• First Album: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
  • Bluesy, wordy, half rock, half acoustic—no hits, but critical praise and groundwork for future covers.
• Influential Covers:
  • David Bowie recorded (but didn’t release) “Growin’ Up” and “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City”.
  • The Hollies’ “Sandy (4th of July, Asbury Park)” became the first Springsteen writing credit to hit the Hot 100.
• Third Album—Born to Run (1975): Big ambition and six months of labor, aiming for Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound”.
  • Springsteen torments himself chasing perfection; the E Street Band finally gets its name.

Notable Quote:

“Never had a pop song tried so self consciously to be a masterpiece. And it was. Bruce Springsteen finally, finally had his breakthrough.” (35:19)

5. The Bottom Line Gigs and the Media “Explosion” (37:59–42:18)

• Legendary multi-night stand at NYC’s Bottom Line club; pivotal for Springsteen’s reputation

• Simulcast, word-of-mouth, and critic endorsements made Bruce "the talk of the town”—inspire figures like Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf.

• Springsteen appears on Time and Newsweek covers simultaneously, but...

• Chart Irony: Even at the peak of press hype, “Born to Run” peaks at #23 on the Hot 100, never cracking the Top 10.

  • Quote:
    “Here is probably the most talked about new artist... That’s pretty good for not having had a top 10 record. He’s moving there though, at number 23, ‘Born to Run.’” — Casey Kasem (41:52)

6. Springsteen—Covered to Number One

• Legal disputes stall his own recording career (mid-‘70s).
• Manfred Mann’s Earth Band covers “Blinded by the Light,” hits No. 1 in February 1977.
  • Misheard lyric (“revved up like a deuce”) makes for “one of the most misheard lyrics in pop history.” (50:04)
  • “It is not about a douche... that quirk may well have made the song an even bigger hit.” (50:14)
• Patti Smith transforms “Because the Night” (1978) into a #13 hit; Pointer Sisters take “Fire” to #2 (1979).

7. The Turn Toward the Mainstream

(“Hungry Heart” Section)

• Saving the Hits for Himself: John Landau insists Bruce must stop “giving away” his best material.
• “Hungry Heart” (1980) from The River:
  • Originally written for the Ramones
  • The song becomes Bruce’s first Top 10 and Top 5 solo hit.
  • “There’s nothing like a big single to fuel chart success.” (63:39)
• The River LP: No. 1 album, multi-hit singles, critical and commercial apex.

8. The Dichotomy: Celebration and Desolation

• *The River: duality of Springsteen’s work—upbeat rockers alongside haunting ballads.
• Nebraska (1982): Starkest album yet—recorded solo at home, influenced by Suicide (synth punk duo); goes Top 10 regardless of “uncommercial” sound.
  • “Such was Springsteen’s reputation by 1982 that, as uncommercial as it was, Nebraska shot into the album chart top 10 in just two weeks.” (65:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Springsteen’s media breakthrough:
  “I spoke to my dad. It was going to be on the cover of Time and Newsweek… which was like saying, yeah, I’m taking Santa Claus’s job at the North Pole this year.” (39:57)

• On “Blinded by the Light”’s famous mondegreen:
  “This is one of the most misheard lyrics in pop history... and for the record, it is not about a douche.” (50:10)

• On Springsteen’s critical idol status:
  “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.” — Jon Landau (26:16, paraphrased in narration)

• Casey Kasem’s chart report:
  “...pretty good for not having had a top 10 record. He’s moving there though, at number 23, ‘Born to Run.’” (41:57)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–02:53: Setting the scene—Springsteen’s mid-‘80s chart dominance
• 05:06–07:24: Springsteen’s roots as a songwriter, not yet a pop star
• 07:34–14:57: Chart trivia—Dylan, Newman, Springsteen’s parallel paths
• 16:00–32:00: Early career in Jersey bands, first albums, key covers
• 35:19–37:59: The making of Born to Run; mastering the Wall of Sound
• 37:59–42:18: The Bottom Line gigs, Time and Newsweek covers, chart let-down
• 49:59–51:11: “Blinded by the Light”—misheard lyric goes to No. 1
• 53:35–58:30: Patti Smith and the Pointer Sisters score hits with his songs
• 63:39–65:21: “Hungry Heart” gives Bruce his first major solo hit; The River soars
• 65:21–66:29: Nebraska and the left turn into bleak, deeply personal music

Conclusion: Building to Icon Status

Springsteen’s trajectory subverts the myth of the instant star:

• His chart reign was the result of slow-burn audience building, circuitous songwriting success, and careful adaptation to pop tastes—without losing his songwriter’s intensity or live band brio.
• By 1982, he was a rock god and a respected figure, but mega stardom and pop icon status were only around the corner.

Tease for Part 2:
The next episode will address Springsteen’s true mainstream zenith, his conflicted relationship with fame, and the transformation that led to his dual status as both poet and chart phenomenon.

(Written and narrated by Chris Molanphy. Produced by Asha Saluja)