Music
Seven superb Bruce Springsteen covers to prepare you for The River tour
Less than a week to go until The River tour and Bruce Springsteen lands in the UK – it’s time to get excited!
We’ve had all Springsteen albums on repeat, took a peek at the setlists from Barcelona and San Sebastian (and they have us even more excited), and last, but not least, we scoured YouTube for the best covers we could find.
What happens when a rock legend covers other rock legends? Let us tell you with our list of the seven best covers Bruce Springsteen has ever performed (according to us).
1. Purple Rain – Prince
On 23 April, Springsteen opened his show in Brooklyn with a powerful cover of the late Prince’s Purple Rain. No further words needed.
2. Lorde – Royals
The Boss is a firm supporter of young talented musicians such as Taylor Swift, The Gaslight Anthem and Lorde. He covered the New Zealand native’s hit song of 2014 during his Wrecking Ball tour stopover in Auckland.
3. David Bowie – Rebel Rebel
When The River tour kicked off on 16 January this year in Pittsburgh, the world had just lost music legend David Bowie. The Boss paid tribute in the best way he knew how, with a cover of Rebel Rebel.
4. INXS – Don’t Change
This one is another one-off cover from the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball tour in 2014. Honouring another one of Australia’s great rock bands, INXS, Springsteen and the E Street Band give Don’t Change their own little twist – and it’s magnificent.
5. Sting – I Hung My Head
As part of Sting’s 2014 Kennedy Centre Honors celebration Springsteen, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars came together to pay tribute. The Boss put a spin on Sting’s 1996 I Hung My Head – a tale of manslaughter and guilt.
6. Elvis – Burning Love
In 2013, when Springsteen rocked Paris he covered one of his personal influences – Elvis. Covering one of Elvis Presley’s songs is potentially as hard to nail as it would be to perform a rendition of a Springsteen song – but, of course, The Boss passed with flying colours.
7. Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There / Twist & Shout
Bruce Springsteen’s 2012 performance at Hard Rock Calling at London’s Hyde Park is one of his most iconic ever. Just before the show came to an end he was joined by none other than Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. The two smashed a rendition of I Saw Her Standing There and Twist & Shout. The latter of which has become a regular on The Boss’ set list.
Now, who else is thrilled for Springsteen’s The River Tour coming to the UK? Remember we still have a few tickets left for Manchester and Glasgow. See you further on up the road.
