Bobby Jean WikipediaBobby Jean is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen, from his 1. Born in the U. S. A. Although not released as a single, it reached 3. Billboard. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. HistoryeditBobby Jean was one of the last songs from the album to be recorded,2 and was considered a musical breakthrough for Springsteen during the recording, with its more accented rhythm and near dance groove. The title characters name is somewhat gender ambiguous,2 allowing for various interpretations. Nonetheless, Bobby Jean is often considered to have been written about his long time friendship with Steve Van Zandt, who was leaving the E Street Band at the time 3 for example, Swedish journalist Richard Ohlsson made the interpretation in his book Bruce Springsteen 1. Album that the title contained both a male and a female name because the friendship with Bobby Jean is so strong that its almost a kind of love. Watch Platoon Online Mic on this page. When this song is played live with the E Street Band, close ups of Van Zandt are often shown on the bigscreens. Now you hung with me, when all the others turned away. We liked the same music we liked the same bands we liked the same clothes. We told each other, that we were the wildest, the wildest things wed ever seen. The lyric turns to deeper emotions, which Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh characterized as lines that mingle love, grief, and rancor,3 with the chorus summing Now I wished you would have told me I wished I could have talked to you Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean. At the conclusion, Springsteen imagines the songs subject hearing the very song in a motel room, as Roy Bittans piano riff that drives the song yields to a saxophone coda from Clarence Clemons and the recording fades out. Marsh suggests that Springsteen was not singing a farewell just to Van Zandt, but also to his own depressed Nebraska self. Nevertheless, use of minor to major altered chord in the last parts of the chorus lend the song a spirit of generosity. Live performanceseditThe song has become one of Bruce Springsteens more popular concert staples, with about 5. During the 1. 98. Born in the U. S. A. Tour, Bobby Jean appeared frequently throughout the shows with a loud audience response, during the 1. Tunnel of Love Express, the song generally appeared first to last though by the 1. Other Band Tour, Bobby Jean was not heard during concerts. On the Abba Song List you can find all the albums any song is on and download or play MP3s from. By the Ghost of Tom Joad Tour, the song was suddenly turned into a short four minute performance with only Springsteen doing his opening on harmonica and acoustic guitar. It remained to have several performances on the Reunion Tour and only several times on The Rising Tour. The latest news articles from Billboard Magazine, including reviews, business, pop, hiphop, rock, dance, country and more. TM Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. AdultSwim. com is part of Turner Entertainment Digital which is part of the Turner. Watch A Love Song For Bobby Long Download' title='Watch A Love Song For Bobby Long Download' />By the Devils Dust Tour, the acoustic version had turned given yet another warm welcome back by fans, however, by the start of the Sessions Band Tour, Bobby Jean appeared, still on acoustic guitar and harmonica only this time the large outfit were playing a folk like tune in the back that made it sound rather depressing. Springsteen and the E Streeters since reverted to playing the original version on the late 2. Magic Tour and Working on a Dream Tour, being occasionally setlisted, usually being heard in the bands encore. Springsteen performed Bobby Jean with Phish during their closing set at the 2. Bonnaroo Music Festival. In 2. DVD London Calling Live in Hyde Park. In recent years, crowds, especially in Europe, have taken the habit of arm waving in unison throughout the song. Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam made a surprise appearance on March 2. Seattle when he joined Springsteen the band for Bobby Jean. Critical receptioneditThe aggregation of critics lists at Acclaimed Music did not place this song in its list of the top 3. Bobby Jean was covered by Portastatic on their 2. Autumn Was a Lark album. ReferenceseditWhitburn, J. Rock Tracks 1. 98. Hal Leonard. p.  2. ISBN 9. 78. 08. 98. Rob Kirkpatrick, The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2. Marsh, Dave. Glory Days Bruce Springsteen in the 1. Pantheon Books, 1. ISBN 0 3. 94 5. Rikky Rooksby, Bruce Springsteen Learn from the Greats and Write Better Songs, Backbeat Books, 2. Coyle, Jane 2. 00. Springsteen, Phish jam together at Bonnaroo. Yahoo News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 1. Retrieved 2. 00. 9 0. Acclaimed Music Top 3. Acclaimed Music. 2. May 2. 00. 9.  Autumn Was a Lark. Retrieved 2. 00. 9 0. External linkseditStudio albums. Live albums Bruce Springsteen Archives. Live 1. 97. 58. 5 1. In ConcertMTV Plugged 1. Live in New York City 2. Hammersmith Odeon London 7. Live in Dublin 2. Live from the Carousel 2. Apollo Theater 30. The Agora, Cleveland 1. Tower Theater, Philadelphia 1. Nassau Coliseum, New York 1. Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey 1. LA Sports Arena, California 1. Schottenstein Center, Ohio 2. Ippodromo delle Capannelle, Rome 2. Arizona State University, Tempe 1. The Christic Shows 1. HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY, 1. Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO, 82. 30. Olympiastadion, Helsinki, July 3. Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1. Palace Theatre, Albany 1. Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY 1. Kings Hall, Belfast March 1. The Summit, Houston, TX December 8, 1. Compilations. Box sets. EPs. Singles. Charting songs. Other notable songs. Video releases. Tours.