Calling all SJ.com Springsteen mafia: A new album!

I became a fan with Born in the USA, but albums he's released since Born in the USA that are better than Born in the USA are: Tunnel of Love (the older I get the more I appreciate it) and Lucky Town.

 

I still really like BITUSA, stuff like "Cover Me" and "I'm Goin' Down" wasn't beaten to death and still sounds good today. I've always dug "Workin' On The Highway", but "Darlington County" is crap and I can't believe he played it at the show I was at in Toronto instead of "Cadillac Ranch" (according to his online setlist).

I really like Tunnel Of Love but I don't know if he's made a better album since BITUSA. When it was released I don't recall too many people shitting on it, it's only when it became played to death that people began looking for holes in it.

 

BYH, we'll have to agree to disagree. I think The Rising isn't as good as Born in the USA.
The filler on Born in the USA was fun rockers.
The filler on The Rising just doesn't do anything for me: Worlds Apart, Lets Be Friends, The Fuse, Paradise.
Plus the popular songs off The Rising: title track and Lonesome Day aren't as good as the majority of songs off Born in the USA.
Don't get me wrong, I think there are some great songs on The Rising (Counting on a Miracle, Empty Sky, You're Missing, Waiting on a Sunny Day, Mary's Place), but I like Born in the USA better.

 

I think that it is really close, but BITUSA is slightly better than The Rising.

BITUSA doesn't have as many top songs, but the only bad song is Cover Me. The Rising has some clunkers -- Into the Fire, Worlds Apart, Let's be Friends and The Fuse.

Combining the two, I'd say that Lonesome Day and The Rising are better than anything on BITUSA, but 6 of the next 7 choices would be from BITUSA.

I'd put Tunnel of Love and Lucky Town over both. For me, Devils and Dust is in the same discussion as BITUSA and The Rising.

 

Here's another question. What are his top 10 songs post-BITUSA, not including songs on Tracks?

My list:

Brilliant Disguise
Long Time Comin'
Human Touch
Tougher than the Rest
Better Days
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live
Devils and Dust
Real World
This Hard Land
Matamoros Banks

 

Ten just totally off the top of my head:

The Rising
Lonesome Day
Radio Nowhere
Into the Fire
Brilliant Disguise
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Ghost of Tom Joad
American Land
Devils and Dust
I Wish I Were Blind

 

Are we counting Born in the USA outtakes This Hard Land and Murder Inc., which were later re-recorded and released on Greatest Hits as post-Born in the USA songs? I'm also not including anything off Disc 3 of Essential, which is all stuff that was written and recorded earlier. The original version of This Hard Land appears on Tracks.

If so, my post Born in the USA top 10, in no particular order, would be:
This Hard Land
Land of Hope and Dreams
I Wish I Were Blind
Living Proof
Better Days
Walk Like a Man
Across the Border
All That Heaven Will Allow
Real World
* Long Time Coming
*- makes the list if This Hard Land is disallowed on the technicality

 

I frankly think Magic is better than Born In The USA.
Since BITUSA?

1) Girls In Their Summer Clothes.
2) Your Own Worst Enemy.
3) Ghost Of Tom Joad.
4) One Step Up.
5) Tunnel Of Love (Send The Band a dime for nicking the riff from Chest Fever, though.)
6) Sinaloa Cowboys.
7) The Rising.
8) Lucky Town
9) 57 Channels
10) Radio Nowhere

 

OK, if we're counting Tracks and other outtakes, here are mine in chronological order, somewhat.

Brilliant Disguise
One Step Up
Human Touch
Better Days
Secret Garden
Janey Don't You Lose Heart
Happy
The Rising
I'll Work For Your Love
Magic

 

I'm loving this thread. I need to get up and put on some Springsteen right now, but the wife and I are getting ready to watch a movie.

One thing I especially love is the love Lucky Town is getting. I remember when it came out my fellow Springsteen fans/friends didn't give it or Human Touch much of a chance -- they hated the whole "break-up" with the E Street Band. I said LT would rank up there with one of his best. I'm so glad to read that nearly 20 years later I found others who agree. That made my night!

 

Disagree.

I just think that that is emotion speaking.

 

The Rising is the best track on either album. I will give that. And My City of Ruins is way up there.

To me, though, rounding out the rest of the top 8 between those albums, I have a half-dozen BITUSA songs in my rankings before you hit Lonesome Day.