Where does Springsteen's Magic Rank?

Shit. I knew I was forgetting one.

 

hungry heart? anyone, or just me?

 

The River
Born To Run
Darkness
The Rising
Nebraska
Tunnel of Love
BITUSA
Magic*
TWIESS
TGOTJ
Lucky Town
D&D
Greetings
Seeger Sessions
Human Touch


* Subject to upgrade after a few more weeks listening time.

 

My 10 favorites (not including live stuff -- I can listen to Live in NYC forever -- and Tracks)

Born to Run (one of the Top 5 albums of all-time)
The Rising
The Wild etc.
Lucky Town
Born in the USA
Tunnel of Love
Darkness
Asbury Park
The River
Magic

 

I have no intention of ranking them all.
But....

1) Darkness.
2) Magic.
3) Born to Run.
4) Wild, Innocent etc.
5) Nebraska.

Drink it with vodka, by the way.

 

I was in college when Hungry Heart had just come out as a single and I lived in a dorm. Most of us listened to the same radio station and when Hungry Heart came on we'd all jump into the hall at the same time and yell,
"F...ed your wife and kids in Baltimore Jack."
Then, without a word, we'd go back in our rooms and close the door.

As for ranking the Springsteen albums, my opinion is a waste of time. I own them all, love them all in some way, shape or form and my list would probably change every 5-10 minute.
A lot of it would depend on how well my medication is working that day.
...
...
...
crickets
...
...
...

 

I like Raid, too.

Born to Run
Darkness
Nebraska
Wild, Innocent
The River
Greetings from AP
Magic/USA
all the rest

 

I am surprised that Greetings From AP does not rate higher on many of the lists. I have near the top of mine.

 

Darkness
Born To Run
The River
Born In The USA
Tunnel Of Love
Wild, Innocent E Street Shuffle
Magic
Nebraska
Greetings From Asbury Park
The Rising
Human Touch
Lucky Town
Seeger Sessions
Ghost Of Tom Joad
Devils & Dust

I obviously didn't include the three-CD live box (which I still dig) or the Hammersmith live CD which I have listened to countless times over the past year.

There should be a thread for great Springsteen bootlegs....

 

Darkness
Born To Run
Wild, Innocent, E Street Shuffle
Greetings from Asbury Park
The River
Seeger Sessions
Magic
Nebraska
Luckytown
Tunnel of Love
Born In The USA
The Rising
Ghost of Tom Joad
Devils and Dust
Human Touch

Subject to change on an hour-by-hour basis.

 

But with how nearly every show has been upped to the BitTorrent sites, the Uber series that have been upped to the BitTorrent sites, the tons of shows on DVD out there, the compilations from every tour since the reunion tour that have been upped, the number of bootlegs to discuss makes the head spin.

 

These ranking are based on a combination of the studio album and live performances of the songs:

Born To Run
WEISS (the last 3 songs are the best stretch on any Bruce release, but for overall quality, loses out in a photo finish to BTR)
Tunnel of Love (such a well constructed album -- his last great consistent writing)
Darkness (the line from WEISS to BTR to this album shows such maturity as he gets to the root of his anger)
Greetings (a great near miss)
The River (clearly could have been tightened up)
Lucky Town (I know that it is higher than on most lists, but a vastly underrated album)
Seeger Sessions (American Land Version) (fantastic live and the songs which he wrote are among his best stuff in 25 years)
Nebraska
Devils & Dust (too many misses, but the makes are pretty great stuff)
Magic (other than Gypsy Biker and maybe Long Walk Home, I'm not seeing it yet)
Ghost of Tom Joad
BITUSA
The Rising (two excellent songs, two very good songs which he had already played in concert and two OK songs. Otherwise vastly overrated)
Human Touch