I first discovered the magic of the Boss about two and a half years ago. I was watching some random video countdown show on VH1 and Springsteen's video for Radio Nowhere was on. The first thing I thought was "Hey! That's Max Weinberg!" The second thing I thought was "He looks old!" and the third thing I thought was "this song is pretty good." I later downloaded the song and proceeded to play it again and again over the course of the next few days; even forcing a friend in one of my psychology classes to listen to a riff that I particularly enjoyed. I thought that I should give the entire album a chance since that one song gave me such enjoyment. Needless to say I loved the entire album and soaked up as much Springsteen as possible then on. I remember reading a review of his his latest album entitled "Magic" which mentioned that the sound of the album was very reminiscent of his "Born to Run" record, a release from 1975. I figured that as a new Springsteen fan it was my duty to do my homework and get some of the old stuff.

Rather than going all the way back I cheated a little and went straight for the first commercial success, 1975's Born to Run - the album that made Springsteen a superstar. When you listen to the album it's easy to understand why it made him famous but it's hard for me to explain my attachment to the record. It's very rare when you listen to an album and it makes you feel like the artist has given you something; something that cannot be expressed in words. Sure the songs were good and I enjoyed them but more than that his songs gave me a sense of understanding and belonging - that all the longing, emptiness or loneliness I had felt, he had felt. He was able to take all of this and transform it into something beautiful and meaningful. His songs, to me, meant that my confusion as a young adult was something universal and that my dissatisfaction with my situation was not a result of my selfishness but of my humanity. These songs made me feel more connected to my own emotions and to the world than I had ever felt before. I was as though all those unsettled feelings and unwanted thoughts were finally put into words and suddenly made ok; it was ok to think and feel the way that I did because he thought and felt this way too. And it was beautiful. I just kept thinking "how did he know?" How did he know how I felt? How did he know exactly what I was thinking?

This is an idea expressed most poignantly in the song "Thunder Road." The protagonist in the song approaches a girl, professes his love, exposes his weaknesses (and hers) and offers both of them a "last chance" to get away. For most Springsteen fans this is THE SONG. Not only because every single line is quotable but because of its honesty in its poetic portrayal of an otherwise very mundane scenario. Basically, it's about life. Who hasn't thought about their fleeting youth? Who hasn't wanted to run away? His hopes are based in reality which is why they are so tragically beautiful - they are so attainable yet we never know what comes of it. Does she go with him? Do they get out? Will we get out? Do we have the courage? That's the other thing about Springsteen. In writing about such simple things, he makes us look at ourselves. Ok so maybe he's writing about some girl named Mary, but Mary could be any of us (honestly the only thing that separates me and Mary is that screen door.) We listen to the song over and over and each time we hope that these two kids finally make it out because we have the same hope for ourselves. We hope that someday we can make it out of our situation - whatever that may be.

Springsteen doesn't help you find your way, he just makes you feel comfortable with being lost because he's lost too. It's kind of like the blind leading the blind except one blind guy is exceptionally talented and has a whole lot of friends.