Bruce Springsteen Had Second Thoughts Before Releasing ‘Born to Run’ Album originally appeared on Parade.
Bruce Springsteen had second thoughts while making his iconic Born to Run album, and he even told his team to “trash” one of the memorable songs.
In Peter Ames Carlin‘s new book, Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run, he explained that the eight-track album was done and recorded before Springsteen, 75, express doubts about the final product.
“He’d dug deep to write and then perfect the songs, and they told a story of life that felt real and true; music that mattered. Except what if it didn’t?” Carlin wrote, adding that Springsteen wondered if the songs should have been “more raw” and “less slick.”
When Springsteen heard the final album for the first time, he started analyzing the last song, “Jungleland,” and worried he overdid the singing and that the saxophone was clichéd. “I dunno man, maybe we should just scrap it. Toss this s–t and start over,” Springsteen told his collaborators.
“I just didn’t like it, you know,” Springsteen explained to Carlin. “It was making me, you know, it just made me itchy on the inside and out.”
Springsteen later told producer Jon Landau that he thought the songs sounded better live and suggested they release a live recording instead. Landau, 78, recalled to Carlin that they had a “somewhat combative conversation” as he tried to convince the “Glory Days” singer that the album was good.
“You can’t and will not be able to put every thought, every idea, and every creative impulse onto one record,” he said. “My feeling is it’s a great record, we accomplished great things, and any ideas you have from this point on, they go on the next record.”
While Springsteen feared that his career was over if the album flopped, Landau insisted he had a bright future.
Manager Mike Appel ultimately convinced Springsteen to release the album, and the singer decided to “let it ride” just 29 days before the album’s release.
It turns out his team was right because the album was critically acclaimed, while it also reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Bruce Springsteen Had Second Thoughts Before Releasing ‘Born to Run’ Album first appeared on Parade on Aug 5, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
