Courtesy of Bruce SpringsteenLast year, Bruce Springsteen released a digital-only compilation called Songs Under Cover that featured performances of various tunes by other artists that The Boss and his E Street Band have played in concert. Now he’s issued a sequel collection called Songs Under Cover, Vol. 2.
The 15-song collection boasts performances spanning from 1975 to 2016. Like its predecessor, it’s an installment of Bruce’s The Live Series of themed playlists featuring tunes from various Springsteen concerts.
Songs Under Cover, Vol. 2, which is ordered more or less chronologically, kicks off with a rendition of “Mountain of Love” that Springsteen and company played on New Year’s Eve 1975 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The song, which was written by Harold Dorman, was a top-10 hit for Johnny Rivers in 1964.
The final track is a version of the Jackson Browne/Glenn Frey-written Eagles classic “Take It Easy,” which Bruce and the E Street Band played in Chicago in January 2016, as a tribute to Frey one day after he died.
Speaking of Browne, he’s featured on a rendition of Maurice Williams‘ “Stay” that Springsteen played at the famed No Nukes concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979. Jackson’s own live version of “Stay” appeared on his 1977 album Running on Empty.
Other interesting tunes on Songs Under Cover, Vol. 2 include renditions of Buddy Holly‘s “Rave On,” Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” Dobie Gray‘s “Drift Away,” Elvis Presley‘s “Love Me Tender,” Bob Dylan‘s “Highway 61 Revisited,” Lorde‘s “Royals,” The Clash‘s “Clampdown,” and David Bowie‘s “Rebel Rebel.”
Here’s the full track list for the compilation, along with the artist or artists associated with each tune, and where and when they were recorded:
“Mountain of Love” (Johnny Rivers) — Upper Darby, PA, Tower Theater, 12/31/1975
“Goin’ Back” (Carole King, The Byrds) — West Hollywood, CA, The Roxy, 10/18/1975
“Rave On” (Buddy Holly) — West Hollywood, CA, The Roxy, 7/7/1978
“Stay” with Jackson Browne (Maurice Williams) — New York, NY, Madison Square Garden, 9/21/1979
“Who’ll Stop the Rain” (Creedence Clearwater Revival) — London, U.K., Wembley Arena 6/5/1981
“Drift Away” (Dobie Gray) — East Rutherford, NJ, Brendan Byrne Arena, 8/20/1984
“Love Me Tender” (Elvis Presley) — Detroit, MI, Joe Louis Arena, 3/28/1988
“Lonely Teardrops” (Jackie Wilson) — New York, NY, Madison Square Garden, 5/23/1988
“Highway 61 Revisited” (Bob Dylan) — Los Angeles, CA, Shrine Auditorium, 11/16/1990
“It’s Been a Long Time” (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes) — East Rutherford, NJ, Brendan Byrne Arena, 6/24/1993
“Then She Kissed Me” (The Crystals as “Then He Kissed Me”) — St. Louis, MO, Scottrade Center, 8/23/2008
“Royals” (Lorde) — Auckland, New Zealand, Mount Smart Stadium, 3/1/2014
“Clampdown” (The Clash) — Pittsburgh, PA, Consol Energy Center, 4/22/2014
“Rebel Rebel” (David Bowie) — Pittsburgh, PA, Consol Energy Center, 1/16/2016
“Take It Easy” (Jackson Browne, The Eagles) — Chicago, IL, United Center, 1/19/2016
‘The Live Series: Songs Under Cover, Vol. 2’ is now streaming! Check out this new collection of live recordings featuring performances of "Drift Away," "Rebel Rebel," "Mountain Of Love" and other covers from Bruce & The E Street Band. https://t.co/184Pf4DVU0 pic.twitter.com/rQb03s67Nu
— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) March 5, 2021
By Matt Friedlander
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