Spirit in the Night

As soon as Bruce and the E Street Band took to the stage you immediately knew something big was missing ...

There was no doubt the show would be a celebration—it always is—but how would this performance unfold? First, there’s the new album, with its gospel roots sound, filled with economic and political themes. Second, this time around he’s surrounded himself with a full band, including gospel singers and a four-person horn section, new band members taking the place of some fallen friends missing in action forever. A combination Miami Horns band and Seeger Sessions band. Finally, the new album sounds nothing like Born to Run.

For me, Springsteen’s music has always been about community and friendship. I guess I’ve always related to his song’s characters: Crazy Janey, Hazy Davy and Killer Joe. Even though Bruce and I are separated by about a decade, I always reasoned my best friends seemed very much like his crew, only separated by 65 miles of highway along the Garden State Parkway between Marlton and Belmar. 

In fact, my friends and I are now making plans for our annual golf weekend outing in June. Amazingly, I’ve known these guys for more than 30 years, more than half my adult life. Lucky does not begin to tell the story of our friendships.

The other night, I tailgated with some other friends. My friend, Sara, reconnected with an old high school friend and two other girlfriends and their families. I could not help but be impressed with Robert and Jane’s 13-year-old daughter, Sarah Jane. Sporting a worn Springsteen T-shirt from the last tour, this night was her third time seeing the band in concert. She gushed like only a teenage girl can about her favorite songs and Bruce moments. I couldn't help but smile when I noticed her parents, my contemporaries, barely able to contain their pride.

I thought back to me and my friends when we used to listen to these songs in our 20s. We collected albums and illegally taped songs off the radio. We knew every word and guitar riff. Much to the disapproval of our parents, this “modern” rock and roll was our salvation. This music was always on the radio when we went driving into the night. It was our teenage religion! 

I see the same thing now in my 20-year-old daughter. In fact, I texted Lauren when Springsteen started playing "My City of Ruins," her favorite Bruce song. It was during that song he roll called members of the band, asking us if he/we were missing anyone? We both knew there were some missing friends on stage and in our own personal lives.

Back in the day, my friends and I wore cheap sneakers, drove cheap cars, drank cheap beer, looking for cheap thrills, like exploding bottle rockets arcing high into the hot, thick summer night. We were inseparable. We had each other. We had our youth. We didn't know it then, but we would never (ever) be that free again!

Trust me—we had no clue of life beyond high school. We lived for the moment. We shared secrets, songs, girls and dreams in our world of Us versus Them. Late nights huddled in cars, we made a pact: We would never grow up, we would never become like our parents, we were going to live forever. We had no definitive plan, just a blood oath-type pledge that all of these things would come true. There were lots of things we were unsure of back then. However, how we would enter young adulthood was not one of them.

Of course over the next three decades, we would all be forced to “grow up." It happens to all of us. Time waits for no one. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the world’s biggest rock band or some accountant living three miles from a mall in suburban New Jersey. 

Over those 30 years, each time we were faced with a life event (good or bad), a small part of our youth would fade, much like the gloss of a photograph, held in place by yellowing cellophane, in a dusty photo album sitting on an old bookshelf. 

All of which brings me to the Big Man.

Near the end of the concert, the horn players screamed out the introduction to "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," a song we’ve heard played on the radio nearly a hundred times before. In fact, I screamed to Fran, “We danced to this song at Maggie’s wedding.” We didn’t immediately realize it, but this song would end the concert. If you think about it, The Scooter really had no other way to go.

When the song’s critical lyric was sung—"and the Big Man joined the band"—the band stopped mid-song to hear 20,000 fans stand and applaud in unison. The crowd went crazy. People including myself were heartily clapping their hands raised overhead, their arms fighting muscle fatigue. The nearly three-hour musical revival was coming to a close. It was a bittersweet way to end the “church” services.   

As I told Marie walking out of the show, once again, we reconnected with friends and for three hours played hookey from our adult responsibilities at a Springsteen concert. Together, we stood, held hands, swung our arms around each other and swayed and sang these timeless songs into the night. The Big Man’s spirit was definitely in the house that night! That’s how I’ll choose to remember it.

Upon my final demise, I secretly hope the Cherokee 5 play one final round on a local golf course somewhere in South Jersey and then proceed to Jays (local bar) to toast my life and times over pitchers of beer and greasy bar food. I think that would be a fitting tribute from my lifelong friends. In cinematic terms, it may not rival the closing scene from the movie The Deerhunter, but the effort put forth by my brothers would be greatly appreciated.

So enjoy your musical journey Sarah Jane. Whether you like it or not, you now represent the next generation. May you find friendship in music and a personal meaning in the lyrics. I have no doubt you will. Have your parents look me up in about 30 years so we can talk about your life journey while Springsteen’s music served as your soundtrack. You will surely have some amazing stories to tell.

Together we moved like spirits in the night (all night), in the night (all night), Stand up right now and let them shoot through you ...

The Magic Rat & the Barefoot Girl (aka Scott & Marie)