75. 'Don't Look Back'
74. 'Darkness on the Edge of Town'
Get 'Don't Look Back' on: Tracks (1998)
Get 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' on the album of the same name
I've always said I have no regrets. I'm a firm believer that if I was out having dinner one night and chose the Steak Sandwich over the seafood dish, then there's a possibility that it would impact my life someway down the road. If I went back in time and chose the seafood, then my life would be different today. Not knowing whether it would be a better life or not, I'll just keep the past as that.
What I do believe, however, is that our lives are filled with forks in the road. We get to a point and we must decide between column A and column B. Go one way, or go the other. Spend time on your choice because there's no going back.
'Don't Look Back' is not only an apt song to talk about having just going through my theories on regrets or forks in the road, but it was also the last song cut from the album that would become Darkness on the Edge of Town, or so we've been led to believe. It's replacement? 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', the very song which gave the album its name. Whether or not that's the absolute gospel, I'm sure if I could remember where I read it I'd let you know.
But shit, these two songs are chalk and cheese. 'Don't Look Back', as great a song as it is, doesn't belong on Darkness on the Edge of Town. Actually, if you think about it, the album may not have even been called that if 'Don't Look Back' had a spot. Would that have been the title track? Doubtful. But the song itself, like dozens of others, would have been a worthy addition to any other artist's album. It's another in a line of outtakes which hit you straight away. No time to breathe... etc. Great freaking song, and one that although it didn't get a spot on any official album could've been Springsteen's go-to concert opener. Can you imagine how awesome each of the 1978 tour shows would have been if they had this kicking off proceedings? Sure the whole Buddy Holly/Eddie Cochran opener thing was cool, but 'Don't Look Back' would say that Bruce and the Band were on perpetual fire and were about to kick your ass for the next three hours. This, leading into 'Badlands'? Holy mother of god... it'd probably be too much.
Having said all that, don't wish for things to be different to the way they were. I say if we're to worry, worry about tomorrow, not yesterday. Don't Look Back.
'Darkness on the Edge of Town', for a song that was one of the last (if not the last) song to make the album, sounds like it was the song the whole album was built around. It's got that brilliant pacing which you find throughout the album. Songs like this, 'Adam Raised a Cain' and 'Streets of Fire' are "rockers", but they don't hit you with tempo. It's what they hold back which gets you right between the eyes. 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' could be an up-tempo rocker like 'Don't Look Back' and it would most likely be still a great song, however it goes for power over pace and succeeds wildly.
The success of the song, to me, lies more in the music than the words. Garry Tallent's bass, in the course of a few notes, sets the tone for the whole song and not enough words can be written about Danny Federici's understated organ which runs through the whole song but always exists in the shadows of the song as though it's a nagging thought stuck in the back of your mind. More than anything, it maintained a perfect run of album closers that Springsteen had given us since his debut.
It says something about the calibre of the man's catalogue that here I am, in the mid 70s of the countdown, talking about two songs which I unconditionally adore.
The best 'Don't Look Back' bit: "Well angel, won't you believe in love for me... C'mon and meet me tonight, darling, out in the street" Kicking back into the song after the guitar solo, Bruce and the band are perfectly in sync.
The best 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' bit: Everyone knows that Bruce excels in a live setting. Check out the version of the song on Live 1975-85 and it's Bruce's final scream of "town!!!" which is my favourite bit. It's as though the studio version were just a blueprint for the chance to let rip. Even though it isn't on the album proper, the song feels almost hollow with that final bellow.
74. 'Darkness on the Edge of Town'
Get 'Don't Look Back' on: Tracks (1998)
Get 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' on the album of the same name
I've always said I have no regrets. I'm a firm believer that if I was out having dinner one night and chose the Steak Sandwich over the seafood dish, then there's a possibility that it would impact my life someway down the road. If I went back in time and chose the seafood, then my life would be different today. Not knowing whether it would be a better life or not, I'll just keep the past as that.
What I do believe, however, is that our lives are filled with forks in the road. We get to a point and we must decide between column A and column B. Go one way, or go the other. Spend time on your choice because there's no going back.
'Don't Look Back' is not only an apt song to talk about having just going through my theories on regrets or forks in the road, but it was also the last song cut from the album that would become Darkness on the Edge of Town, or so we've been led to believe. It's replacement? 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', the very song which gave the album its name. Whether or not that's the absolute gospel, I'm sure if I could remember where I read it I'd let you know.
But shit, these two songs are chalk and cheese. 'Don't Look Back', as great a song as it is, doesn't belong on Darkness on the Edge of Town. Actually, if you think about it, the album may not have even been called that if 'Don't Look Back' had a spot. Would that have been the title track? Doubtful. But the song itself, like dozens of others, would have been a worthy addition to any other artist's album. It's another in a line of outtakes which hit you straight away. No time to breathe... etc. Great freaking song, and one that although it didn't get a spot on any official album could've been Springsteen's go-to concert opener. Can you imagine how awesome each of the 1978 tour shows would have been if they had this kicking off proceedings? Sure the whole Buddy Holly/Eddie Cochran opener thing was cool, but 'Don't Look Back' would say that Bruce and the Band were on perpetual fire and were about to kick your ass for the next three hours. This, leading into 'Badlands'? Holy mother of god... it'd probably be too much.
Having said all that, don't wish for things to be different to the way they were. I say if we're to worry, worry about tomorrow, not yesterday. Don't Look Back.
'Darkness on the Edge of Town', for a song that was one of the last (if not the last) song to make the album, sounds like it was the song the whole album was built around. It's got that brilliant pacing which you find throughout the album. Songs like this, 'Adam Raised a Cain' and 'Streets of Fire' are "rockers", but they don't hit you with tempo. It's what they hold back which gets you right between the eyes. 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' could be an up-tempo rocker like 'Don't Look Back' and it would most likely be still a great song, however it goes for power over pace and succeeds wildly.
The success of the song, to me, lies more in the music than the words. Garry Tallent's bass, in the course of a few notes, sets the tone for the whole song and not enough words can be written about Danny Federici's understated organ which runs through the whole song but always exists in the shadows of the song as though it's a nagging thought stuck in the back of your mind. More than anything, it maintained a perfect run of album closers that Springsteen had given us since his debut.
It says something about the calibre of the man's catalogue that here I am, in the mid 70s of the countdown, talking about two songs which I unconditionally adore.
The best 'Don't Look Back' bit: "Well angel, won't you believe in love for me... C'mon and meet me tonight, darling, out in the street" Kicking back into the song after the guitar solo, Bruce and the band are perfectly in sync.
The best 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' bit: Everyone knows that Bruce excels in a live setting. Check out the version of the song on Live 1975-85 and it's Bruce's final scream of "town!!!" which is my favourite bit. It's as though the studio version were just a blueprint for the chance to let rip. Even though it isn't on the album proper, the song feels almost hollow with that final bellow.
