What is it about Bruce Springsteen songs? Judging from these performances, they are as much fun for the artists to perform as they are for the audience to enjoy. Here’s a collection of artists taking on the stark “Atlantic City.”
I’m partial to Levon Helm — who makes the song his own. I also like David Gray’s version; his voice fits well with the sense of longing in the lyrics. Micah Shnabel (Two Cow Garage), Joe Pug and Justin Townes Earle, Mat Kearney, Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem), Simon Felice and Eddie Vedder give it the acoustic treatment. Ed Harcourt’s solo piano version plays up the emotional extremes of the song while the Hold Steady start slow but build it into a powerhouse rock saga.
We, of course, finish up with the man himself, in a vintage 1985 band performance from Paris.
to perform as they are to as They invariably bring out the best in those who perform them. Here’s a small taste Hey, it’s Monday. Twangville is pleased to launch a new periodic series that we call “You Pick It.†Here’s how it works. We’ll serve up videos of multiple artists covering a single song and ask you to pick the definitive version.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.