Southside Takes You Home

For those of you who picked up the new Springsteen CD, Devils & Dust, you’ve heard “All the Way Home”, a song written by Bruce of course, but that first appeared on Southside Johnny‘s 1991 album ‘Better Days’ [Buy it new for $5.99(!)].

For those that have heard both versions, you know that the arrangements are drastically different. Southside’s version is a slowed down acoustic, more tender plea. Bruce played this acoustically at my very first live Bruce experience in September ’92 (at the World Music Theater outside of Chicago), and it blew me away. So when I saw the song listed on the track list for Devils & Dust, I got excited. Little did I know, Bruce reworked it in a major way, with a driving beat, a sitar, tambora, electric sarangi, among other things (Rolling Stone magazine compares it to ‘Street Fighting Man’, which I still don’t see). I love the new version, mind you, but still wish he would’ve stayed more true to the original arrangement. BUT, Brendan O’Brien produced his album, not me…. they could’ve at least asked…

So here’s the original from Southside, with backing vocals, and “various assorted keyboards and guitars” courtesy of the Boss.

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes: All the Way Home (mp3)