Growing old(er) with Bruce

Six days after I said goodbye to my 40s, Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band come to town. It’s reassuring, even a little comforting.

The 50s don’t kid around when it comes to reminding a guy what life stage he’s about to enter. The body starts playing serious tricks on him: Hair stops growing where it should and starts flourishing where it shouldn’t. (What’s the George Castanza line: “It’s like puberty that never stops. Ear puberty. Nose puberty.”)

Parts that aren’t supposed to enlarge begin to, and one that’s supposed to may begin not to. And there’s the annual “digital exam,” an undignified ritual that has nothing to do with the hard drive on your laptop. On top of all that, the AARP starts knocking on your door, reminding you cheerily that you’re entering the twilight of whatever career you’ve chosen.

The mind, though, won’t surrender; it wants to sustain its youth. And other than sports, few things signify youth more than rock and roll. At some point a guy may decide he’ll do his hips or knees a favor and give up racquetball or water-skiing or running, but the mind can’t let go of the music of its youth. What’s the option? Start listening to light jazz?

Springsteen, who will turn 60 next year, has always believed in rock’s redemptive spirit, its powers of salvation and rebellion. Last year, he released his 15th studio album – 35 years after he issued his first. “Magic” isn’t his best album, but it’s a good one. Not many guys his age can say they’ve made such a respectable rock record so far into their careers.

A lot of its charm comes from the music, which is mostly meat-and-potatoes rock. But lyrically, Springsteen writes from a place that feels more complicated: from the perspective of a guy who has taken stock in his life, who knows where he is and what he has become.

The best example of that on “Magic” is “Girls in Their Summer Clothes,” the albums prettiest song. It sounds like something Stephin Merritt might have written with Brian Wilson: a wistful story cast in a sweet, sunny melody.

The song is written from the perspective of a guy trying to mend a broken heart or just restart his life. The scene is nostalgic: Kids play games in the street. Bank clock chimes. And though it’s a cool night, the streets are busy with young girls dressed for summer. The singer is beaten and blue but determined to find love again: “Love's a fool's dance / I ain't got much sense but I still got my feet …”

The deeper message, though, goes beyond a guy’s determination to find another girl. It comes in the chorus and it brings to mind the line from Matthew McConaughey in “Dazed and Confused”: “That’s what I love about these high school girls. I get older; they stay the same age.”

The singer in “Summer Clothes” notices the pretty girls, too, but he implicitly acknowledges that that they aren’t dressed that way for guys like him, that they look past him or through him -– that he’s too old for them: “The girls in their summer clothes / Pass me by.”

If rock and roll is about youth it is also about sex and then love. That terrain can get hard to navigate when a guy is old enough to bounce grandchildren off his knee. I’ve never seen a bad Aerosmith show, but the thought of seeing Steven Tyler sing “Love in an Elevator” again makes me want to take the stairs. God bless the Stones, but every year it gets a little harder to watch Mick and Keith go through those motions. There comes a time when a guy has to stop gyrating his hips and dance his age. (That goes for you, too, Bon Jovi.)

No one has written a handbook on aging gracefully in rock and roll. Lots of performers navigate that evolution by changing styles, like Dylan (at least on his records) or, more recently, Robert Plant. Springsteen seems to have negotiated a compromise on “Magic” and especially in “Summer Clothes.”

Thirty-plus years ago, he/his characters mingled and mixed with the barefoot girls drinking beer in the summer rain. In "Summer Clothes," his hero notices them, and they still give him a sexual jolt -– the libido’s the last thing to go. But he also acknowledges they are no longer there for his taking. Instead, he’s out to find something more realistic and with someone closer to his own age.

The song doesn’t make a guy who just hit 50 feel like a teenager again, but it does sustain the notion that rock and roll has a place in life, no matter how young or old you are.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[sleepy]

One of my favorite tracks off Magic.

I always read this song as sort of the antithesis of My City Of Ruin because he spends so much time talking about a vibrant place where people are outside and things are happening. Just my humble opinion though.

[kb]

Beautifully written Tim. One of the things that has bound me to Bruce over the years has been the fact that he has grown up with his core audience. We age, but we still rock. You can have all the grown up trouble and concerns but a little rock n roll redemption can take it away for a few hours. Can't wait for Sunday.

[JT]

You gotta lay off the viagra.

[Tim Finn]

I'm not that old. (The only thing i'm on is simvastatin.)

[Michael Atchison]

Great piece, Tim. Any word on the details of the GA lottery for the pit? I don't see anything on the Sprint Center site.

[SW]

I love this track, and I can't understand why it is not one of the tracks off Magic being played regularly on this tour.

In fact, two of my favorite tracks off Magic have been rarities ..

Girls in Their Summer Clothes & You'll be Coming Down are both great songs about growing older and are rarely played.

[Tim Finn]

The rough details on the lottery: It happens at 5 p.m. They hand out numbers to anyone with a GA ticket who wants one, then pick a number out of a hat and the person whose number matches that is No. 1 followed by others in chronological order until the quota (several hundred) is met. Those people get in the pit. I'll verify all this -- exactly where and when and how many -- with the promoter today. Anyone who's gone through this recently can pipe in if I got this wrong.

[onthemark]

This is going to be the concert of the year! Final show of the 'Magic' tour, and Bruce and the band have been tearing it up of late. No telling what rarities we might hear, but anything they play is fine with me! Well, except for 'Mary, Queen of Arkansas' that is...

[The Big Lead]

Sorry to break it to you old timers but Springsteen is about as relevant as Lawrence Welk. I find it humorous to see all these Bruce fans trying desperately to hold on to their youth...real rock and roll has no place for anyone over 40.

[robert]

wait, i'm confused. on the lottery thing. is there area that i can't get into on the floor with the GA ticket i already bought?

[SW]

"real rock and roll has no place for anyone over 40."

I would argue that no real rock and roll has been produced by anyone under 40 in the last (oh ...) 15 years.

[Tim Finn]

All GA tickets are on the floor. However, there's a space -- the Pit -- closest to the stage that is reserved (barricaded) for the random lottery winners. You don't have to do the lotto if you have a GA ticket; but if you want a spot in the pit, you gotta do the lotto. It eliminates a stampede for those spots on the floor.

[onthemark]

"real rock and roll has no place for anyone over 40."

I love it, spoken like someone who grew up in the 60's! Biglead, spare us your youthful intolerance, for you know not what you speak of. I am sorry that Bruce is not as relevant to you as say, Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers. And I am not 'desperately trying to hold onto my youth', instead I prefer to enjoy the wisdom that comes with age and experience. So, my underage friend, I suggest you go see Bruce for yourself (if you can stay out past your curfew) and see just what all the hooplah is about. Who knows, you might even learn something. Such as, age is no barrier to producing kick ass rock and roll!

[RaiderHawk]

" ... as relevant as Lawrence Welk." First of all, you can't be that young or you'd have no idea who Lawrence Welk was. And relevant to what? So many of today's bands, who disappear after their crappy second album? You may have a point there.

[JJ]

Plenty of good bands under age 40 but the best of them sound still sound like echos from the great bands of the 60's and 70's and maybe early 80's. To me a great song is relevant if it was made in 1958 or 2008. Some people can open their ears to all music and some cannot.

[Scorp]

Bruce turns 59 next month and he's out there just rocking the holy hell out of it for 3 hours every night. KC show is going to be phenomenal. He has one more show the following week in Milwaukee and then that's it for awhile.

anyone with a ga ticket can pick up a wristband between 2 and 5, 515 they draw a number, if they draw 169 and you have 169, you're in first and everyone lines up behind you. I'm guessing Sprint Centers pit area will allow somewhere between 350 and 400 people. I'm in Nashville for the show tonight and then in St Louis for Saturday nights show. I kinda like Bruce and the band:)If im in the pit tonight I will not be able to get any videos, if I dont make the pit I will just go find a empty upper deck seat and see if I can get a few songs recorded.
One thing you should know if you don't already, Bruces security are major camera police. DO NOT have your camera out for more than 10 15 seconds if even that long. Get your pic quick, no flash, and put it away. I'm telling you they will take your memory cards and or batteries.

[concertchris]

nice piece Tim.

never been a huge Bruce fan, but have much respect for the guy. i also have much respect for the 50+ crowd at shows.

[Musical Justice]

Real rock and roll is a matter of attitude, not age. Some oldsters lose the attitude with age (Rod Stewart) and some never do (Iggy Pop, Alejandro Escovedo). Some youngsters have it (Jack White, The Hold Steady) and some don't and never will (David Archuleta).

Just sayin'...

[Rob Lowson]

Tim, Springsteen brings it hard and real in a 3 hour set. No lip-syncing, pyro,fancy stage or any other gimmicks(unless you consider taking requests from his fans a gimmick?!)
Just a raucous 3 hour RnR party with the best band in the land. You should check out the book For YOU if you want to know what Bruce really means to his fans.

[Penny]

I'm in Nashville, too, and just got back from the Springsteen show.

For anyone to call this guy old is a joke. I've worked his tours in the past and he is better now than he's ever been.

Bruce is absolutely tireless and vibrant. And all the oldsters stood thru the entire show and sang every note. The energy in the place went thru the roof.

I guess he must be getting old though, he only played non-stop for 2 hours and 45 minutes.

KC is in for a real treat!

[Penny]

Oh Tim, I also meant to say 'what a lovely piece.' Very elequently said.

For me, rock and roll has always been medicine, especially as I get older.

[mdr421]

Not all the people at this concernt will be over 40! My boyfriend and I are huge Bruce fans and we are 29 & 33 and we can't wait to see him live. It will be our first time at one of his concerts!!!

[Eric]

Well, I'm 34 and can't wait to seen Bruce tonight..one of the things I told myself is I have to see Springsteen live at least once in my life.

[Darin]

Loved the show, but I wish he wouldn't have started an hour and a half late!!!! What's up with that?

[big russ]

i did not mind him starting 1-1/2 hours late. he more than made up for it by jamming for over 3 hours. sprint center has been open just under a year and i've seen some fantastic concerts there so far... garth brooks, billy joel, and now bruce springsteen...

bruce might have been one of the best concerts i have seen. and i am 29 and not the "traditional" springsteen fan.

[ed]

Sad that he started an hour and a half late and that the band missed so many notes. Uninspired performance from a thankless band. I'll keep my money next time.