Best Songs Bruce Springsteen Wrote For Southside Johnny

10 Best Songs Bruce Springsteen Wrote For Southside Johnny

Feature Photo: Glynnis Jones / Shutterstock.com

Our “Best Songs Bruce Springsteen Wrote for Southside Johnny” article presents a list of the best songs Springsteen wrote for Southside Johnny. The history of the relationship between Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and many other members of the E Street Band, including Danny Federici, goes back to the bar days in Asbury Park, New Jersey. When Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were first starting out, Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt wrote a wide collection of songs for the band. Steven Van Zandt was also part of the band in the early days.

We decided to put together two articles: one that features the songs that Springsteen wrote for Southside Johnny and the other that features the songs Steven wrote for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Almost all the songs Bruce Springsteen wrote for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were released on the group’s first three albums. Only one of them, “Better Days,” was released in the early ’90s. We arranged the songs below in the order of our favorites, with number one being our top choice. Nonetheless, all of them are great, and there are even a couple that Springsteen himself recorded.

# 9 – When You Dance – This Time It’s For Real

We open up our list of the best songs Bruce Springsteen wrote for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes with a track from the band’s second album, This Time It’s for Real. On the group’s sophomore release, 8 out of the 10 songs were either written by Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, or a combination of both. We start this list with the closing track of the album, entitled “When You Dance.” This song was written by both Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt. The song opens with about a minute of sound effects, which was not easy to fast forward through on a vinyl record. However, once you get past the first minute, it’s a real party song that turned out to be a fun track.

# 8 – Trapped Again – Hearts Of Stone

“Trapped Again” is the first of three songs penned by Bruce Springsteen from the Hearts of Stone album to appear on this list. However, unlike the other two songs, which were written solely by Bruce Springsteen, this one was a collaboration between Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Van Zandt. It became a big-time concert favorite, especially after the album’s release. It’s a great big band rock and roll song where the Asbury Jukes’ horn section really shines.

# 7 – Little Girl So Fine – This Time It’s For Real

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ second album, This Time It’s for Real, was a tribute to the sound of the ’50s in many ways. Not only were the songs, like “Little Girl So Fine,” paying homage to that era, but the album also included guest appearances by some of the most famous musicians from that time. Members of The Coasters, The Satins, and The Drifters appeared on the album. This beautiful song, written by Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, featured The Drifters as backing vocalists. It doesn’t get much better than that.

# 6 – All The Way Home – Better Days

In 1991, Southside Johnny released the album Better Days. It was perceived as a comeback album for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, not only because the band had not released an album in 11 years, but also because it marked the first time Southside Johnny had reunited with Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt on an album since 1978’s Hearts of Stone.

Steven Van Zandt wrote most of the songs on the album, with a few exceptions. One of them was the album’s 13th track, “All the Way Home,” written by Bruce Springsteen. It is by far one of the best songs on the album, showcasing the signature Springsteen style. Bruce Springsteen also sang backing vocals on the song as well as playing keyboards. Garry Tallent played bass, and Max Weinberg played drums. This was a truly special album, marking a significant moment in the band’s history.

# 5 – Love On The Wrong Side Of Town

# 4 – You Mean So Much To Me – I Don’t Want To Go Home

At the number four spot on our list is the Bruce Springsteen-penned song “You Mean So Much to Me.” Springsteen had recorded the song with his E Street Band and was actually performing it live. There’s a great live version from 1974 where Springsteen just tears it up. However, this is one of two songs that Steven Van Zandt convinced Springsteen to give to Southside Johnny to record for their debut album. This one was extra special because they were able to get Ronnie Spector to do a duet with Southside Johnny. It wound up being the closing track on their debut album.

# 3 – Hearts Of Stone – Hearts Of Stone

Like the next song on this list, “Hearts of Stone” was recorded by Springsteen and the E Street Band for Darkness on the Edge of Town. It was one of many tracks recorded for the album that Springsteen never released until many years later on the Tracks box set. Springsteen had written so many songs for Darkness because he was in the midst of a lawsuit with Mike Appel, as he wanted to switch his management to John Landau. During that time, when he couldn’t release music, he just wrote tons of songs. “Hearts of Stone” was one of those songs that got picked up by Southside Johnny and ended up being the title track for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ third album. It’s one of the most beautiful ballads Springsteen has ever written. Both versions—Springsteen’s and Southside Johnny’s—will just tear you up.

# 2 – Talk To Me – Hearts Of Stone

As we close in on the number one spot on our Springsteen and Southside Johnny song list, we turn to the charming and exhilarating song “Talk to Me.” “Talk to Me” was one of the songs Springsteen had recorded with the E Street Band, possibly for inclusion on Darkness on the Edge of Town. However, it wound up being recorded by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes for the group’s third album, Hearts of Stone.

It was one of three singles released from the album and became a concert favorite for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. This is a real fun one.

# 1 – The Fever – I’ Don’t Want To Go Home

We close out our list with Southside Johnny’s spectacular version of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Fever.” This was a song that was not originally written for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. It was eventually given to Southside Johnny as a favor to Steven Van Zandt, who asked Bruce to contribute a couple of songs to their debut album.

“The Fever” was originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen around 1973 but was never released on any Springsteen album until 1999 when it finally appeared on the 18 Tracks compilation. However, in the early seventies, a recording of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Fever” was sent out to U.S. radio stations in cities where Springsteen had started to gain a following, and it became a pretty big hit. It would become a song that was often requested at shows, though Springsteen hardly ever performed it.

Once Southside Johnny recorded this song, it pretty much became their signature song and was usually the closing number or an encore at their shows. It was perfect for Southside Johnny. His blue-eyed soul voice knew exactly what to do with it, and the Asbury Jukes horns took it to a whole new level.

We have written so many articles on the site that feature the New Jersey sound of Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Below is a sampling of some of those articles:

Top 10 Southside Johnny Songs

The Fever: Springsteen or Southside Johnny’s version?

Complete List Of Steven Van Zandt Albums And Songs

10 Essential Steven Van Zandt Songs