Bruce Springsteen Shares He Played Guitar for Clarence Clemons as He Was Dying
Bruce Springsteen opened up about the loss of friend and E Street Band member Clarence Clemons in a new interview. Clemons died in 2011 at age 69 due to complications…
Bruce Springsteen opened up about the loss of friend and E Street Band member Clarence Clemons in a new interview.
Clemons died in 2011 at age 69 due to complications following a stroke. When "The Big Man" was in the hospital near the end of his life, Springsteen went to visit his friend and played him a song.
"I had a feeling he could hear me because he could squeeze your hand," recalls Springsteen. "When I first went to see him [after his stroke], there was some response to your voice and to you being in the room, it felt like. I knew that he was going to die, and so I just brought the guitar in and I strummed a song called ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.’ … It’s about passing over to the other side. It’s about life and death."
The Boss added, "His brother was there. I think Jake, his nephew, was there. And there were a few other people. But it was just a little tiny space… It’s a hymn … it was a song we were playing at the end of the night [on tour] and it was one of the last songs that Clarence and I worked on a sax solo together on."
Springsteen would later pay tribute to Clemons, late E Street Band member Danny Federici and former assistant Terry Magover on "Ghosts," a track from his 2020 album Letter to You.
Bruce Springsteen is one of the most prolific songwriters in music history. Here are his top 50 songs ranked.
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50. "This Depression" - ‘Wrecking Ball’ (2012)
Columbia49. "Devils and Dust" - ‘Devils And Dust’ (2005)
Columbia48. "My Beautiful Reward" - ‘Lucky Town’ (1992)
Columbia47. "57 Channels (And Nothin’ On)" (Little Steven Remix) - B-side of ‘57 Channels And Nothin’ On)’ (1992)
Columbia46. "If I Should Fall Behind" (live) - ‘Live In New York City’
Columbia45. "Western Stars" - ‘Western Stars’ (2019)
Columbia44. "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" - ‘Magic’ (2007)
Columbia43. "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" - ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ (1995)
42. "Bobby Jean" - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)
Columbia41. "Light Of Day" (live) - ‘In Concert/MTV Plugged’ (1993)
Columbia40. "Nebraska" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)
Columbia39. "American Land" - ‘We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (American Land Version)’ (2006)
Columbia38. "Two Hearts" - ‘The River’ (1980)
Columbia37. "You’re Missing" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)
Columbia36. "Tunnel Of Love" - ‘Tunnel Of Love’ (1987)
Columbia35. "Fire" (live) - “Live 1975-1985’
Columbia34. "One Step Up" - ‘Tunnel Of Love’ (1987)
Columbia33. "The Wrestler" - ‘The Wrestler’ soundtrack (2008)
Koch Records32. "Long Walk Home" - ‘Magic’ (2007)
Columbia31. "Blinded By The Light" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)
Columbia30. "Because The Night" - ‘Live 1975-1985’
Columbia29. "The River" - ‘The River’ (1980)
Columbia28. "Meeting Across The River" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
Columbia27. "Independence Day" - ‘The River’ (1980)
Columbia26. "Growin’ Up" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)
Columbia25. "My City Of Ruins" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)
Columbia24. "Born In The U.S.A." - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)
Columbia23. "Highway Patrolman" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)
Columbia22. "Streets Of Philadelphia" - ‘Philadelphia’ soundtrack (1993)
Sony21. "Johnny 99" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)
Columbia20. "Factory" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)
Columbia19. "The Rising" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)
Columbia18. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" - ‘The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle’ (1973)
Columbia17. "Lost In The Flood" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)
16. "It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)
Columbia15. "Reason To Believe" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)
Columbia14. "New York City Serenade" - ‘The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle’ (1973)
Columbia13. "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
Columbia12. "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" (live) - ‘Live: 1975 - 1985’
Columbia11. "Spirit In The Night" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)
Columbia10. "The Promised Land" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)
Columbia9. "Atlantic City" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)
Columbia8. "No Surrender" - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)
Columbia7. "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)
Columbia6. "Prove It All Night" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)
Columbia5. "Badlands" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)
4. "Jungleland" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
Columbia3. "Backstreets" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
Columbia2. "Thunder Road" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
Columbia1. "Born To Run" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
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