| THUNDERCRACK - V1 | uncirculating | |
| THUNDERCRACK - V2 | uncirculating | |
| THUNDERCRACK - V3 | uncirculating | |
| THUNDERCRACK - V4 | uncirculating | |
| THUNDERCRACK - V5 | 8:23 | TRACKS |
Note: Written in mid-1972. This was performed live regularly, usually as the big show closer, from October 1972 right up until Vini Lopez's departure from the band in February 1974. "It ended three or four different times - you didn't know where it was going to go. It was just a big, epic show-ender that was meant to leave the audience gasping a little bit for their breath - "Hey, who was that guy? That was pretty good…," Bruce said at a 1999 interview for Mojo. On the first known day of Wild & Innocent sessions, May 14, 1973, at 914 Sound Studios, the band recorded V1 of "Thundercrack" before moving on to 8 takes of "Circus Song". Work was resumed with V2, on June 22, 1973, then additional takes, overdubs or mixing took place on August 7 V3, and August 9, V4, but later comments by Springsteen indicate the song was not completed to his satisfaction, or perhaps a completed version could not be found for 1998's Tracks. V5 added background vocals by Vini Lopez, cut in 1997, to approximate the sound of live performances. "I found a version which was actually pretty good, called up Vini Lopez and I said, "Vini, I have some singing for you to do" and Vini - he's a caddy master at a golf course - he just comes by and I said, "Remember this song?" He came in and sang all his parts completely unprompted, like he remembered it exactly from 25 years ago," Bruce added at the Mojo interview. Regarding its omission from his second album, Springsteen said there just wasn't room enough for "Thundercrack" and "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)." Whether he meant his two biggest show-closers ever on the same record, or lack of disc space, is unknown.