American Beauty

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Commercially Released: January 14, 2014 (High Hopes) / April 18, 2014 (American Beauty)
Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Brendan O'Brien and Ron Aniello
Recorded by Toby Scott, assisted by  Ross Petersen, Nick DiDia (High Hopes)
 and Rob Lebret (American Beauty) at Thrill Hill Studios*
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, assisted by Brandon Duncan at Mix This!, Mix LA,
 Henson Recording Studios, Southern Tracks
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering
Design by Michelle Holme
Photography by Danny Clinch, assisted by Edward Smith and Nyra Lang

^{* A total of sixteen studios were used, see below for full list, including their assistant engineers.}

Table of Contents

Additional Information

Overview

The High Hopes story begins on December 9, 2012. Springsteen called producer Ron Aniello to say that he had some songs that he wanted Aniello to work on. He presented him with a collection of demos, older songs, saying "We're gonna get these in shape and see what we've got." However, Springsteen was currently halfway through the Wrecking Ball Tour, which meant convening for sessions was difficult, if not impossible to achieve. As such, much of the recording work was undertaken by Aniello in Los Angeles and New York, E Street sessions in Australia in March 2013 and also band members adding parts individually at recording studios around the country. Most of the demos appear to be from the 2002-2008 period, and those recordings form the basis of the final result found on the album. According to Aniello, a total of twenty songs were recorded during this period, so eight were cut, including some of Aniello's favourites. Four of these rejected tracks (three mentioned by Aniello, plus "Hurry Up Sundown") were later released on the American Beauty EP for Record Store Day on April 19, 2014. The fourth song title revealed by Aniello, "Cold Spot", remains unreleased.

For a limited time High Hopes came with a Bonus DVD Born In The U.S.A. Live.

American Beauty is a four-song EP by Bruce that was released on limited edition (7,500 copies) 12-inch vinyl exclusively for ’Record Store Day’ on April 19, 2014. A digital download version was also released on April 22, 2014. The four songs that appeared on the EP are outtakes from Bruce’s 2014 album High Hopes. Bruce said of the four songs, "they're just good music that didn't get onto this record, and was sitting there. I thought it's a nice time to support the record stores, which are dwindling and get some new music out at the same time."

Liner Notes

Bruce Springsteen on High Hopes
I was working on a record of some of our best unreleased material from the past decade when Tom Morello (sitting in for Steve during the Australian leg of our tour) suggested we ought to add "High Hopes" to our live set. I had cut "High Hopes," a song by Tim Scott McConnell of the LA based Havalinas, in the 90's. We worked it up in our Aussie rehearsals and Tom then proceeded to burn the house down with it. We re-cut it mid tour at Studios 301 in Sydney along with "Just Like Fire Would," a song from one of my favorite early Australian punk bands, The Saints (check out "I'm Stranded"). Tom and his guitar became my muse, pushing the rest of this project to another level. Thanks for the inspiration Tom.
Some of these songs, "American Skin" and "Ghost of Tom Joad," you'll be familiar with from our live versions. I felt they were among the best of my writing and deserved a proper studio recording. "The Wall" is something I'd played on stage a few times and remains very close to my heart. The title and idea were Joe Grushecky's, then the song appeared after Patti and I made a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. It was inspired by my memories of Walter Cichon. Walter was one of the great early Jersey Shore rockers, who along with his brother Ray (one of my early guitar mentors) led the "Motifs". The Motifs were a local rock band who were always a head above everybody else. Raw, sexy and rebellious, they were the heroes you aspired to be. But these were heroes you could touch, speak to, and go to with your musical inquiries. Cool, but always accessible, they were an inspiration to me, and many young working musicians in 1960's central New Jersey. Though my character in "The Wall" is a Marine, Walter was actually in the Army, A Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry. He was the first person I ever stood in the presence of who was filled with the mystique of the true rock star. Walter went missing in action in Vietnam in March 1968. He still performs somewhat regularly in my mind, the way he stood, dressed, held the tambourine, the casual cool, the freeness. The man who by his attitude, his walk said "you can defy all this, all of what's here, all of what you've been taught, taught to fear, to love and you'll still be alright." His was a terrible loss to us, his loved ones and the local music scene. I still miss him.
This is music I always felt needed to be released. From the gangsters of "Harry's Place," the ill-prepared roomies on "Frankie Fell In Love" (shades of Steve and I bumming together in our Asbury Park apartment) the travelers in the wasteland of "Hunter Of Invisible Game," to the soldier and his visiting friend in "The Wall", I felt they all deserved a home and a hearing. Hope you enjoy it.

Bruce Springsteen on American Beauty
American Beauty is a collection of songs I cut at home. Upon revisiting them for High Hopes I recognized their potential and Ron Aniello and I worked on them until we'd turned them into the music before you. In the song “American Beauty,” I get to sing in a part of my range I don’t often visit and that along with its ‘guitar wall of sound’ gives it a little 'exile on E Street' power. "Mary Mary" is a lovely mystery, a small piece of heartbreak poetry that sneaks up on you with its slippery grove, punctuated string section and spectral lyrics. It came closest to making the High Hopes cut. "Hurry Up Sundown" is a fun piece of modern power pop, while "Hey Blue Eyes" rounds out the EP with one of my darkest political songs. Written during the Bush years, it's a metaphor for the house of horrors our government’s actions created in the years following the invasion of Iraq. At its center is the repressed sexuality and abuse of power that characterized Abu Ghraib prison. I feel this is a shadow we as a country have yet to emerge from.

Released

#	Song Title	Running Time	Release
1.	HIGH HOPES	4:57	HOPES
2.	HARRY'S PLACE	4:04	HOPES
3.	AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS)	7:23	HOPES
4.	JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD	3:56	HOPES
5.	DOWN IN THE HOLE	4:59	HOPES
6.	HEAVEN'S WALL	3:50	HOPES
7.	FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE	2:48	HOPES
8.	THIS IS YOUR SWORD	2:52	HOPES
9.	HUNTER OF INVISIBLE GAME	4:42	HOPES
10.	THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD	7:33	HOPES
11.	THE WALL	4:20	HOPES
12.	DREAM BABY DREAM	5:00	HOPES

^{Total Running Time: 56:32}

#	Song Title	Running Time	Release
1.	BORN IN THE U.S.A.	4:55	HH: BONUS
2.	COVER ME	4:36	HH: BONUS
3.	DARLINGTON COUNTY	5:41	HH: BONUS
4.	WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY	5:39	HH: BONUS
5.	DOWNBOUND TRAIN	4:37	HH: BONUS
6.	I'M ON FIRE	3:30	HH: BONUS
7.	NO SURRENDER	4:56	HH: BONUS
8.	BOBBY JEAN	4:33	HH: BONUS
9.	I'M GOIN' DOWN	4:20	HH: BONUS
10.	GLORY DAYS	5:42	HH: BONUS
11.	DANCING IN THE DARK	7:50	HH: BONUS
12.	MY HOMETOWN	5:54	HH: BONUS
13.	SHUT OUT THE LIGHT	4:00	HH: BONUS

#	Song Title	Running Time	Release
1.	AMERICAN BEAUTY	4:06	BEAUTY
2.	MARY MARY	2:51	BEAUTY
3.	HURRY UP SUNDOWN	3:17	BEAUTY
4.	HEY BLUE EYES	4:34	BEAUTY

Additional Information

^{© All credits to the original photographer. If you want your photo to be removed, let us know, and we will remove it.}

Media	Song Title	Recording Date	Location
DVD	ALL	June 30, 2013	Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, England

HIGH HOPES - V1	3:31	YBNT2
HIGH HOPES - V2	4:20	BB: EP
HIGH HOPES - V3	2:46	private
HIGH HOPES - V4	4:57	HOPES

Note: Song written in 1987 by Tim McConnell (aka Tim Scott). Recorded by Springsteen in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City. V1 is a brief snippet of a different recorded take, as heard in the video. V2 is the complete take officially issued on the Blood Brothers EP. V3 is an alternative, rather funky arrangement with low, almost whispered lyrics and is reminiscent of War's "Spill The Wine". The take is aborted early, with Bruce requesting a cup of tea. V4 re-recorded at Sydney's Studios 301 in March 2013 in Australia with the extended E Street Band during the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour. The first single from High Hopes, released November 25, 2013. Produced by Springsteen and Ron Aniello. Musician credits are Springsteen on vocals, guitar, vibraphone and percussion. Roy Bittan on piano, Nils Lofgren on guitar, Patti Scialifa on backing vocals, Garry Tallent on bass, Max Weinberg on drums, Tom Morello on guitar, Charlie Giordano on accordian, Soozie Tyrell on backing vocals, drum loop by Ron Aniello, Everett Bradley on percussion and backing vocals. Horn section is Barry Daniellian, Clark Gayton, Stan Harrison, Ed Manion and Curt Ramm. Curtis King, Cindy Mizelle and Michelle Moore provide backing vocals.

HARRY'S PLACE - V1		uncirculating
HARRY'S PLACE - V2		uncirculating
HARRY'S PLACE - V3		uncirculating
HARRY'S PLACE - V4	4:04	HOPES

Note: The background of this song is somewhat confusing. First identified in a July 31, 2002 TV interview with journalist Ted Koppel, when Springsteen read out the lyrics to the first verse from his lyric book. Bruce has since commented that only the lyrics were written in 2001 (V2) during sessions for The Rising (although he has also stated that the band attempted to record the song at sessions prior to The Rising, perhaps in the late 90s - V1), and the music dates from the mid-2000s, probably from the Magic sessions in 2007 (V3). Springsteen confirmed that seventeen songs were recorded in Atlanta and that "Harry's Place" was one of the two songs that didn't make the final 15-song line-up for The Rising album – Bruce felt this rocker about a fictitious local kingpin didn't blend in well with the rest of the album's material. During that TV interview Springsteen, upon request of Koppel, actually recited the entire first verse of this song's lyrics. Comments made by Springsteen since 2002 suggest that only the lyrics were written in 2002 and the music was added some years later, perhaps during 2007's Magic sessions. Bruce has said that it almost made Magic, but was left off because he wanted twelve songs on the album rather than thirteen. Screen captures of the lyric book show that only the first verse dates from 2002, the rest appears to have been re-written in the intervening years. The song is not related, either musically or lyrically, to "Mary's Place" – they merely happen to share the same word in the title. Subsequently issued on 2014's High Hopes. It should be noted that "Hard Drive" (often mentioned in the same breath as "Harry's Place") was not a Rising-era recording or song – rather it was a never developed (i.e., no lyrics/music) title found in Springsteen's Rising sessions songwriting notebook that had first been seen and noted by journalist Jon Pareles in a July 2002 interview with Springsteen at Bruce's home.

AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) - V1	5:13	SA / 2001 promo
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) - V2		uncirculating
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) - V3		uncirculating
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) - V4	7:24	HOPES

Note: Written by Springsteen during the spring of 2000 and premiered live on June 4, 2000 at a show with the E Street Band in Atlanta. It appears that this recording utilises the backing music (with a slightly altered mix) from the live version recorded on July 1, 2000 at Madison Square Garden and officially released on Live In New York City. Springsteen recorded V1 a new vocal at The Hit Factory, New York City on March 2, 2001. Produced by Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin. Released on a promotion-only single in June 2001. Studio vocals were laid over a different mix of the released live version's instrumental tracks. Producer Ron Aniello revealed in a December 2013 interview with Rolling Stone's Andy Greene that American Skin (41 Shots) V2 was cut during the Wrecking Ball-recording sessions, but ultimately was not used. "We did try a track of that", he said, "but it wasn't really an outtake". V3 was recorded in studio again in 2013 and featured Tom Morello on guitar. "His presence made a big, big difference", Springsteen said. "He obviously brings those things to great life and deepens them and deepens the characters". Prior to the March 2013 Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour, Tom Morello was sent the song to play guitar on V4. "I did that in my home studio and Bruce seemed to like that very much", He told Andy Greene in a January 2014 interview for Rolling Stone. "That song to me was the most challenging one. It was also the first one I did. Normally I'll go in there and tinker with a song a bit and try to capture inspiration and see if the world likes it or not. But that song just didn't come together for me. I went back to it a couple of times, and I'm glad that I did because at the end of the day I was really pleased with how the guitar solo and the rhythm stuff came out. But that one felt like it was work. I had to really work on that one".

March 2, 2001.
Wrecking Ball recording session
2013 and featured Tom Morello on guitar.
Prior to the March 2013 Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour, Tom Morello was sent the song to play guitar on.

JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD

3:56

HOPES

Note: Written by Chris Bailey, frontman of Australian band The Saints and first released in 1986 on their album All Fools Day. Springsteen premiered his cover of "Just Like Fire Would" on March 14, 2013 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Recorded in March 2013 at Studios 301 in Sydney, Australia with the extended E Street Band during the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Musician credits: Springsteen (vocals, guitar), Roy Bittan (piano), Nils Lofgren (guitar), Garry Tallent (bass), Max Weinberg (drums), Steve Van Zandt (backing vocals), Patti Scialfa (backing vocals), Tom Morello (guitar), Charlie Giordano (organ), Ron Aniello (12 string guitar) and Everett Bradley (percussion, backing vocals). Horn section: Jake Clemons, Barry Danielian, Clark Gayton, Ed Manion and Curt Ramm and Jeff Kievit (piccolo trumpet). Curtis King, Cindy Mizelle and Michelle Moore provide backing vocals. Strings are provided by the New York Chamber Consort and arranged and conducted by Rob Mathes. Lisa Kim is the choirmaster. Violins by Quan Ge, Hyunju Lee, Jessica Lee, Ann Lehman, Joanna Maurer, Suzanne Ornstein, Annaliesa Place, David Southorn, Jeanine Wynton and Sharon Yamada. Violas: Maurycy Banaszek, Désirée Elsevier, Shmuel Katz and Robert Rinehart. Celli: Maria Kitsopoulos, Alan Stepansky and Ru Pei Yeh.

DOWN IN THE HOLE - V1		uncirculating
DOWN IN THE HOLE - V2	4:59	HOPES

Note: Springsteen confirmed in a December 2013 in a Rolling Stone interview that "Down In The Hole" V1 was recorded during sessions for The Rising. V2 re-recorded in 2013 and issued on 2014's High Hopes album, although it's likely that the 2002 basic track was re-used, with the addition of some overdubs. Produced by Brendan O'Brien. Identified in a December 2013 Rolling Stone article as recorded during sessions for The Rising. Features Clarence Clemons on tenor saxophone, Danny Federici on organ, Patti Scialfa (backing vocals), Garry Tallent (bass), Max Weinberg (drums) and Soozie Tyrell (violin). Springsteen's children Evan, Jess, and Sam provide backing vocals.

HEAVEN'S WALL

3:50

HOPES

Note: With Tom Morello. Produced by Springsteen, Aniello and O'Brien, suggesting this recording (at least in part) dates from 2004-2008, perhaps most likely 2007 during the recording sessions for Magic. Aniello has stated that the original basic track (vocals, drum and bass) was used, and 2013 overdubs completed the song. Musician credits are Springsteen (vocals, guitar, additional bass, percussion loop, organ, synth), Patti Scialfa (backing vocals), Garry Tallent (bass), Max Weinberg (drums), Tom Morello (lead guitar), Soozie Tyrell (backing vocals), Ron Aniello (percussion loop), synth, farfisa organ), Sessions Band violinist Sam Bardfeld, Everett Bradley (percussion). Backing vocals by Tawatha Agee, Keith Fluitt, Curtis King, John James, Cindy Mizelle, Al Thornton and Brenda White. Strings are provided by the New York Chamber Consort and arranged and conducted by Rob Mathes. Lisa Kim is the choirmaster. Violins by Quan Ge, Hyunju Lee, Jessica Lee, Ann Lehman, Joanna Maurer, Suzanne Ornstein, Annaliesa Place, David Southorn, Jeanine Wynton and Sharon Yamada. Violas: Maurycy Banaszek, Désirée Elsevier, Shmuel Katz and Robert Rinehart. Celli: Maria Kitsopoulos, Alan Stepansky and Ru Pei Yeh.

FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V1		uncirculating
FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V2	2:48	HOPES

Note: Springsteen has stated that the song was recorded for Magic but did not make the album. However, studio footage appears to date the song from the Working On A Dream sessions. Partially re-recorded in 2013 and issued on High Hopes. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Features Sessions Band violinist Sam Bardfeld. Springsteen has stated the song was originally recorded for Magic, and partially re-recorded for High Hopes. However, studio footage appears to date the cut from 2008, during sessions for Working On A Dream. Drums, bass and Van Zandt's contribution are all new. Musician credits are Springsteen (vocals, guitar, percussion, organ, mandolin), Roy Bittan (piano), Steve Van Zandt (backing vocals), Max Weinberg (drums), Ron Aniello (bass, guitar) and the aforementioned Sam Bardfeld (violin).

THIS IS YOUR SWORD

2:52

HOPES

Note: Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Song features Springsteen on guitar, synths, mandolin, banjo and piano. Roy Bittan on piano and organ, Patti Scialfa, Steve Van Zandt and Soozie Tyrell contribute backing vocals. Ron Aniello on bass, guitar and synth. Cillian Vallely contributes uilleann pipes and hi & lo whistle. Session musician Josh Freese plays drums since Max Weinberg was busy on tour. Also features Sessions Band violinist Sam Bardfeld.

HUNTER OF INVISIBLE GAME

4:42

HOPES / ESSENTIAL: 2015

Note: With Tom Morello. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, suggesting this recording dates from 2004-2008, presumably with a Morello overdub. Morello has stated in an interview that he heard O'Brien tinkering with a recording of "Hunter" in 2007 or 2008, but this doesn't necessarily prove it was recorded at that time. Musicians credited are Springsteen on vocals and guitar, Garry Tallent on bass, Max Weinberg on drums, Tom Morello on guitar and Soozie Tyrell on additional violin. Atlanta Strings: Eddie Horst provides the string arrangement and conducts. Violins by Justin Bruns, Jay Christy, Sheela Iyengar, John Meisner, William Pu, Christopher Pulgram, Olga Shpitko and Kenn Wagner. Violas by Amy Chang, Tania Maxwell Clements, Lachlan McBane. Celli by Karen Freer, Charae Krueger and Daniel Laufer.

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V1	4:20	JOAD / ESSENTIAL / CHAPTER
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V2		2007 compilation
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V3	7:34	HOPES

Note: Written as a rock song for the Greatest Hits project, but abandoned when Springsteen couldn't find an arrangement. Re-imagined as an acoustic song, and recorded May 23, 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Danny Federici (keyboards), Garry Tallent (bass), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel, dobro) and Gary Mallaber (drums). The rock arrangement was premiered live on April 7, 2008 in Anaheim, CA, performed with Tom Morello sharing lead vocals. V2 is an entirely re-recorded version, but was not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded at various stages and studio locations during the mid-late 2006 period. Bruce’s parts (vocal, harmonica) were recorded at Thrill Hill Recording, Rumson, New Jersey in August 2006. Pete Seeger’s vocals were recorded at Seeger’s cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006. The backing band’s individual parts were recorded at various locations around the USA during mid-late 2006 and then everything was mixed together at Shelter Island Sound Studios in NYC by David Seitz. The additional musicians are Mark Dann (acoustic guitar), David Hamburger (dobro), Mike Visceglia (bass), Tim Carbone (fiddle) and Ken Lovelett (percussion). Produced by Springsteen, Jim Musselman and David Seitz. The recording was first released on September 11, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation Sowing The Seeds (Appleseed). V3 was recorded in March 2013 in Los Angeles, the day before a flight to Australia for the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Musician credits are Springsteen (lead vocal, guitar), Roy Bittan (piano), Nils Lofgren (pedal steel, mandolin), Max Weinberg (drums), Tom Morello (lead vocal, guitar), Soozie Tyrell (violin), Charlie Giordano (accordion) and Ron Aniello (bass, synth).

THE WALL - V1		uncirculating
THE WALL - V2		HOPES

Note: Written December 1997-January 1998. The title and idea came from Joe Grushecky and written by Springsteen after he and Patti Scialfa visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Bruce premiered the song live on February 19, 2003 at Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, and prefaced the performance by mentioning that he'd visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington in December 1997 and that several days later Grushecky (in advance of their songwriting sessions) sent Bruce a newspaper clipping about the Vietnam Memorial. Grushecky subsequently wrote a different, but similarly themed, song called "On The Wall" that appeared on his 2002 Fingerprints album. Recorded in the late 90s (perhaps during sessions for Tracks) with the E Street Band, including Danny Federici. Played twice during 2005's Devils & Dust Tour. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Musician credits: Springsteen (vocals, guitar, drums), Roy Bittan (piano), Danny Federici (organ), Nils Lofgren (guitar), Patti Scialfa (backing vocals), Garry Tallent (bass), Max Weinberg (percussion), Ron Aniello (synths, accordion) and Curt Ramm (cornet). V2 issued on 2014's High Hopes.

DREAM BABY DREAM