Candy's Room

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Track 4 of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, 1978.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town (1978)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: piano, backing vocals
- Clarence Clemons: percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
- Garry Tallent: bass
- Steven Van Zandt: guitar, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums

THE FAST SONG - V1	2:54	LM-2 / DO-3 / UP / ATEOD / AM / DDO / DDOC
THE FAST SONG - V2a	2:32	DO-3
THE FAST SONG - V2b	2:58	UP / GT / DO-2 / AM / SOTE
THE FAST SONG - V2c	3:01	LM-3 / UP / ODM / HOD / DO-2 / SOTE
THE FAST SONG - V2d	3:04	UP / AM / DDO / MT1 / LUTHER
NEW FAST SONG (CANDY) - V3		uncirculating
CANDY'S ROOM DEMO - V4	1:37	PROMISE: VAULT
CANDY'S ROOM - V5a - mix take #13	2:41	ODM / HOD / UP / AM
CANDY'S ROOM - V5b - mix take #42	2:43	DARKNESS

Note: "God's Angels", alternately named "The Fast Song", was a fast-paced melody written by Bruce around May 1977 and developed at Atlantic Studios, New York during June. Though studio logs show the first take was on June 6, evidence exists that it was recorded on June 1 at Atlantic Studios, the first day of sessions (see 'Star Wars' tape below). Instrumental track V1 was worked on in early June. The lyrics heard in V2a can only be found in very poor quality on 'Darkness Outtakes Volume 3 (The Promise)', but features an incredible searing guitar solo, strangely never to be heard again. "I wish God's Angels would tear this town down, blow it into the sea, and that's okay with me because I don't care"; V1, 2a-2d were worked on June 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 20 and 24, and again on August 24, September 1 and 2, 1977, and lyrics slightly change, "I wish God's angels would tear this town down and blow it into the sea, man that's alright with me I don't care anymore". The only song he worked on harder was "Racing In the Street". All of the lines were blown into the sea at the end of September.

The evidence is a bit confusing, but it is not hard to conclude that "Candy's Room" was around since at least May 1977, and was connected to "The Fast Song", as evidenced by the Ampex cassette jacket ('The Star Wars' tape), dated June 1, 1977. Springsteen's mind at this point was turning faster than ever with song ideas; he was nothing like the "Born to Run" Bruce. Darkness was set to be released in October 1977, but he postponed that until June 1978, because of the constant stream of new ideas flowing through his head. Nothing illustrates this better than the genesis of "Candy's Room". After September 2, 1977, the last time "The Fast Song" and "Candy's Boy" would appear on the logs, Bruce decided to re-organize them into "The New Fast Song", giving his obsession (Candy) the home she deserves. On September 27, "The New Fast Song" V3 appeared for the first time on studio logs; we don't have an outtake, but we do have the words, on a handwritten lyric sheet titled "The New Fast Song (Candy)". He took the first verse of "Candy's Boy", the second verse from the "Fast Song", lines from "Frankie", and fresh lyrics (i.e. "we kiss", instead of "I got caught" at the start of Max's drum roll). The third verse was mainly adapted from "The Fast Song". The lyrics contain several lines that did not survive to the album track "Candy's Room" V5. "I get visions of avenging angels of eden with their white horses and flaming swords can blow this whole town into the sea" is from "God's Angels-Fast Song", and "they cant touch Candy and me, our love they cannot destroy, I will forever be Candy's boy" are mostly from "Candy's Boy". According to author Clinton Heylin, the band worked on this extensively over the next two days. Clinton referenced the September 27 date to Sony Archives. Of great interest is the film clip shot by Barry Rebo from September 30, 1977, which appeared on the Thrill Hill Vault DVD/Blu-ray of The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set. It is a short segment, with Bruce and Jon Landau at the Record Plant, as Bruce plays for Jon new lyrics he has written for "Candy's Room Demo" V4; these are entirely new, and describe a magical house at the edge of town, with Candy waiting for him in the window. The date here is also from Sony Archives, who show another take on December 12, 1977, and then a marathon mixing session, from March 3 to March 5, 1978, which finally concluded when take 42 (v5b) was selected for Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

^{Studio Sessions: Darkness On The Edge Of Town}