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 / 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	UP / ODM / HOD / DO-2 / SOTE
THE FAST SONG - V2d	3:04	LM-3 / UP / AM / DDO / MT1 / LUTHER
NEW FAST SONG (CANDY) - V3		uncirculating
CANDY'S ROOM DEMO - V4	1:37	PROMISE: DELUXE
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 over several months, starting in Spring 1977. For many nights on the last legs of the Lawsuit Tour, Bruce interpolated the lyrics of "God's Angels" into "Backstreets". When he got to Atlantic Studios, New York on June 1, he had music and additional lyrics written. Though studio logs show the first take was on June 6, evidence exists that it was recorded on June 1, 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" stayed with the song, perhaps until the final takes and mixing of "Candy's Room" in March 1978, but it was deleted, and now only heard in bootlegs. 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, such as God's Angels alternate "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, starting with changes at the end of September 1977.

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; an early concept album, Badlands was set to be released in October 1977, but he postponed it until June 1978. Nothing illustrates his process as well as "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 a 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 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" is mostly from "Candy's Boy". According to author Clinton Heylin, the band worked on this extensively over the next two days. 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 different, 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, which shows another take on December 12, 1977, and then a marathon overdub-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}