High Hopes - Studio Sessions

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Commercially Released: January 14, 2014 (High Hopes) / April 19, 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.

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."

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

Additional Recordings

Song Title Running Time Release
COLD SPOT uncirculating

Details

Song Title Running Time Release

AMERICAN BEAUTY - V1a uncirculating
AMERICAN BEAUTY - V1b 4:06 BEAUTY: EP

Note: A demo version (V1) of "American Beauty" was recorded during the Brendan O'Brien period, but never attempted with the band. Bruce finally cut a studio version (V2) for High Hopes, probably built on that original demo, but left it off the album. Jake Clemons apparently cut a saxophone part that was ultimately not used. The song was officially released on the four-track 12" vinyl EP American Beauty, released April 19, 2014 in association with Record Store Day and digitally on April 22, 2014. The song contains some lyrical overlap with "Down In The Hole", "Gypsy Biker", and "Livin' In The Future".

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

Note: Written by Springsteen during the spring of 2000 and soundchecked several times in April and May of 2000 before it was premiered live on June 4, 2000 in Atlanta. "American Skin (41 Shots)" was inspired by the February 1999 police shooting of Amadou Diallo in New York City. Springsteen recorded V1, or at least a new vocal, at The Hit Factory, New York City on March 2, 2001. It appears that this recording utilizes 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. Produced by Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin, it was released on a promotion-only single in June 2001.

Ron Aniello revealed in a December 2013 interview with Rolling Stone that the song was also recorded during the Wrecking Ball recording sessions (V2), 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 2013 and features 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." The base track of this version was recorded prior to the March 2013 Australia leg without Bruce present by Aniello, Morello, and Max Weinberg in a Los Angeles studio, playing to a track of Bruce's vocal and rhythm guitar from a live performance. Morello completed his solo separately from his California home studio, Veritas Studio in Los Angeles; a huge number of overdubs, including backward piano, backward guitar, Steve Van Zandt’s guitar played through a rotating Leslie speaker, drum loops, synths, and percussion, were recorded separately at various points. "I did that [solo] in my home studio and Bruce seemed to like that very much," Morello 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." The final result was issued on High Hopes in 2014.

COLD SPOT uncirculating

Note: One of several tracks considered for the album High Hopes, but ultimately rejected.

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

Note: Springsteen confirmed in a December 2013 Rolling Stone interview that "Down In The Hole" V1 was recorded during sessions for The Rising. V2 is from 2013 and was issued on 2014's High Hopes; the 2002 base track was used, with the later addition of overdubs. Produced by Brendan O'Brien and featuring Clarence Clemons on tenor saxophone and Danny Federici on organ.

DREAM BABY DREAM - V1 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V2 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V3 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V4 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V5 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V6 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V7 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V8 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V9 uncirculating
DREAM BABY DREAM - V10 5:00 HOPES

Note: Composed by Alan Vega and Martin Rev of Suicide. Springsteen premiered his cover during 2005's Devils & Dust Tour, always performed as the final song of the show. Bruce's studio version dates to 2013; Ron Aniello has stated that Springsteen made around ten recordings before settling on the final take. The base track was cut at Stone Hill Studio and the song was completed with various overdubs recorded separately, including guitar from Tom Morello. The completed recording was first released on October 10, 2013 as the soundtrack to a video commemorating the Wrecking Ball Tour, and then became the closing track of High Hopes.

FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V1 uncirculating
FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V2 uncirculating
FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V3 2:48 HOPES

Note: Springsteen has stated that "Frankie Fell In Love" was first cut as a solo demo (V1) and then recorded for Magic. However, studio footage appears to date that recording (V2) from the Working On A Dream sessions instead. The song was partially re-recorded in 2013, including the drums, bass and Van Zandt's contribution, and issued on High Hopes (V3). The base track used for the album version was primarily Springsteen's solo demo.

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. Springsteen has 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 – Bruce felt this rocker about a fictitious local kingpin didn't blend in well with the rest of the album's material. During a July 31, 2002 TV interview Springsteen, upon request of Ted Koppel, actually recited the entire first verse of this song's lyrics. Comments made by Springsteen since suggest 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). A piano demo was supposedly recorded at some stage. V3 was recorded at Southern Tracks studio during the Spring of 2007 for Magic. The strings were recorded separately and overdubbed around this time. Bruce has said that it almost made the album, but was left off because he wanted twelve songs rather than thirteen, indicating the late addition of "Terry's Song" bumped it from the final sequence. 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. Tom Morelllo recorded a guitar part separately for overdub some time in 2013 at a session with Ron Aniello in Los Angeles before the song was finally issued on 2014's High Hopes.

HEAVEN'S WALL - V1 uncirculating
HEAVEN'S WALL - V2 uncirculating
HEAVEN'S WALL - V3 3:50 HOPES

Note: V1 recorded by Springsteen during the mid 2000s, V2 recorded by Brendan O'Brien at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, most likely in spring 2007 during the recording sessions for Magic. Ron Aniello has stated that the original basic track (vocals, drum and bass) was used, and 2013 overdubs, including the two doubled guitar parts from Tom Morello, completed the song.

HEY BLUE EYES - V1 uncirculating
HEY BLUE EYES - V2 uncirculating
HEY BLUE EYES - V3 uncirculating
HEY BLUE EYES - V4 4:34 BEAUTY: EP

Note: Recorded with Brendan O'Brien at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, during the Working On A Dream sessions in 2008, which formed the basis of the released track, along with additional parts by the E Street Band, recorded on later dates. Considered for High Hopes in 2013, but was among the several tracks not selected, prompting Springsteen to release American Beauty, a 12" vinyl EP on RSD April 19, 2014, and digitally on April 22. The presence of Patrick Warren and lyrical content helps confirm that this recording (or at least part of it) emanates from Atlanta.

HIGH HOPES - V1 3:31 YBNT2
HIGH HOPES - V2 4:20 BB: EP
HIGH HOPES - V3 2:46 private
HIGH HOPES - V4 uncirculating
HIGH HOPES - V5 uncirculating
HIGH HOPES - V6 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.

Thanks to a text by Tom Morello, who was filling in for actor Steve Van Zandt on the ten-day 2013 Australian tour, Springsteen decided to open the March 16 Brisbane show with "High Hopes", the first time he has ever played it live! He also phoned Nick Didia, former Southern Tracks studio engineer, now living Down-Under at Byron Bay, 750 km from Sydney. Nick made arrangements for time at Studios 301 in Sydney the next day, as well as an evening slot for Morello at their Byron Bay branch office (running late from Brisbane). On March 17, 2013, a travel day to Sydney, the E Street Band arrived at the studio in the afternoon, recording two takes of "High Hopes" V4 and V5, and completing "Just Like Fire Would", in an unknown number of takes. The word is Morello recorded his parts at Byron Bay late into the night, but he was on time and ready next day for the opener in Sydney, with "High Hopes" still in the lineup. V6 is the final album track that opens High Hopes, featuring numerous overdubs, courtesy of co-producer Ron Aniello, recorded later that year in New York and Los Angeles. On November 19, 2013, a CD-R single, digital download and video were all released, well ahead of the January 2014 album date.

HUNTER OF INVISIBLE GAME - V1a uncirculating
HUNTER OF INVISIBLE GAME - V1b 4:42 HOPES / ESSENTIAL: 2015

Note: "Hunter Of Invisible Game" was written somewhere in the 2004–2008 period, and, according to Brian Hiatt, was recording during the Working On A Dream sessions, although the string credits match the lineup used during the Magic sessions. Tom Morello has stated in an interview that he heard O'Brien tinkering with a recording of the song in 2007 or 2008; his guitar part was recorded in 2013 and overdubbed onto the base Brendan O'Brien production. Electric piano and backing vocals are audible on the track, but are uncredited. The title is borrowed from "Wean Yoursef", a thirteenth-century poem by Rumi.

HURRY UP SUNDOWN - V1a uncirculating
HURRY UP SUNDOWN - V1b 3:17 BEAUTY: EP

Note: "Hurry Up Sundown" originated as a Brendan O'Brien-era home demo; it was completed with Ron Aniello in 2013 for High Hopes but ultimately rejected for the album. Josh Freese's drum part was recorded at a separate session in Los Angeles (the same day as his part for "This Is Your Sword") and overdubbed. Issued on the four-track 12" vinyl EP American Beauty, released April 19, 2014 in association with Record Store Day and digitally on April 22, 2014.

JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD - V1a uncirculating
JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD - V1b uncirculating
JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD - V2 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. V1a was recorded March 17, 2013, at Studios 301 in Sydney with engineer Nick DiDia, in an unknown number of takes. Tom Morello recorded his parts at Studios 301, Byron Bay late that night. V2 is the final album track, with overdubs recorded later that year in New York and Los Angeles. Released January 22, 2014 as a single. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen.

MARY MARY - V1 uncirculating
MARY MARY - V2 uncirculating
MARY MARY - V3a uncirculating
MARY MARY - V3b 2:51 BEAUTY: EP

Note: "Mary Mary" was recorded at Southern Tracks Studios with Brendan O'Brien during the Magic sessions in 2007 (V1), and cut again during the Working On A Dream sessions at Southern Tracks in 2008 (V2). V3 was completed in 2013 with Ron Aniello and seriously considered for High Hopes, but ultimately missed the cut; it used a Toby Scott demo as the base track that may be identical to or retain elements from one or both of the earlier recordings. Aniello recalls attempting versions with drums (V3a) but feeling that they "got it wrong." The drum machine track and strings were recorded separately in 2013 at EastWest Studios in Hollywood and overdubbed. V3b was finally released on the four-track 12" vinyl EP American Beauty on April 19, 2014 in association with Record Store Day, and digitally on April 22, 2014.

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V1 uncirculating
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V2 4:20 JOAD / ESSENTIAL / CHAPTER / BESTOF
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V3 4:26 COMP: APPLESEED10
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V4 6:02 DOC: PEOPLESPEAK
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V5 4:44 OST: PEOPLESPEAK
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V6 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). V3 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 mid-/late-2006. 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 United States during mid-/late-2006 and then everything was mixed together at Shelter Island Sound Studios in New York City by David Seitz, and produced by Springsteen, Jim Musselman, and Seitz. The recording was first released on September 11, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation Sowing The Seeds (Appleseed). V4 was recorded, most likely early 2009, in his home studio for the The People Speak documentary, and was released on his website in January 2010; the distinct V5, released on the soundtrack to that documentary, was apparently recorded separately later in 2009. V6 was recorded in
2013 and features Tom Morello on guitar. The base track of this version was recorded prior to the March 2013 Australia leg without Bruce present by Aniello, Morello, and Max Weinberg in a Los Angeles studio. Bruce's parts, and various other overdubs, were recorded separately. The final result was issued on High Hopes in 2014.

THE WALL - V1a uncirculating
THE WALL - V1b HOPES

Note: Written December 1997–January 1998. The title and idea came from Joe Grushecky and the rest was written by Springsteen after he and Patti Scialfa visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Bruce had visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington in December 1997 and sat near Robert McNamara at that year's Kennedy Center Honors; several days later, Grushecky sent Bruce a newspaper clipping about items visitors left at the Vietnam Memorial. Bruce and Grushecky originally tried writing a song on the topic together, but couldn’t get any traction; Bruce set it aside but composed the track not long after. Grushecky subsequently wrote a different, but similarly themed, song called "On The Wall" that appeared on his 2002 Fingerprints album.

The core track was recorded with the E Street Band, including Danny Federici; according to Brian Hiatt, this took place during the March 2001 sessions at The Hit Factory, though others have linked it to the Tracks sessions. Bruce premiered the song live on February 19, 2003 at Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, and then played twice during 2005's Devils & Dust Tour. A few overdubs, including Ron Aniello's, Curt Ramm's, and at least some of Nils Lofgren's parts, were added to the original E Street Band track in preparation for the song's release on High Hopes.

THIS IS YOUR SWORD - V1a
THIS IS YOUR SWORD - V1b 2:52 HOPES

Note: "This Is Your Sword" originated as a solo demo (V1a) from around early 2010s, possibly from the same gospel-oriented project as "Shackled And Drawn" and "Rocky Ground". Ron Aniello helped Bruce complete the track with an extensive series of overdubs over the course of the 2012–13 Wrecking Ball Tour period.

Studio Locations

No less than fifteen recording studios were used in the making of High Hopes:

Recorded at

  • Avatar Studios (Assistant Engineer: Mike Bauer)
  • Berkeley Street Studio (Assistant Engineer: Brandon Duncan)
  • East West Studios (Assistant Engineer: Brendan Dekora)
  • Electric Lady Studios (Assistant Engineer: Joe Visciano, John Horne, Phil Joly)
  • NRG Studios (Assistant Engineer: Kyle Hoffman)
  • Record Plant (The) (Assistant Engineer: Benjamin Rice, Daniel Zaidenstadt)
  • Renegade Studio, New York, New York
  • Sear Sound (Assistant Engineer: Owen Mulholland, Ted Tuthill)
  • Southern Tracks (Assistant Engineer: Karl Egsieker, Tom Tapley)
  • Thrill Hill Recording / Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, New Jersey
  • Studios 301, Byron Bay (Assistant Engineer: Jack Prest, Jordan Power, Luke Yeoman, Sean Astill, Tom Astill)
  • Studios 301, Sydney, Australia
  • Veritas Studios, Los Angeles, California
  • Very Loud House Studio, Woodland Hills, California
  • Village Studios (The) (Assistant Engineer: Alex Williams)

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