Human Touch - Studio Sessions

disco_humantouch.jpg
Commercially Released: March 31, 1992
Label: Columbia
Produced by Springsteen, Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin and Roy Bittan
Recorded by Toby Scott at A&M Studios, Soundworks West, Oceanway Studios, One On One Studio,
 The Record Plant, Westlake Studios and Thrill Hill Recording (September 1989-March 1991)
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk

Overview

Tunnel Of Love was dominated by relationship songs. Although technically still a couple, the relationship between Springsteen and Julianne Phillips had become estranged by spring 1987, several months before Tunnel Of Love was released. However the split did not become common knowledge until a year after-the-fact. Springsteen began the Tunnel Of Love and Human Rights Now! tours in February 1988 and completed them in October 1988. During this tour a romance blossomed between Bruce and band member Patti Scialfa. Following the tour Springsteen and Scialfa spent most of the following eight months out of the public eye at Bruce's home in California. However they spent the summer of 1989 in New Jersey, which included numerous Springsteen shore-area club guest appearances. Jon Landau has mentioned in interview that Bruce did virtually no songwriting during this October 1988–August 1989 period. Bruce and Patti were back out on the west coast by early fall. Bruce and Patti's October 1989 decision to start a family (their first child was born nine months later) seems to have coincided with Springsteen's decision to put the E Street Band into semi-permanent retirement. Bruce phoned all the members in October 1989 to give them this news.

The sessions for what became the Human Touch album took place entirely on the west coast (a first for Springsteen) and spanned about a 19-month period - from September 1989 to March 1991. The sessions included a variety of musicians, including E Street Band members Roy Bittan and David Sancious. Indeed, Springsteen's initial songwriting efforts for these sessions included several collaborations with Roy Bittan, who lived in Los Angeles close to Bruce. There were about 30 new songs recorded over the entire 19-month period, which means that there are still several titles still undocumented. An album could easily have been released in early 1991. However Bruce got cold feet and decided, after a short break, to continue writing and recording more material during 1991 (this material became the Lucky Town album sessions). So effectively the Human Touch album sat in the can, collecting dust, for an entire year. Many believe that decision to delay was a mistake. Some major compositions from the sessions were inexplicably left off the original album. Fortunately they have since appeared on Tracks and other compilations.

In November 1991, nearly five months prior to the album's commercial release, a 13-song tape from the Human Touch sessions leaked out to collectors. This tape contained different mixes (some barely noticeable, others quite different) from what would ultimately be released on the official album. Some of the thirteen songs on his tape can be found on the mainstream boot CDs “Gospel's Rain” and/or “Human Demos” – the others are currently only available via private cdr sources.

Released

# Song Title Running Time Release
1. HUMAN TOUCH 6:25 HUMAN / 1992 single
2. SOUL DRIVER 4:33 HUMAN
3. 57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) 2:25 HUMAN / 1992 single
4. CROSS MY HEART 3:44 HUMAN
5. GLORIA'S EYES 3:42 HUMAN
6. WITH EVERY WISH 4:32 HUMAN
7. ROLL OF THE DICE 4:14 HUMAN / 1992 single
8. REAL WORLD 5:23 HUMAN
9. ALL OR NOTHIN' AT ALL 3:16 HUMAN
10. MAN'S JOB 4:32 HUMAN
11. I WISH I WERE BLIND 4:44 HUMAN
12. THE LONG GOODBYE 3:24 HUMAN
13. REAL MAN 4:27 HUMAN
14. PONY BOY 2:09 HUMAN

Total Running Time: 58:50

Additional Recordings

Details

Song Title Running Time Release

30 DAYS OUT – V1a 4:30 GR / HD
30 DAYS OUT – V1b 4:42 1992 b-side / BACK

Note: Recorded sometime March–April 1990 at A&M Studios, Los Angeles. Both above are slightly different mixes of the same core recording. Released on the b-side (third track) of various 1992 maxi-singles; Leap Of Faith in Europe and Australia, Lucky Town in Europe, and Roll Of The Dice in Japan. An early Tracks six-CD sample set from June 1998 indicates that "30 Days Out" was considered for Tracks, but ultimately rejected.

57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V1a 2:23 promo release
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V1b 2:25 HUMAN / 1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2a 3:52 promo mixes
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2b 5:56 1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2c 4:45 1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2d 8:19 1992 single

Note: Recorded in early December 1990, most likely at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. The song was registered at the US copyright office on December 18, 1990. Springsteen handles guitar, bass and vocals and his two-man backing band on this recording is Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Springsteen had premiered this song live a couple of weeks earlier at the November 1990 Christic Benefit – the album version has more refined lyrics. V1a is the demo version, which seems to be virtually identical to V1b. V2 is 4 alternate dance mixes (the so-called "Little Steven Remixes") done in spring 1992 by mixer David McNair and produced by Steve Van Zandt. These were first released in July 1992 in various single formats.

ALL OR NOTHIN' AT ALL – V1a 3:52 GR
ALL OR NOTHIN' AT ALL – V1b 3:16 HUMAN

Note: Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Both above are different mixes of the same core recording. V1a features a much-extended intro and fade out.

ALL THE WAY HOME - V1 3:54 GUEST: BETTERDAYS / 1991 promo
ALL THE WAY HOME - V2 3:38 DEVILS

Note: Written sometime in 1990 or early 1991. Springsteen donated the song to Southside Johnny, and Bruce took part in the July 1991 recording session in New York that produced Southside's cover version. At least Springsteen's parts were recorded in mid-1991 at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City, NY. Bruce re-recorded the song in 2004 and released it on the Devils & Dust album. Photographs of a draft sampler indicate that a version of the song was considered for Tracks.

CHICKEN LIPS AND LIZARD HIPS – V1 1:42 COMP: FOROURCHILDREN / 1990 b-side / BACK
CHICKEN LIPS AND LIZARD HIPS – V2 uncirculating

Note: A children's song written by John and Nancy Cassidy. Recorded (at the same time as "Pony Boy") sometime June–September, 1990 at Thrill Hill West. V1 is Springsteen solo. V2 is a different recording and with additional vocals by Patti Scialfa. V1 was donated to and released on the Disney For Our Children charity CD album in January 1991. The song was also released in March 1991 on a withdrawn Australian CD single, with Bruce Springsteen erroneously uncredited on packaging.

CROSS MY HEART – V1a 4:04 private cdr
CROSS MY HEART – V1b 3:48 HUMAN

Note: Co-credited to Springsteen (music and lyrics) and the late blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson I (from whose song of the same title Springsteen's lyrics borrow). Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Both of the above are a different mix of same core recording. V1a features an extended fade-out and an alternate guitar solo.

GAVE IT A NAME - V1 uncirculating
GAVE IT A NAME - V2 2:47 TRACKS

Note: V1 was recorded between December 1990 and late January 1991 at either the Record Plant, Soundworks West or A&M Studios in Los Angeles. Planned for inclusion on the Tracks boxset, but Bruce was unable to locate the master tape, so he re-recorded the song (V2) on August 24, 1998 at his home studio in Colts Neck, NJ, and it's that recording which can be found on Tracks. Springsteen told Melinda Newman in an interview with Billboard published in November 1998, "What happened is I cut the original at the time I cut these other songs [Bruce is referring to songs like "Over The Rise", "When The Lights Go Out", "Loose Change" etc., which were all recorded around the December 1990–January 1991 period], but we couldn't find the master tape of it, and I really liked the song. So Roy Bittan came out, and we re-cut it in August."

GLORIA'S EYES – V1a 4:08 private cdr
GLORIA'S EYES – V1b 3:44 HUMAN

Note: Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Same recording, two different mixes. V1a has a longer beginning and ending and a different guitar solo near the end of the song.

GOIN' CALI 2:59 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on January 29, 1991 at A&M Studios, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles vocals and all instruments.

HUMAN TOUCH – V1a 6:41 private cdr
HUMAN TOUCH – V1b 6:28 HUMAN / 1992 single
HUMAN TOUCH – V1c 5:09 GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / BESTOF / promo cd

Note: Written in the spring of 1990. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Additional background vocal overdub by Patti Scialfa. All of the above are different mix/edits of the same core recording. V1a features an extended intro and an extra guitar break mid song. V1c is merely an edited version of V1b and was officially released as a promo single in some countries and later on the official Greatest Hits and Essential packages.

I WISH I WERE BLIND – V1a 5:22 GR / HD
I WISH I WERE BLIND – V1b 4:45 HUMAN

Note: Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). The legendary Bobby Hatfield (of Righteous Brothers fame) provides background vocals. Both above are significantly different mixes of the same core recording. Many consider V1a is the superior version - it features an alternate guitar, a different Springsteen lead vocal, Hatfield more upfront in the mix and a longer Springsteen-Hatfield duet fade-out. Due to the copying speeds used, V1a circulates among collectors in slightly different running time lengths (from 5:15 to 5:30).

LEAVIN' TRAIN 4:05 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on February 27, 1990 at Oceanway Studios, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is the same as on "Viva Las Vegas" - Bob Glaub (bass), Ian McLagan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums). A copyright for this song was filed on September 6, 1995, with a creation date of 1993. A second filing on December 29, 1998 amended the creation date to 1990.

LOOSE CHANGE 4:19 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on January 31, 1991 at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles vocals and all instruments except for Roy Bittan (keyboards).

MAN'S JOB – V1a 4:22 private cdr
MAN'S JOB – V1b 4:32 HUMAN

Note: Recorded in December, 1989 at Soundworks West. Springsteen handles guitar and lead vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Background vocalists are Bobby King and Sam Moore. According to comments by King, he and Sam Moore were both called into the studio in January 1990 to overdub their background vocals onto the already completed basic recording. Both versions are the same core recording. V1a, which many consider superior, includes more prominent vocals from both King and Moore and what sounds like a different vocal take by Springsteen.

MY LOVER MAN 3:56 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on December 4, 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals and his one-man backing band on this recording is Jeff Porcaro (drums).

OVER THE RISE 2:38 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on December 7, 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles vocals and all instruments except for Roy Bittan (keyboards).

PART MAN, PART MONKEY – V1 uncirculating
PART MAN, PART MONKEY – V2a 4:26 HD
PART MAN, PART MONKEY – V2b 4:31 TRACKS / TRACKS: 18 / 1992 b-side

Note: Written in 1986 and first recorded during the 1987 Tunnel Of Love sessions, then performed live regularly during the 1988 Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Bruce re-recorded the song during the Human Touch sessions, and that version was released as a 1992 b-side, and then later on Tracks. This studio version dates from January 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar, bass, and vocals, and his two-man backing band is David Sancious (keyboards) and Omar Hakim (drums). V2a and V2b are extremely similar and may in fact be identical mixes.

PONY BOY – V1 uncirculating
PONY BOY – V2 2:09 HUMAN

Note: A traditional children's song not written by Springsteen. Recorded at the same time as "Chicken Lips And Lizard Hips", sometime between June and September, 1990 at Thrill Hill West. V1 is Springsteen solo. V2 is a different recording and with additional vocals by Patti Scialfa. Initially considered for donation to the Disney charity CD For Our Children but nixed in favor of "Chicken Lips". Surprisingly (given the great original songs Bruce had available) V2 ended up on the Human Touch album. The version heard on the original leaked demo tape is V2.

REAL MAN – V1a 4:25 private cdr
REAL MAN – V1b 4:27 HUMAN

Note: Recorded sometime mid-January to early February 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), David Sancious (organ), Ian McLagan (piano), and Jeff Porcaro (drums). V1a is a slightly different mix, with the organ more prominent.

REAL WORLD – V1a 5:44 private cdr
REAL WORLD – V1b 5:23 HUMAN

Note: Co-written by Springsteen (lyrics) and Roy Bittan (music). Recorded in December 1989 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums). The background vocals are by Sam Moore, who was called into the studio in January 1990 to overdub onto an already completed basic recording. V1a is a very different mix than the album version, with Sam Moore's vocals cutting in sooner and more prominent throughout.

RED HEADED WOMAN uncirculating

Note: Written on the spur of the moment while Patti Scialfa was working on her debut album Rumble Doll, as an example of the kind of braggadocious track Springsteen thought the album should include. Bruce premiered this song live at the November 1990 Christic Benefit shows, and released a live version on In Concert/MTV (Un)Plugged. A studio version was completed sometime during the Human Touch sessions (probably December 1990) but it remains unreleased.

ROLL OF THE DICE – V1a 4:34 private cdr
ROLL OF THE DICE – V1b 4:14 HUMAN / 1992 single

Note: Suffering from writer's block, Bruce shared his troubles one December, 1989 evening with his Malibu neighbor Roy Bittan, who played him some music he had been working on. Inspired, Bruce returned to his Benedict Canyon garage studio, wrote the lyrics, and was so excited, he ran into the house and woke up his fiancée Patti Scialfa at 3 a.m. and forced her to listen to the tune. Recorded a few days later at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles lead guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Jeff Porcaro (drums), and Tim Pierce (rhythm guitar). Background vocals courtesy of Bobby King. V1a is a significantly different mix than the album version and may possibly be a different recording altogether. It includes an additional twenty seconds of duet singing between Springsteen and King not found on the official version. According to comments by King, he was called into the studio in January, 1990 to overdub background vocals onto an already completed core recording.

RUNAWAY uncirculating

Note: A song titled "Runaway" was included on a six-CD internal sampler of Tracks from June 1998. Since Tracks is arranged mostly chronologically, we can assume with reasonable confidence that "Runaway" can be dated to the period between 1989 and 1991. Unfortunately "Runaway" was dropped for the final version of Tracks, and no further information is known.

SAD EYES 3:47 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on January 25, 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), David Sancious (keyboards), Michael Fisher (percussion), and Jeff Porcaro (drums).

SECRET GARDEN - V1 uncirculating
SECRET GARDEN - V2 0:53 BB / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V3a 4:10 BB / RT / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V3b 2:12 BB / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V4 4:15 DDITV / GT
SECRET GARDEN - V5a 4:27 GREATEST / BESTOF
SECRET GARDEN - V5b 4:32 EP: BB
SECRET GARDEN (Jerry Maguire Mix) - V5c 4:31 OST: MAGUIRE / 1997 single

Note: V1 was recorded for Human Touch but not utilized. In January 1995 Bruce re-recorded it at The Hit Factory, New York during his reunion with the E Street Band. V2 is a combination of two brief snippets that was shown in the Blood Brothers video. V3 is a complete, alternate take, and V4 is prefaced by recording "take #1". V5a was released as a single, and included on Greatest Hits, released February 28, 1995. V5b features strings (courtesy David Kahn) added to V5a, and released November 19, 1996 on the official Blood Brothers EP, as well as a single b-side in some countries. V5c, known as "the Jerry Maguire Remix", was produced by Matt Jones at Portland, Oregon radio station Z-100 (with permission from Springsteen/Sony) as part of a spring 1997 listener contest promotion exclusive to that station. It features dialog excerpts from the movie added on top of the instrumental sections of the regular commercial version of the song. There are also additional, brief radio station plug spots before and after the song that are heard on this promo-only CD issued on June 26, 1997.

SEVEN ANGELS 3:28 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on June 29, 1990 at Oceanway Studios, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar, bass and vocals and his two-man backing band on this recording is Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Shawn Pelton (drums).

SOUL DRIVER – V1 4:03 private cdr
SOUL DRIVER – V2a 4:19 GR / HD
SOUL DRIVER – V2b 4:33 HUMAN

Note: An interesting history behind this song. V1 was recorded by Springsteen and Roy Bittan at Thrill Hill West (Springsteen's Los Angeles home studio) sometime in November 1989. The music for V1, which has a reggae feel, was composed by Roy Bittan, which is why some advanced pre-release info about the LP mistakenly listed "Soul Driver" as a "Springsteen-Bittan" composition. As it turned out the Bittan melody was ultimately dropped in favor of a Springsteen melody (which is why it's listed as a Springsteen-only song). V2 (two mixes) contains the Springsteen melody and was recorded at Soundworks West, Los Angeles sometime during mid-late January 1990. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his five-man backing band on V2 is Randy Jackson (bass), David Sancious (keyboards), Michael Fisher (percussion), Jeff Porcaro (drums), and Tim Pierce (rhythm guitar). Background vocals by Sam Moore.

THE LONG GOODBYE 3:24 HUMAN

Note: Recorded sometime in April–May 1990, most likely at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals, and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums).

TROUBLE IN PARADISE 5:22 TRACKS

Note: Co-written by Springsteen (lyrics) and Roy Bittan (music). Recorded December 1, 1989 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums).

TROUBLE RIVER – V1a 3:51 GR / HD / DDITV
TROUBLE RIVER – V1b 4:16 TRACKS: 18

Note: Recorded on April 6, 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his three-man backing band on this recording is Randy Jackson (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Both above are different mixes of the same core recording. V1b is superior. Springsteen lifted the guitar riff from an untitled song recorded at Telegraph Hill in 1979.

VIVA LAS VEGAS – V1a 3:11 COMP: LASTTEMPTATION
VIVA LAS VEGAS – V1b 3:03 ESSENTIAL: BONUS / OST: ELVIS / BACK

Note: Recorded September 13–14, 1989 at One On One Studio, North Hollywood. First released in the UK in February 1990 on The Last Temptation Of Elvis, a Various Artists charity album. Both above are the same recording. V1a is the charity album version and includes some brief Presley dialogue prior to the start of the song. V1b deletes that dialogue.

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT 3:05 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on December 6, 1990 at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. Springsteen handles guitar, bass, and vocals, and his two-man backing band is Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums).

WITH EVERY WISH – V1a uncirculating
WITH EVERY WISH – V1b 4:38 private cdr
WITH EVERY WISH – V1c 4:32 HUMAN

Note: Believed to have been one the first songs recorded for Human Touch, in late 1989. All three versions above are the same basic recording. V1a contains just vocals and guitar (by Springsteen) and keyboards (by Roy Bittan). V1b and V1c (which are virtually identical sounding) contain overdubbed trumpet (Mark Isham), bass (Douglas Lunn), and drums (Kurt Wortman).

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