Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is the 1973 debut album from rock legend, “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen. The album put Springsteen in the public eye and had critics calling him a “daring new artist” on the scene. But securing his recording deal wasn’t a straightforward path and it even took songs that ended up on the final record in order to secure it.
One of the songs that resulted in Springsteen securing said record deal was based on his own life. “Growin’ Up” tells the story of Springsteen’s adolescence and being a rebelious teen in New Jersey.
This was one of the songs Springsteen wrote that ultimately convinced Columbia Records to sign him in 1972. Springsteen auditioned for John Hammond, who had also signed Bob Dylan to the same label. Initially planned to be a quick meeting ended up being a two-hor session between Springsteen and Hammond, with “Growin’ Up” being one of the songs that stuck out and led to him signing with the label.
One of Springsteen’s popular tracks, the extended version has often been a part of his tours, specifically the Born to Run and Darkness tours. The song is used to tell Springsteen’s life story through his music. The singer-songwriter used the track as his opening number for Springsteen On Broadway, which debuted in 2017.
For Springsteen On Broadway he performed the song solo opening with the monologue:
“I come from a boardwalk town where everything is tinged with just a bit of fraud. So am I. In 1972 I wasn’t any race-car drivin’ rebel, I wasn’t any corner street punk, I was a guitar player on the streets of Asbury Park, but I held four clean aces: I had youth, I had a decade of hardcore bar-band experience, I have a great group of musicians and friends who really knew my playing style, and I have a magic trick. Now, I’m here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever-elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That’s my magic trick. And like all good magic tricks, it begins with a setup.”
“Growin’ Up” was rerecorded live in 2008 and continues to be a fan favorite of Springsteen’s today.
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