Springsteen fans / Buffett fans ????

jvman16 · Post by **jvman16** » January 17, 2008 12:35 pm

Hi, I read here almost every day but hardly ever post. I just have some free time coming up and wanted a chance to start a debate/conversation thats "bothered me so" for awhile.

As a teenager (the 80's) I was always a huge Springsteen fan. Saw him about 50 times, lots of bootleg albums, took a bunch of road trips etc.....the works. I honestly never knew anything about Jimmy Buffett until about 1997 when I was trading Springsteen bootlegs with a girl over the internet. She told me to give Buffett a try, I did and was instantly and totally "hooked".

Ive seen Buffet in concert 2 or 3 times every summer since 2001 (Drove to Cincy twice, Boston, Pitts) I love a good road trip. lollol

I live outside New York City and work in the city. The most amazing thing to me is that in a TV interview Jimmy said New York was his biggest selling market. I HAVENT IN ALL MY YEARS MET ONE PARROTHEAD. A couple of people who know half the songs on SYKBH but thats about it.

Now here is the reason for my post.

When a fellow Springsteen fan asked me what it is that hooked me onto Buffett, I thought a few minutes and said you know what?

Buffett and Springsteen songs have completely opposite music, completely opposite lyrics, yet the songs are exactly the same.

Does anyone here find this to be true ????
Does anyone else agree ??? Why do you agree or disagree ????

Of course Im sticking to the music here, as far as the whole Parrothead thing goes, thats something you either "get it" or you dont.

In other words Im a complete Parrothead, my wife likes Jimmy Buffett songs...there is a total difference there. While not as deep you do get that with Bruce too.

Just as a start off of where Im trying to go with this........In my mind
Racing in the Street - If the Phone doesnt ring, its me......same song exactly.

Oh well hope I didnt waste anyones time and hope this was the right forum for this post.

maufro · Post by **maufro** » January 17, 2008 12:46 pm

For me, Bruce is where I'm from.....

Jimmy is where I'm going.........

Don't get me wrong (my sig line confirms) I still do Bruce it's just more nostalgic, even with the new stuff.

And I don't agree with the song similarities, even when Jimmy does Glory Days. (ouch!)

freaky4tiki · Post by **freaky4tiki** » January 17, 2008 12:49 pm

Springsteen is more like rock and roll to me. Buffett is... what is he?

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » January 17, 2008 12:54 pm

I see them as completely different. When I hear Buffett I listen, when I hear Springsteen, I don't.

ConchRepublican · Post by **ConchRepublican** » January 17, 2008 1:44 pm

I think they are similar in that they are minstrels. They weave tales that either they experienced, they observed or they imagined. They tell stories or relate their lives and share what they viewed, learned or thought they understoood/took from what they went through.

My first musical love was Bruce. Born to Run was, and still is to me, the greatest rock album ever made. The man was "with a muse". Then I got into Billy Joel, another troubadour/balladeer type, especially his first few "Songs in the Attic" records. Don Henley and Buffett to me fall into this category as well. They don't so much "write songs" as they put poetry to music.

boatdrinkjim · Post by **boatdrinkjim** » January 17, 2008 2:15 pm

I don't get Springsteen. I never did. I can't understand a word he is saying when he sings (shouts). I also dislike Dave Matthews, as an artist, for the same reason.

Jimmy Buffett is in a class by himself. You really can't compare him with anyone. I listen to JB 365 days/year.

popcornjack · Post by **popcornjack** » January 17, 2008 2:35 pm

I agree with what conchrepublican says. They're both storytellers and that is what comes across to me.

MKats31 · Post by **MKats31** » January 17, 2008 2:52 pm

For me, Bruce is where I'm from.....

Jimmy is where I'm going.........

Don't get me wrong (my sig line confirms) I still do Bruce it's just more nostalgic, even with the new stuff.

And I don't agree with the song similarities, even when Jimmy does Glory Days. (ouch!)

AGREE

docandjeanie · Post by **docandjeanie** » January 17, 2008 4:21 pm

popcornjack wrote:I agree with what conchrepublican says. They're both storytellers and that is what comes across to me.

Yes, pretty much me, too. That is the only way I find them similar. I have been a fan of both for many, many, many years.

johnath2o · Post by **johnath2o** » January 17, 2008 4:49 pm

Having been born and raised in NJ, "The Boss" was the man. I agree, they are both story tellers. I think as we grow up, our dreams of fast cars change to sandy beaches and sail boats!
I do think that when you start to list out the great performers, Jimmy, Bruce, Billy Joel, Little Feat, The Eagles all come to the top of the list of most Parrotheads lists.

MKats31 · Post by **MKats31** » January 17, 2008 8:22 pm

jimmy is better bottom line

johnath2o · Post by **johnath2o** » January 18, 2008 12:16 pm

I agree completely. They are both story tellers. Read any of JB's books and they are just REALLY long songs or his songs are REALLY short books.

Tiki Torches · Post by **Tiki Torches** » January 18, 2008 12:33 pm

I can see where someone could be a fan of both but as artists they seem to be polar opposites at best. As as songwriter I prefer Buffett but Springsteen's style seems to be closer to that of Dylan, someone neither one of them even come close to holdiing a candle to.

drunkpirate66 · Post by **drunkpirate66** » January 18, 2008 12:35 pm

johnath2o wrote:I agree completely. They are both story tellers. Read any of JB's books and they are just REALLY long songs or his songs are REALLY short books.

Yes. And live they both really communicate with the crowd . . . tell stories and bring in the local bars and other aspects of the community to the show.

Little Miss Magic's Mama · January 18, 2008 12:47 pm

drunkpirate66 wrote:
johnath2o wrote:I agree completely. They are both story tellers. Read any of JB's books and they are just REALLY long songs or his songs are REALLY short books.
Yes. And live they both really communicate with the crowd . . . tell stories and bring in the local bars and other aspects of the community to the show.

Agreed! I had the opportunity this past year to see Jimmy on Oct. 18 at the Fillmore in SF then Bruce a little over a week later in Oakland. Both shows were awesome! Both shows were completely different. And I loved them both.

I disagree that their songs are similar. They are both storytellers - someone already mentioned that - but their stories are different. Even when Jimmy gets serious, his views on life are different than Bruce's views.

One quick note - I saw Billy Joel about 2 weeks after Bruce - my trifecta of concerts this fall - and I have to say that I enjoyed his performance more than the first two. Why? The first two were awesome, no doubt. But Billy tried harder. He doesn't have an automatic fan base like the other two do.

z-man · Post by **z-man** » January 18, 2008 12:56 pm

Put me down as another who just doesn't "get" Springsteen.

I have heard his music for years and have been to a couple concerts (once back in the day, once a couple years ago)

I just don't feel a connection with his music the way I do with Jimmy and many of the trop rock artists.

Down2TheC · Post by **Down2TheC** » January 18, 2008 2:04 pm

MKats31 wrote:jimmy is better bottom line

Live at the Bottom Line... awesome old school Bruce! (1974 I think)

I'm a big fan of the fact that both are more talented in arrangement and composing. They both assemble the proper talent to make a unique sound to tell their stories. It's just that the stories are coming form two different worlds. Bruce is more melancholy sometimes, Jimmy's more "just fun" music sometimes.

ConchRepublican · Post by **ConchRepublican** » January 18, 2008 2:21 pm

Down2TheC wrote:
MKats31 wrote:jimmy is better bottom line
Live at the Bottom Line... awesome old school Bruce! (1974 I think)

I'm a big fan of the fact that both are more talented in arrangement and composing. They both assemble the proper talent to make a unique sound to tell their stories. It's just that the stories are coming form two different worlds. Bruce is more melancholy sometimes, Jimmy's more "just fun" music sometimes.

Excellent point. Bruce's love of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" is well documented.

drunkpirate66 · Post by **drunkpirate66** » January 18, 2008 2:24 pm

Little Miss Magic's Mama wrote:
drunkpirate66 wrote:
johnath2o wrote:I agree completely. They are both story tellers. Read any of JB's books and they are just REALLY long songs or his songs are REALLY short books.
Yes. And live they both really communicate with the crowd . . . tell stories and bring in the local bars and other aspects of the community to the show.
Agreed! I had the opportunity this past year to see Jimmy on Oct. 18 at the Fillmore in SF then Bruce a little over a week later in Oakland. Both shows were awesome! Both shows were completely different. And I loved them both.

I disagree that their songs are similar. They are both storytellers - someone already mentioned that - but their stories are different. Even when Jimmy gets serious, his views on life are different than Bruce's views.

One quick note - I saw Billy Joel about 2 weeks after Bruce - my trifecta of concerts this fall - and I have to say that I enjoyed his performance more than the first two. Why? The first two were awesome, no doubt. But Billy tried harder. He doesn't have an automatic fan base like the other two do.

Billy leaves it all on the stage . . . no doubt! Awesome show!

backstreets77 · Post by **backstreets77** » January 18, 2008 2:46 pm

Well I may have the lamest post here, but here I go. Ive been a Springsteen fan since the time I was around 6 years old. I heard Dancing in the Dark and had to have that album. "I wanna change my hair my clothes my face" line always stood out to me in that song at that age and I dont know why. Here I am at 30 still listening. Still feeling the emotions of his songs

To me Bruce has always been part of my life. His songs always got me through in both good and bad. Especially the Darkness on the Edge of Town album.

I discovered Jimmy when i was 10 or 12 been a Phan ever since. His music also spoke to me to. I dont know what it was. In some ways listening to A1A, CILCIA was like Christmas morning in my head. Just always anticpating going to where the sand is between my toes.

Both Bruce and Jimmy affect people emotionlly and to me thats good. They are artist that have perfected there craft.

Bruce is the roadmap of my soul where Ive been what ive done. Jimmy is the road map to my heart where I want to go. To that one particular Harbor.

Also Ive had people who come up to me and say I dont get springsteen and i dont get jimmy. to me you either get them or you never will.

OK let the burning begin!