Blame the Ramones for Springsteen's Biggest Failure
My favorite Bruce Springsteen album is Nebraska. Yes, it's Bruce playing Woody Zimmy, but he does it well.

One of my least favorite Springsteen songs is the song off of the previous album. The name of the song was "Hungry Heart." Atrocious sing-song that bears no relation to his early story-style work or his mid-80s lyrics with depth. (If you think that "Born in the USA" is a jingoistic patriotic song, re-read the lyrics.)

Well, I just discovered the origins of "Hungry Heart," courtesy masslive.com:

Today's AP story about Johnny and the Ramones pointed out something I didn't know. It said:

"Even Bruce Springsteen was moved. After seeing the Ramones in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Springsteen wrote 'Hungry Heart' for the band. His manager, however, swayed him to keep the song for himself and it became a hit single."

It's kind of a strange song for the Ramones when you really think about it. I have always wondered why Bruce used "jack" at the end of the first line, other than the fact that it rhymes with "back," which ends line two. He's not really a lazy songwriter. Now I wonder if he used it because he thought it was the type of term the Ramones would use.

Frankly, I think "Hungry Heart" would be worse if the Ramones did it. I can't imagine a Ramone having a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack or no Jack (Bobby?).