r/BruceSpringsteen • u/KookyCelery823 • 1d ago

Thunder Road

The early live versions of Thunder Road do not have the crowd “sing along”.

When did it start?
Did something in particular start it?

25 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

57

u/GoesOff_On_Tangent 1d ago

It was me. I made contact with Bruce, pointed at myself saying "I know the words" and then I sang it. This was at Kansas City in 82.

My performance triggered a phenomenon from that point on. You're welcome.

5

u/RockyCliffPebbles 1d ago

Well done. I’d give you an award if I wasn’t a cheap bitch.

2

u/Tricky_Working6333 1d ago

Lol. We were singing along in the ‘70’s😃

2

u/GoesOff_On_Tangent 1d ago

Not as well as I was in 82, I'm afraid.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/Selfincrimination27 1d ago

Saw him three times in KC

11

u/Numerous-Turnip6990 1d ago

People learning the words

5

u/Professional-Eye7556 1d ago

I don't know when specifically, but the first Passaic show in 1978 is the earliest archival release that has the crowd singing.

2

u/Bossfan1990 1d ago

I just listened to the 9-17 show in NYC and Bruce says “we’ll say it” and tests to get the crowd to sing along to “show a little faith”

During the Landover show in August he sang the entire verse so it must have occurred between 8-17 and 9-17

I just listened to the 9-15 version and the crowd takes over at “you ain’t a beauty”

5

u/Inspired-Iron 1d ago

I thought that Bruce liked when the audience sung to him: "You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're alright."

He used to ham it up when we sung that to him.

4

u/Alarming_Particular6 1d ago

No No, it was Milwaukee '78, and I was in 2nd row when it started.

2

u/Model_ig_uk 1d ago

Tempe AZ 80 he forgets the words 😅

1

u/crythinklaugh 17h ago

I think the answer is that he started it when he does the thing where he sticks the microphone towards the crowd