Disc One (1) details:
Recording details:
- Tracks 1,14 recorded May-June, 1979.
- Tracks 2,3,5 recorded in late 1979.
- Track 3 recorded on April 11, 1980.
- Tracks 4,10 recorded on or just prior to July 20, 1979.
- Track 5 recorded sometime from Feb to May 1980.
- Track 6 recorded in June 1979, probably on or shortly before June 20.
- Track 7 recorded sometime from Mar to May 1980 – among the final batch of songs completed.
- Track 8 recorded sometime from April to June 1980.
- Track 9 recorded sometime from June-Aug 1979.
- Track 11 recorded sometime in July or August 1979.
- Track 12 recorded in May or June 1979.
- Track 13 recorded sometime from April to June 1980.
- Track 15 recorded sometime from March to June 1980.
- Track 16 recorded in July 1979.
- Track 17 recorded in June or July 1979.
- Track 18 recorded on or shortly before June 21, 1979.
Source details:
- Tracks 18,11,9,1 from 'The Ties That Bind'
- Tracks 4,14 from 'Lost Masters V', LOVE 005
- Track 16 from 'Lost Masters VI', LOVE 006
- Tracks 12,3 from 'The Definitive River Outtakes Vol 1', ES-14/15
- Tracks 2,5,6,7,8,10,13,15,17 from 'The Definitive River Outtakes Vol 2', ES-25/26
Track descriptions:
01 Alternate take, slightly different Bruce lead vocal, is sung in a different key and it is an entirely different mix.
02 Alternate mix with some alternate 'party noises'
03 Original mix with some more vocals than on 'Tracks' version. (Maybe completely different take)
04 Unreleased outtake with Clarence's vocal track.
05 Complete take.
06 Complete take.
07 Alternate mix.
08 Rough take with more background vocals, no sax solo.
09 Unreleased rockabilly outtake.
10 Take #8, new vocal track.
11 Alternate mix with no harmony vocals in the end.
12 Completely different arrangement.
13 Different vocal take, less hollering & different guitar sound at the end.
14 Take #6 with different vocal, mixed up front.
15 Vocal take #19, composite fade from take #17.
16 New mix, different lyrics and three more verses than on the released version(s). Amazing.
17 Alternate take with a lot more shouting.
18 Contains an additional lyric verse not found on the released version.
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Disc Two (2) details:
Recording details:
- Tracks 1,9,10 recorded in Holmdel, New Jersey circa 1979.
- Tracks 2 recorded on April 3, 1979.
- Track 3 recorded sometime late April-June 1979.
- Tracks 4 recorded shortly before or after April 10, 1980.
- Track 5 recorded sometime from Feb to May 1980.
- Track 6,21 recorded on July 21, 1979.
- Track 7 recorded on or just prior to July 20, 1979.
- Track 8 recorded sometime from April to June 1980.
- Track 11 recorded on July 26, 1979.
- Track 12 recorded around July 16, 1979.
- Track 13 recorded in late 1979.
- Track 14 recorded on May 30, 1979
- Track 15 recorded on Oct 9, 1979.
- Track 16 recorded in March or April 1980.
- Track 17 recorded on April 3, 1979
- Track 18 recorded in April or May 1979.
- Track 19 recorded on July 18, 1979.
- Track 20 recorded in June 1979, probably on or shortly before June 20.
- Track 22 recorded on or shortly before June 21, 1979.
Source details:
- Track 5 from 'The Ties That Bind'
- Tracks 7,21 from 'Lost Masters V', LOVE 005
- Track 18,22 from 'Lost Masters VI', LOVE 006
- Tracks 15,10,12,14,16,3,19,8,9 from 'The Definitive River Outtakes Vol 1', ES-14/15
- Tracks 11,2,4,6,20,12,13 from 'The Definitive River Outtakes Vol 2', ES-25/26
Track descriptions:
01 Acoustic home demo. Bruce at home creating the song.
02 Early mix with no piano track and guitar & organ mixed up. Outstanding.
03 Unreleased studio outtake (similar to Be True & Mary Lou).
04 Alternate take with some different lyrics and arrangement.
05 Alternate take (#28) with ending harmony vocals by Bruce.
06 Take #4, different mix.
07 Unreleased studio outtake without Clarence's vocal track.
08 Acoustic home demo.
09 Acoustic home demo.
10 Acoustic home demo.
11 Take #3, different mix.
12 Different lyrics, completely different (early) mix (this one has guitars up in the mix).
13 Take #22. Yes, really, take #22. And they launched directly into take #23 after this one.
14 Alternate take with some different vocals and mix.
15 Different mix.
16 Acoustic home demo into full band alternate take.
17 Alternate mix with the piano track.
18 Alternate mix (drums way up) with some different lyrics.
19 Alternate mix.
20 Instrumental backup track.
21 Alternate take with new vocal, spoken intro, and no sax or backing vocals at the end.
22 Completely different arrangement.
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Disc Three (3) details:
Recording details:
- Tracks 1,2,3 recorded at Fillmore Recording Studios in San Francisco on Feb 22, 1970.
- Track 4 likely recorded at Pocketful Of Tunes Studio in May-June 1972, but this is possibly from 914 Sound Studios in July.
- Track 5 recorded live at Max's Kansas City, 1972. Shows how much different the live arrangement's can be.
- Track 6 recorded at CBS Studios, New York, NY on May 3, 1972.
- Track 7 probably recorded at Mike Appel’s office or home, New York, NY during April, 1972.
- Track 8 likely recorded at 914 Sound Studio, Blauvelt, NY during July-Aug 1972.
- Tracks 9,10 recorded at 914 Sound Studio, Blauvelt, NY during Jan-Feb, 1973.
- Tracks 11,12 recorded at 914 Sound Studio, Blauvelt, NY during Jun-Sep, 1973.
- Track 13 recorded at the Atlantic Studios in 1978.
Source details:
- Tracks 1,2,3 from 'The Unsurpassed Springsteen Vol. 1', YD 018
- Track 4,11 from 'Prodigal Son', DOS 101-2
- Track 5 from 'The Unsurpassed Springsteen Vol. 2', YD 019
- Tracks 6,8 from 'Before The Fame', PER5899
- Track 7,9,10 from 'The Unsurpassed Springsteen Vol. 6', YD 037
- Track 11 from 'The Unsurpassed Springsteen Vol. 6', YD 037
- Track 12 from 'The Unsurpassed Springsteen Vol. 5', YD 036
- Track 13 directly from tape source.
Track descriptions:
01 This is about as close to mainstream country as Springsteen has ever gotten – and out of character with Bruce’s other known compositions of the era.
02 This unabashed Allman Brothers - influenced tune was the third most requested song of the Steel Mill era, behind “Resurrection” and “Guilty”.
03 Written in the summer of 1969 and performed in concert regularly during the second half of 1969 and throughout 1970.
04 Written soon after the May 2 audition for John Hammond and found on a proposed track-listing document for
the Greetings album. “Song To Orphans” was an occasional inclusion in Bruce’s opening solo segment during the first three months of the Greetings LP tour.
06 According to comments by Bruce this was written in late 1970 or early 1971.
08 Garry Tallent OR Richard Davis on bass.
09 Bruce on piano. Haunting.
10 The lyrics were written during 1972, although the melody was culled from a 1971 Springsteen composition performed live by the Bruce Springsteen Band called “Talkin About My Baby”.
11 Originally titled ‘There Are No Kings In Texas” but Bruce has copyrighted the song under the title “Evacuation Of the West”. This band recording does not feature David Sancious and does not include any instrumental or vocal overdubs.
12 The melody is the exact same as the earlier recorded and completed “Phantoms”.
13 A rough rehearsal, of lower audio quality than most other session material.