Saturday, April 29, 2006

Folk is the new black


Sadly but truly, I'll probably really like this, I'm such an old folkie.





Despite his stellar reputation as a performer, Bruce Springsteen's career has been defined by his songwriting. It's what he does. And even though 'We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions' is Springsteen's first album of covers, the emphasis remains squarely on the songs. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Springsteen chose to cover folk music, a genre steeped in archetypes and messages that touch on core human values; his own work isn't much different. It is surprising that he chose songs associated with Pete Seeger instead of Woody Guthrie, whom Springsteen long ago acknowledged as a major influence.
Perhaps these songs, which include several famous standards, offered a broader range of interpretation, or maybe Springsteen was struck by how powerful they remain despite their familiarity.

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