Sparks Fly On E Street: Bruce Springsteen, “All That Heaven Will Allow” (1987)

A guitar is lightly strummed, sticks are clicking (or maybe a weak rimshot…no matter, the repetition never ends), and some fluffy keyboards fill in the space. It’s a Springsteen love song that lives up to the characterization that Michael Stipe would come up with years later: odious.

To be honest, it’s not a horrible song, and I do kind of like that locket image. But let’s face it: if this song had come out on Working On A Dream, people would have hated it. Strangely enough, I might have actually liked the song if that were the case.

What’s the song about? It’s about two minutes and thirdy-eight seconds too long.

As usual, the stripped-down approach (again from the Devils & Dust tour) allows the real heart of the tune to shine through.

Up next: Spare Parts

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