Commercially released: November 11, 2003
(Executive) Producer: Jon Landau
(see Brucebase session listings for the specific producers of the original/individual recordings)
PART 1 – ESSENTIAL SESSIONS OVERVIEW
In early 2003 Sony Music approached the Springsteen camp requesting that a Springsteen release be part of its “Essential” series, a group of “best of - anthology” releases from major Sony and affiliate label artists that the company had been marketing (with good commercial results) for several years. Springsteen agreed to be part of the series. Unlike GREATEST HITS (1995) or TRACKS-18TRACKS (1998-9), the ESSENTIAL release does not appear to have involved any associated recording sessions and very little, if any, additional mixing. So Springsteen’s involvement in this project was very minimal, which is evidenced by the fact that Jon Landau is credited as ESSENTIAL’s sole Producer.
ESSENTIAL is, at its heart, a 2cd, 30-track package that culls cornerstone songs from all of Springsteen’s original studio albums (up through The Rising), as well as the 2001’s “Live In New York City” package. It does not include any recordings from the 1986’s Live 1975-85 package or 1992’s “Live Plugged”. ESSENTIAL is geared towards the new or casual Springsteen fan and offers a partially duplicated but slightly broader representation than the earlier GREATEST HITS package. The 3rd disc encompasses an additional 12 recordings of rarities - a mixture of b-sides, charity album releases, movie soundtrack items and previously un-issued studio or live recordings. As a “bonus” CD this may or may not remain a permanent part of the package. Springsteen was the first artist in the Essential series that included such a bonus disc (i.e., the list price of the package is as per a 2cd set, not a 3cd set).
SONG TITLE |
RECORDING DATE |
LOCATION |
SESSION ERA |
|
|
|
|
For You |
mid 1972 |
914 Sound, NY |
GREETINGS |
Blinded By the Light |
mid 1972 |
914 Sound, NY |
GREETINGS |
Spirit In the Night |
mid 1972 |
914 Sound, NY |
GREETINGS |
Sandy |
mid 1973 |
914 Sound, NY |
WIESS |
Rosalita |
mid 1973 |
914 Sound, NY |
WIESS |
Born To Run |
Aug 06, 1974 |
914 Sound, NY |
BTR |
Jungleland |
mid 1975 |
Record Plant, NY |
BTR |
Thunder Road |
mid 1975 |
Record Plant, NY |
BTR |
Badlands |
late 1977 |
Record Plant, NY |
DARKNESS |
Darkness On The Edge Of Town |
late 1977 |
Record Plant, NY |
DARKNESS |
The Promised Land |
late 1977 |
Record Plant, NY |
DARKNESS |
The River |
mid 1979 |
Power Station, NY |
RIVER |
Hungry Heart |
mid 1979 |
Power Station, NY |
RIVER |
Atlantic City |
Jan 03, 1982 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
NEBRASKA |
Nebraska |
Jan 03, 1982 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
NEBRASKA |
Born In The USA |
early 1982 |
Power Station, NY |
BITUSA |
Glory Days |
early 1982 |
Power Station, NY |
BITUSA |
Dancing In The Dark |
early 1984 |
Hit Factory, NY |
BITUSA |
Brilliant Disguise |
mid 1987 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
TOL |
Tunnel Of Love |
mid 1987 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
TOL |
Human Touch |
mid 1990 |
A&M Studios, CA |
HT |
Lucky Town |
mid 1991 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
LUCKY TOWN |
Living Proof |
late 1991 |
A&M Studios, CA |
LUCKY TOWN |
Streets Of Philadelphia |
mid 1993 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
GREATEST |
The Ghost Of Tom Joad |
mid 1995 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
GOTJ |
American Skin (41 Shots) |
Jul 01, 2000 |
Madison Square Garden, NY |
LIVE IN NYC |
Land Of Hope And Dreams |
Jul 01, 2000 |
Madison Square Garden, NY |
LIVE IN NYC |
The Rising |
early 2002 |
Southern Tracks, GA |
RISING |
Lonesome Day |
early 2002 |
Southern Tracks, GA |
RISING |
Mary’s Place |
early 2002 |
Southern Tracks, GA |
RISING |
NOTE BELOW: * previously unreleased / ** previously unreleased alternate version / *** previously unreleased live version
BONUS “RARITIES” CD |
RECORDING DATE |
LOCATION |
SESSION ERA |
|
|
|
|
From Small Things * |
late 1979 |
Power Station, NY |
RIVER |
Held Up Without A Gun *** |
Dec 31, 1980 |
Nassau Coliseum, NY |
Live in concert |
The Big Payback |
early 1982 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
NEBRASKA |
County Fair * |
early 1983 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
BITUSA |
None But The Brave * |
mid 1983 |
Hit Factory, NY |
BITUSA |
Trapped |
Aug 6, 1984 |
Meadowlands Arena, NJ |
1985 charity / Live in Concert |
Viva Las Vegas |
Sep 14, 1989 |
One On One Studios, CA |
1990 charity / HT |
Missing |
mid 1994 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
1995 soundtrack / GREATEST |
Dead Man Walking |
mid 1995 |
Thrill Hill WEST, CA |
1995 soundtrack / GOTJ |
Lift Me Up |
late 1998 |
Thrill Hill EAST, NJ |
1999 soundtrack / RISING |
Code Of Silence * |
Jun 29, 2000 |
Madison Square Garden, NY |
Live in concert |
Countin’ On A Miracle ** |
early 2002 |
Southern Tracks, GA |
RISING |
PART 2 – ESSENTIAL SESSIONS DETAILS
Please go to the individual session eras from which these tracks emanate for more details