DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

Commercial Released: June 2, 1978

Produced by Bruce Springsteen and Jon Landau
Recorded by Jimmy Iovine

PART 1 - DARKNESS SESSION OVERVIEW

Springsteen reached a final settlement in his yearlong litigation with Mike Appel on May 28, 1977. Effectively this meant that for the first time in a year Springsteen was able to go into a studio and record. He wasted no time. The “Darkness Sessions” began in early June 1977 at Atlantic Studios in New York City. Springsteen had a considerable amount of new material – but the songs were in various stages of writing completion. Consequently many of the songs were shaped over the course of numerous sessions spanning several months.

The sessions at Atlantic Studios were only two or three weeks old when problems surfaced. Bruce didn’t like the sound he was getting from the studio (particularly the drums). On top of that Atlantic did not offer a particularly comfortable or livable environment for the musicians. So there was a decision taken to shift operations to the nearby Record Plant (where most of the BTR album had been recorded). However they’d already made financial commitments to Atlantic Studios, plus on such short notice they were unable to find much un-booked studio time at the popular Record Plant. Consequently the period July and August 1977 saw Springsteen and the band recording at both studios – but mostly Atlantic. However from September thru late December all recording seems to have taken place at The Record Plant – where all the recordings issued on the original album emanate from.

The actual recording sessions for Darkness were completed by early January 1978. The mixing sessions began in early January 1978 and dragged on until late March – there were a tremendous amount of different mixes considered, with Springsteen changing his mind on the mix of one song (“The Promised Land”) as late as early April. From March 1978 to the start of the Darkness Tour in late May Steve Van Zandt and Max Weinberg were very busy at nearby Secret Sound Studios with Southside Johnny’s “Hearts Of Stone” LP (released early Oct 1978). Springsteen donated two non short-listed songs from the Darkness sessions to the Southside LP project.

According to comments by Darkness sessions recording engineer Jimmy Iovine about 30 songs were recorded to a completed state and available for inclusion on the Darkness album. There were an unknown number of additional songs not fully completed. What “not fully completed” means is uncertain. At this stage only 15 songs have been officially released (the 10 on the original album + 5 on Tracks), which means there are about 16 completed songs still in the vaults, plus some unknown amount of not fully finished recordings. The list below contains 50 songs from the period that likely encompass all or nearly all of the 30 songs Jimmy Iovine was alluding to, as well as most of the ones never completed.

The audio from the Darkness sessions that has surfaced unofficially over the years has been of rather disappointing quality. During the late 1970’s and 1980’s most of it was of very weak quality. However over the past 15 years lower generation audio specimens have emerged and the CD-era boots of this audio have been a noticeable improvement over their vinyl era counterparts. Yet in many cases it has become apparent that there were flaws in the way the original source individuals taped these studio sessions. There certainly appears to have been some hidden “fly-on-the-wall” type tapings. The other problem is that much of the leaked audio is of early studio workouts of these songs, rather than later, fully realized renditions. Although what is circulating is better than nothing one suspects that we’ve yet to hear the best of what is actually available in the official vaults from these sessions.

Note: V1 (three different mixes, with V1a being instrumental backing only) is from August 1977 at Atlantic Studios. V2 (two different mixes) is from fall 1977 at The Record Plant.

Note: V1 is from early in the sessions (June-July) at Atlantic studios. V2 (three different mixes) is from Sept-Oct 1977 at The Record Plant.

Note: V1 is a nice solo piano take (the LM-3 audio cuts prematurely) from early in the sessions. V3 is a stunning alternate band performance with wailing harmonica and tremendous vocal by Bruce – the definitive version.

Note: V1 is from Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977. V2 (three mixes) is from The Record Plant sometime during Sept-Oct 1977.

Note: V1 is from Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977 prior to Bruce having the lyrics written – the lyrics to “Something In The Night” are used instead, thus making for fascinating listening. V2 (three mixes) is from The Record Plant sometime during Sept-Oct 1977.

Note: The early, work-in-progress title was “Let’s Go Tonight”. V1 is a rough workout in June 1977 at Atlantic Studios, with the melody complete but with embryonic, different lyrics (bits would turn up a couple of years later in “Johnny Bye Bye”). V2 is from Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977. V3 (three different mixes) is from The Record Plant sometime Oct-Nov 1977. V3a includes a violin overdub from David Lindley (from Jackson Browne’s band).  

Note: V1 is from August 1977 at Atlantic Studios. V2 is from Oct-Nov 1977 at The Record Plant. Bruce’s work-in-progress title was “Daddy Raised A Cain”.

Note: The versions above provide a good insight into how Springsteen develops some songs through the course numerous sessions. V1 and V2 are from Atlantic Studios in June and Aug 1977 respectively and contain the familiar lyrics but utilize a different melody. V3 is the familiar melody, with no lyrics. V4 and V5 feature non-descript, bluffed lyrics (all three from Aug 77 at Atlantic). V6 (three mixes) is from Oct – Nov 1977 and marries the melody of V3-V5 with the lyrics to V4. Both “The Fast Song” and “Candy’s Boy” were work-in-progress titles.

Note: One of the last songs written and recorded for the album. Both V1a and V1b are the same performance, recorded at Record Plant in Nov-Dec 1977.  V1a is a slightly different mix (no lead guitar) that was only dumped from the album in favor of V1b at the very last moment.

Note: It turned out to be the LP title but, ironically, this song wasn’t completed until late in the recording session (Nov-Dec 1977). Original artwork mock-ups for the album from Oct 1977 (when the LP was to be titled Badlands) do not even include “Darkness” on the album. V1 is a rockabilly arrangement. V2a and V2b are different mixes of the same basic recording.

Note: V1 and V2 are different backing tracks. V3 contains a rough Springsteen vocal. V1 thru V3 were recorded at Atlantic Studios in June 1977. V4 was recorded at The Record Plant on July 2, 1977 (the March 1, 1978 recording date often cited was actually the final mix date). Under consideration for release on the Darkness LP up to the last minute.

Note: Two different mixes of the same core recording. V1a seems to be running at too slow a speed. Recorded at The Record Plant on Oct 14, 1977. V1b includes a horn section (Cruz-Manion-Pender-Rosenberg-Spengler) that was recorded in 1998 (not 1977) and then added to create the end product on TRACKS. However this E Street Band base recording (i.e., without the 1998 horns) was used as the base recording for Southside’s original 1978 album track, with Southside merely replacing Bruce’s vocal with his own and adding in his own horn players at the time.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant on Oct 27, 1977.  Both are the same recording but different mixes. V1a suffers from drop- outs.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant on Nov 10, 1977. The fact that this song (of which no bootlegged take had ever surfaced and which was not even rumored to exist) surfaced on TRACKS may be an indication of how little we really know about the full extent of songs recorded at these sessions.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant, probably on Jan 6, 1978 – one of the very last songs recorded. The official TRACKS booklet incorrectly lists the recording date as Jan 6, 1974 but this is a typo error with respect to the year. All the other production, engineering and musician credits for this recording clearly point to it as being a Darkness session outtake, as has comments by Springsteen, who has always alluded of this recording within the context of the Darkness sessions. “So Young And In Love” was a revamped (new title and lyric adjustments) version of the 1974 song “A Love So Fine”, which Bruce had played live in 1974-5 and recorded (in that incarnation) for BTR. This Darkness remake is superior on all levels to the earlier song.

Note: V1 is from June or July 1977. V2 is from August 1977, both from Atlantic Studios. Both feature slightly different lyrics. V3 is probably from The Record Plant in the Sept-Oct 1977 and is the completed recording…and the one Bruce rejected for TRACKS, instead opting to record a new version (issued on 18 TRACKS) that pales in comparison to the stunning V3.

Note: Two slightly different mixes of the same performance. Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Nov, 1977. This is a nice ballad, excellent sound and a finished song.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Nov, 1977. This is a completed take and one of the few that has surfaced from the sessions with the vocals mixed correctly. Bruce incorporated elements of the song into the middle of “She’s The One” during the Darkness Tour.

 Note: Recorded at The Record Plant, Oct-Nov 1977. This is a finished take in excellent quality. Bruce’s working title was “Taxi Driver”. Also known as “City At Night”.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Nov 1977. This is fully finished take but the circulating audio is slightly marred by the vocal being buried in the mix. The working title was “Bo Diddley Rocker”

Note: The lone circulating studio version emanates from June 1977 at Atlantic. This is good take but the circulating audio is marred by vocal drop-out during the first verse. In a 1978 interview Springsteen said the song was kept off the LP because it didn’t fit thematically. Bruce personally demonstrated the song to artist Greg Kihn in Oct 1978, who soon after recorded a cover (released in Apr 1979). A live version was used for TRACKS, which may indicate Bruce wasn’t satisfied with the available studio versions.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Nov 1977. This is a fully finished performance but the circulating audio is marred by the vocal being buried in the mix (a flaw in the bootleg audio source). The very strange, seemingly unrelated working title for this was “English Sons”. This song is not related to Graham Parker’s song of the same name that Springsteen played on in 1979.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Nov 1977. The circulating audio is marred by the vocal being buried in the mix. The very strange working title for this was “Say Sons”. Short rocker.

Note: V1 is from Sept 1977 at Atlantic Studios and is a rough workout with lyrics very bluffed. V2 is more developed, with nearly finished lyrics and is likely to date from shortly afterward at The Record Plant. Also known in collector circles as “All Night Long”. The audio quality on LOOSE is the best.

Note: V1 dates from Aug 1977 at Atlantic Studios. V2 likely dates from around the same time and is more developed but still features some bluffed lyrics. Great song.

Note: Both V1 and V2 date from June-July sessions at Atlantic. Bruce re-recorded the song 5 years later during the BITUSA sessions and that later version (on Tracks) is far superior to either of these renditions.

Note: Recorded at Atlantic Studios in June 1977. This is a very rough early take with an uneven mix and some seriously off-key harmony vocals by Van Zandt.

Note: Recorded at Atlantic Studios in June 1977. This is a complete take but it’s clearly not a final take.

Note: Recorded at Atlantic Studios in June 1977. This is a complete take but it’s clearly not a final take. Bruce re-recorded it during the River sessions and it’s that version which is found on TRACKS.

Note: Written in May 1977, a few days after Bruce and Steve attended an Elvis Presley concert in Philadelphia. The lone circulating studio version (which is not a final take) comes from June 1977 at Atlantic Studios. Allegedly (and this may be myth) a finished demo take was sent to Elvis Presley in July or August 1977, shortly before his death, with the hope that Elvis might cover it. Bruce ended up donating the song to Robert Gordon, who recorded his cover (with Bruce on piano) in early December 1977 (released April 78). The Pointer Sisters then quickly covered Gordon’s released version and had the major international smash hit in early 1979.

Note: V1 is from Atlantic Studios in Aug-Sept 1977 with the lyrics not finished. V2 is from the same period, probably at The Record Plant, more fully realized, but still with some bluffed lyrics. It was at this time (late September 1977) that fellow NJ poet/rocker Patti Smith, who was also recording at The Record Plant, became aware of the tune via Jimmy Iovine (who was engineering both artists). The not-quite-finished song was handed to Smith, who fine-tuned the lyrics and released the song in March 1978, three months before the Darkness LP was issued – and it was a worldwide hit. Springsteen never recorded a studio version with Smith’s lyrics and he never performed the song live using Smith’s full lyrics until the recent Vote For Change mini-Tour.

Note: V1 recorded at Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977. V2 is more fully realized and is probably from a later session at The Record Plant in Sept-Oct 1977. Up-tempo, pop-flavored.

Note: Both from The Record plant during Sept-Dec, 1977 era. V2 is more fully developed and in better sound quality. This song bears some slight resemblance to “This Little Girl”, the hit song Bruce donated to Gary US Bonds in 1980. Also known by the title “What’s The Matter Little Darling”.

Note: It is uncertain from which period of the Darkness sessions these two versions emanate from – probably from The Record Plant. V2 (which is in very weak sound quality) is sometimes listed under the alternate title of “I Wanna Be Wild” but these are clearly the same song with just alternate work-in-progress lyrics.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Oct-Dec 1977. This is near finished take but the circulating audio quality is not great. The working title was “Crazy Rocker”.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Nov or Dec 1977. The audio take is very unfinished, with bluffed lyrics. No complete take is circulating from the Darkness sessions, although this song (like several others from these sessions) was re-recorded in 1979-80 during sessions for The River and that version has been issued on TRACKS

Note: The only circulating audio is from Atlantic Studios in June 1977 – an embryonic take with very unfinished lyrics. Lovely melody. Bruce’s work-in-progress title was “The Ballad”.

Note: all three of these performances date from Atlantic Studios. V1 and V2 are from June 1977 and V3 is shortly afterwards. Listed on some early vinyl boots by the title “Sad Eyes”. Bruce re-vamped and re-recorded the song during The River sessions and released it on that album.

Note: V1 recorded at Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977. V2 fades in, repeats the last verse and is likely to emanate from the same time period. Re-recorded for The River album. 

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant, Sep-Nov 1977. Re-recorded for The River.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Sept 1977. The sound quality of this particular piece of audio is weak. There is most definitely a complete and mixed take in existence, as the song was short-listed for inclusion on Darkness. Bruce re-recorded this for release on The River 

Note: The only circulating audio (and critically it’s missing Bruce’s vocal) is from Atlantic Studios in Aug 1977. A complete take with the Springsteen vocal has yet to circulate but almost certainly exists. Bruce donated this composition (and “Hearts Of Stone”) to Southside Johnny in spring 1978 for use on his upcoming 3rd album. Unlike “Hearts Of Stone” (where the Darkness session E Street Band backing track was utilized) Southside Johnny appears to have recorded his version of “Talk To Me” from scratch.

Note: Recorded at The Record Plant in Sept 1977. This is only the backing track – Bruce’s vocal is missing (assuming there was one). The completed take has never circulated. 

Note: this song is known from a proposed album track selection document (in Bruce’s handwriting) from around Oct 1977. Recordings of the other songs on this list are circulating so it seems highly likely this song was recorded but has merely not circulated. 

Note: This song made its live debut in Feb 1977 at the start of the final leg of the Lawsuit Tour. Whether or not this song was recorded during the Darkness album sessions is unknown.

Note: This instrumental made its live debut at the start of the Darkness Tour in May 1978. Whether this song was recorded during the Darkness album sessions is unknown. 

Note: Known from circulating audio of a Darkness Tour rehearsal in May 1978. Whether this song was written or recorded during the Darkness album sessions is unknown.

Note: Co-written by Springsteen and Van Zandt in Dec 1976 during sessions for Southside Johnny’s 2nd album (issued in May 1977). We can hope, but a Springsteen studio recording of this song may not exist.

Note: Co-written by Springsteen and Van Zandt in Dec 1976 during sessions for Southside Johnny’s 2nd album (issued in May 1977). A Springsteen studio recording of this song may not exist.

Note: Co-written by Southside Johnny, Springsteen and Van Zandt in early 1978 during sessions for Southside Johnny’s 3rd album. According to Southside he predominantly wrote the song, with Bruce and Steve merely adding bits and pieces. So a Springsteen studio recording of this song is highly unlikely to exist.

Page updated August 15, 2007

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