The Springsteen Cover Project, Vol. 1 - Various Artists

In honor of the upcoming release of Bruce Springsteen's new album "Magic," here is a compilation of an eclectic bunch of people doing his songs. Putting this compilation together, I was amazed not only by the breadth of artists who have covered Bruce, but also the amazing number of female performers who have interpreted his songs. Intrepid observers will note that one of these songs, Trapped, wasn't written by Bruce (it's by Jimmy Cliff), but it's so closely associated with him that I've included a cover anyway. These tracks are all good, but my own favorite is John Wesley Harding's version of Wreck on the Highway: I was at McCabe's the night Springsteen came down and played this song with Wes, and though that was one of the most amazing experiences of my concert-going life, this version is actually better.

This is labeled Vol. 1, but I'm bowing out of this one to let fracas64 do the heavy lifting. I can't wait to see and hear what he comes up with for the next 10 or 20 volumes. As usual, I am not including lineages due to the many different sources. But I do want to send out a special thanks to all the tapers and the original uploaders. No cover art here, but hopefully some noble soul will create some. I have done nothing to the original files but normalize the levels and fade in and out on each track (using Cool Edit). 

01 Reason to Believe - Beat Farmers (Mar 6,2002, 4th & B, San Diego, CA)
02 Dancing in the Dark - Tegan and Sara (Feb 15, 2006, Corner Hotel, Melbourne,  Australia)
03 One Step Up - Lori McKenna (Apr 18, 2003, Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA)  
04 Janey Don't You Lose Heart - Scott Miller and the Commonwealth (Jun 13, 2002, Market Square, Knoxville, TN)
05 Atlantic City - Bodeans (Nov 16, 2006, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Arlington Heights, IL)
06 State Trooper - Drive-By Truckers (Jul 17, 2007, World Cafe, 
Philadelphia PA

)
07 Brothers Under the Bridge - Cowboy Junkies (Jun 15, 2007, Camden Opera House, Camden, ME)
08 Candy's Room - Maria McKee (May 14, 2003, Nalen, Stockholm, Sweden)
09 My Love Won't Let You Down - Mary Chapin Carpenter (Nov 2, 1999, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London, UK)
10 I'm Goin' Down - Britt Daniel (Jun 16, 2002, Northsix, Brooklyn, NY)
11 I'm On Fire - Heather Nova (Mar 2, 1996, Knust Club, Hamburg, Germany)
12 Trapped - Tom Russell (Aug 13, 2005, The Maennerchor, Columbus, OH)
13 Racing in the Street - Mary Lou Lord (Feb 8, 2003, 415 Dawson St., Moorestown, NJ)
14 Wreck on the Highway - John Wesley Harding (Jan 29, 2005, Schubas, Chicago, IL)
15 Ramrod - Warren Zevon (No 2, 1999, Irving Plaza, New York, NY)
16 Born in the USA - Lloyd Cole (Dec 21, 1998, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY)
17 My Hometown - U2 (Jun 29, 1985, Croke Park, Dublin, IR)
18 Thunder Road - Tori Amos (Feb 5, 1996, WDRE Studios, Philadelphia, PA)