Promotional Information

"The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen provides a comprehensive, insightful overview of Springsteen's prodigious catalogue of music. Rob Kirkpatrick's rich narrative sheds new light on the songs that have become a soundtrack for the American experience." -- Mark K. Updegrove, Author of Second Acts: Presidential Lives and Legacies After the White House, Formerly publisher of Newsweek and MTV Magazine

About the Author

Rob Kirkpatrick is the author of Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators: The War-Torn Career of an All-Star Shortstop (2005). He provided an essay on the Pacific coast rock music scene for The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Regional Cultures (2004), contributed to Approaches to Teaching Hamlet (MLA 2001) and has appeared in The Hemingway Review.

Reviews

This is a musical biography of rock singer Bruce Springsteen that travels chronologically through the artist's many albums examining Springsteen's creative processes of songwriting, performing, and recording. The author discusses cultural and social contexts for Springsteen's music, lyrical themes and motifs, musical analysis, and musical and lyrical influences.
*Reference & Research Book News*

Other books have covered the life and works of popular musician Bruce Springsteen, but few offer the depth of analysis and critical assessment of The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen, which opens with a brief biography, before it turns to the heart of the matter: all of his significant albums, in chronological order, which provide a musical analysis of themes, motifs, and underlying ideas. College-level students of popular music will appreciate the attention to detail and the insights which lend to a far greater appreciation for Bruce Springsteen's works.
*Midwest Book Review - The Bookwatch*

The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen, by Rob Kirkpatrick, offers a fresh, compelling look at The Boss's art, his life, and even his country. After a brief biographical treatment, Kirkpatrick offers a guide to Springsteen's lyrical themes and motifs, offering coherent insights into the complicated nature of the artist's underlying concerns, influences, and ideas. The book also considers Springsteen's legacy as a songwriter and musician. A bibliography and complete discography complete the volume.
*Library Media Connection*