Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.
(Image found online. Original source unknown.)
Thirty years ago-March 21, 1994-Bruce Springsteen won the Oscar for Best Original Song for the track he wrote for the film, “Philadelphia”. The Boss was already a megastar, thanks to the massive success of his album, “Born In The U.S.A.” ten years earlier. And that blockbuster came 11 years after the release of his debut album in 1973.
As Springsteen noted in his acceptance speech, it was the first time he wrote a song for a movie. And he hit it out of the park. Just like a Boss. You can watch his performance from the 66th Academy Awards and hear his acceptance speech here. Watching it all these years later, and knowing how much The Boss regretted not having The E Street Band inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame with him in 1999, I would say they are the only thing missing in this clip.
Speaking of that career honor, which came during the 14th annual induction ceremony on March 15, 1999 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, it was U2 frontman Bono who was given the privilege to usher Springsteen into the Rock Hall. With speech highlights that included gems like-‘”Bruce took us from Haight-Ashbury to Asbury Park” and “He’s not The Boss-he works for us!”, Bono expressed what all Springsteen fans feel-that he is singing only for us. And for that, we are most grateful.
Top: Bruce Springsteen on Oscar night in March 1994. Bottom: Bruce (L) and Steven Van Zandt (R) during The Boss’s performance following his induction in 1999. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)
Bruce Springsteen: “Streets Of Philadelphia” (1993, written by Bruce Springsteen).
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” (Live performance at the R&R HOF induction ceremony, March 1994. Originally recorded in 1975. Written by Bruce Springsteen).
Stay safe & well.
Lilacs & Rust 