To coincide with today's release of Bruce Springsteen's second Album Collection, Sony/Legacy and Columbia Records are releasing nine rare Springsteen EPs on digital platforms. These are part of Legacy's ongoing vault series which sees digital release of rare music from artists in a wide variety of eras and genres.
The EPs are mostly international releases and span the years from 1987-2012. Two were originally released in Japan. The first, Live Collection, rounds up four concert performances, some previously on albums and some taken from B-sides. The second EP, Roll of the Dice, has that tune from the Human Touch album. The EP also contains a live version "Leap of Faith" and a Human Touch outtake, "30 Days Out."
A further five EPs hail from the U.K. The first, 1995's Hungry Heart, melds a live version of the hit tune with a backing track from The River. Three additional live cuts fill out the EP. The next two EPs were released to tie in with The Ghost of Tom Joad and beyond. Each contains one track from the album and a selection of concert performances. The fourth EP kicks off with "Lonesome Day" from The Rising and follows with two more live songs. The fifth EP, Live and Rare from 2003, is a wholly live affair featuring tracks recorded in the mid-1990s.
The final two EPs were originally released in the U.S. 2009's What Love Can Do first came out for that year's Record Store Day. It contains the song from the Working on a Dream album and "A Night with The Jersey Devil," released as a free download in 2008. The final EP is also a former Record Store Day release with a pair of tracks. "Rocky Ground" is taken from Wrecking Ball and the live version of "The Promise" comes from 2010 documentary The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story.
We've got the full track listings below if you would like to give any of these Springsteen EPs a try. They're available today from all digital service providers!
Live Collection (originally released as CBS/Sony 20AP 3326 (Japan), 1987) (iTunes / Spotify)
- For You (Live)
- Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (Live)
- Fire (Live)
- Incident On 57th Street (Live)
Tracks 1-2 recorded live at The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA - 7/7/1978. Track 1 released on "Fire" U.K. single - CBS 650381 7, 1987. Track 2 released on Live/1975-85 (Columbia C3K 40558, 1986)
Track 3 recorded live at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 12/16/1978. Released on Live/1975-85 (Columbia C3K 40558, 1986)
Track 4 recorded live at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY - 12/31/1980. Released on "War" U.K. 12" single - CBS 650193 6, 1986
Roll Of The Dice EP (originally released as Sony SRCS 6599 (Japan), 1992) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Roll Of The Dice
- Leap Of Faith (Live)
- 30 Days Out
Track 1 from Human Touch (Columbia CK 53000, 1992)
Track 2 recorded live at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ - 8/6/1992
Hungry Heart EP (originally released as Columbia 662315 2 (U.K.), 1995) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Hungry Heart (Berlin '95 Version)
- Streets Of Philadelphia (Live)
- Thunder Road (Live)
- Murder Incorporated (Live)
Vocals to Track 1 recorded live at Cafe Eckstein, Berlin, Germany - 7/9/1995. Backing track from The River (Columbia PC2 36854, 1980)
Tracks 2-4 recorded live at Sony Music Studios, New York, NY - 4/5/1995
The Ghost Of Tom Joad EP (originally released as Columbia 662949 2 (U.K.), 1995) (iTunes / Spotify)
- The Ghost Of Tom Joad
- Straight Time (Live)
- Sinaloa Cowboys (Live)
Track 1 from The Ghost Of Tom Joad (Columbia CK 67484, 1995)
Tracks 2-3 recorded live at the Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA - 12/9/1995
Missing EP (originally released as Columbia 663508 2 (U.K.), 1996) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Missing
- Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Live)
- Born In The U.S.A. (Live)
- Spare Parts (Live)
Track 1 previously unreleased - recorded for the film The Crossing Guard
Tracks 2-4 recorded live on ICC SAAL 1 for Austereo MCM's "Planet Live," Berlin, Germany - 4/19/1996
Lonesome Day EP (originally released as Columbia 673272 2 (U.K.), 2002) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Lonesome Day
- Spirit In The Night (Live)
- The Rising (Live)
Track 1 from The Rising (Columbia CK 86600, 2002)
Track 2 recorded live at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain - 10/15/2002
Track 3 recorded live at Hayden Planetarium for the MTV Video Music Awards, New York, NY - 8/29/2002
Live and Rare EP (released as Columbia SAMPCM 12867 2 (U.K.), 2003) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Growing Up (Live)
- Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Live)
- This Hard Land (Live)
- The Big Muddy (Live)
Tracks 1 and 4 recorded live at Warner Hollywood Studios, Los Angeles, CA - 9/22/1992. Released on the In Concert/MTV Plugged video (SMV Enterprises 19V 49162, 1992) and the "Streets Of Philadelphia" U.K. CD single (Columbia 660065 2, 1994)
Tracks 2-3 recorded live at the Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA - 12/9/1995. Track 2 released on "Dead Man Walkin'" U.K. CD single (Columbia 663190 2, 1996). Track 3 released on "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" U.K. CD single (Columbia 662949 2, 1995).
What Love Can Do EP (released as Columbia 38-749532, 2009) (iTunes / Spotify)
- What Love Can Do
- A Night With The Jersey Devil
Track 1 from Working On a Dream (Columbia 88697 41355 2, 2009)
Track 2 originally released as free download, 2008
Rocky Ground EP (released as Columbia 88691 96704 7, 2012) (iTunes / Spotify)
- Rocky Ground
- The Promise (Live)
Track 1 from Wrecking Ball (Columbia 88691 94254 2, 2012)
Track 2 recorded live at The Carousel, Asbury Park, NJ - 12/7/2010. Audio taken from The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story (Columbia 88697 78230 2, 2010)
wem51 says
Are these items supposed to be available through itunes? I checked and could not find them unless I am not looking in the right place. As far as I can tell I do not see them listed on itunes Canada as of 10:44 AM on May 18th.
Brian from Canada says
I got mine through the Canadian store by clicking the links above to buy on iTunes. A search of iTunes Canada won't show them at all today. 🙁
Shaun says
A “live” Hungry Heart that includes a backing track from the original album?? What the hell is that about? That sounds really dumb. Do a live track, or don’t.
The one that really irks me though is that “Live Collection.”
Yeah, I know it’s an old EP. But here they are reissuing performances from the legendary Roxy and Winterland ‘78 stands — which were recorded to multitrack — but Springsteen STILL hasn’t seen fit to release these shows in full as either part of his archive series, or thru Sony as part of a mass release to retailers (ala Dylan’s Bootleg Series).
Anyhow, nothing much of interest for me. Two EPs that should’ve been included are the old Chimes of Freedom release, as well the more recent American Beauty. That one had some of the better latter-day songs Bruce has written.
Ed says
No cd, no buy