10 Bruce springsteen deep cuts that deserve your attention

Bruce Springsteen by Danny Clinch for Variety.

On the evening of Bruce Springteen's 69th birthday, it is only one's duty to dust off some gems from his prolific discography. Springsteen has been the backbone of American music and has provided inspiration to musicians from every corner of the world. To honor his legacy, it is only fair that we look past the radio hits we all love, and dive deeper into the songwriter's heaven that is: The Boss. Below is a list that will do more than get your feet wet.

10. "Streets Of Fire" (from "Darkness on the Edge of town")

After the critical and commercial success of Born To Run, Springsteen returned to the studio to create Darkness On The Edge of Town, which would grow to be a fan favorite and seen as generally underrated by critics. In "Streets Of Fire", Bruce howls out of the darkness, accompanied by an ominous organ, calling to the listener to give in and let go to the passion burning inside of them. The chorus erupts with a booming drum crash and Bruce chiming in on his trusty Fender Telecaster. Later in the song, Springsteen can be found soloing, which is rather extraordinary due to the fact that the guitar solos on his other albums are often credited to the other guitarists in the E Street Band. Bruce still takes the lead on this song live to this day.

9."THE E Street Shuffle"(From "The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street SHUFFLE")

The opening track on Springsteen's sophomore record kicks off with possibly the funkiest groove you've ever heard from a skinny white kid from Jersey. This song is a love story to the streets that birthed the songwriter and his band comrades, retelling stories and recalling nicknamed friends. It's here that Bruce lets us in on the fun and adventure of what a Springsteen concert would soon become: a rock and rolling rollercoaster of a party.

8. "Lost In The Flood" (From "Greetings From Asbury Park")

We can all be comforted by the fact that Bruce was authentically Bruce even in the very first recordings of his career. Singing with a conscious, and telling the stories for those who cannot tell them themselves. This slow burn tune is essentially a plea for help that follows the stories of covered up and forgotten members of the American society. The first two verses follow a Vietnam war vet returning from war to a shell of himself, "Hey, gunner man, that's quicksand, that's quicksand that ain't mud/Have you thrown your senses to the war or did you lose them in the flood?" The last verse details a gang battle that results in the death of multiple kids lost to the flood of violence encompassed with 70's city streets. This early release shows the promise of the political anthems of the future.

7. "Death To My Hometown" (From "Wrecking Ball")

"Death To My Hometown" was released about 40 years later from the previously listed song, but there is a similarity in the anger expressed in regards to the hopelessness of the common American. This time, Springsteen's sharp witted lyrics are pointedly aimed at big bankers and other culprits that allegedly led to the 2008 economic crisis. This powerful Celtic influenced rock anthem recalls hints of the fife and drum that led the very first American soldiers into battle. Grab your bayonet, we're storming Wall Street!

6. "Reason To Believe" (From "Nebraska")

In 1982, Springsteen released an album recorded from his home on a 4-track cassette. The album was originally meant to be just demos, but were instead released, raw and acoustic. The closer track deals with everyday people, believing in something bigger to get them through their hard day to day life. The song features only a harmonica, acoustic guitar, and a voice that comes from an area of deep understanding.

5. "Lonesome Day" (From "The Rising")

Released off of Springsteen's first post-9/11 album, The Boss spends the majority of the record reflecting on the general emotional state of the nation. Although this song sounds rather optimistic musically, lyrically it reveals more of a sad resilience: "House is on fire, viper's in the grass/A little revenge and this too shall pass/This too shall pass, darling, yeah I'm gonna pray/Right now, all I got's this lonesome day." This one has always been a comforting lyric to me, yes, I may be lonesome now, but this will not last. Even rockstars have bad days.

4. "It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City"(From "Greetings From Asbury Park")

"I was the king of the alley, Mama, I could talk some trash/I was the prince of the paupers, crowned downtown at the beggar's bash/I was the pimp's main prophet, I kept everything cool/Just a backstreet gambler with the luck to lose." Quick talking 24-year old Springsteen lays down melodies in a boxer's stance, landing lyrical punches one after another over a rather jazz influenced drum beat and acoustic guitar. A short little tune about the struggles of staying pure in an un-pure city.

3. "The Promised Land" (From "Darkness On The Edge Of Town")

I won't keep it a secret, this is my favorite song I included on this list. It is highly underrated and yet everything you want from a Springsteen song. There's adolescence angst, a highway through the desert floor, and an iconic saxophone part; what more could you ask for? This is one to be sung at the top of your lungs in your car with the windows rolled all the way down. "Well, the dogs on Main Street howl, cause they understand/If I could take one moment into my hands/Mister, I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man/And I believe in the promised land."

2. "Backstreets" (From "Born To Run")

I spoke a few months back with a gentleman who fronted a Bruce Springsteen cover band when asked what his "deserted island Bruce song" was, without hesitation he stated, "Backstreets". To many fans of The Boss, this is the holy grail of hidden gems. If it were not released on a masterpiece album with three large radio hits, it would easily be a lead single off of another album. Once again, we follow Bruce back to his stomping grounds, moving in the night and staying out of the eye of the cops. The chorus erupts with maybe the best Springsteen howl ever captured in a song. Sit back, close your eyes, and find yourself hiding on the backstreets. "At night sometimes it seemed you could hear that whole damn city crying."

1. "Incident On 57th Street" (From "The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle")

My #1 hidden Springsteen deep track is story of star crossed lovers, Spanish Johnny and Puerto Rican Jane. Nearing 8 minutes long, this track is an entire class on how to write an epic storytelling love song, transporting the listener to the streets of New York, surrounded by Latin Romeos and Juliets. There is never a time that this recording does not give me full on goosebumps. This is not your "Born In The USA" era Bruce, this is early 70's poetic, scrawny and scruffy Bruce, fighting for his life to get stories of the faces he has seen out of his head. The sincerity in his lyrics and delivery is almost alarming when you remember that Springsteen was 25 years old at the time. Those who followed the young artist at the time had the first listen of this masterpiece that has aged just as well as The Boss himself.