Bruce song that almost made it on ‘Born To Run’ finally released

“Born To Run” is fifty years old. But, much like Bruce Springsteen himself, his creation still displays an energy half its age.

It wasn’t his first album. “Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey” and “The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle” both came out in 1973. But the 1975 album is the one that put him on the map and on the cover of Time and Newsweek simultaneously.

Bruce has talked about how he obsessed over every minute detail of the album.

So you can imagine deciding what to include and what songs to leave out must have been maddening. It was as if he knew this would be the one that would either cement him in rock history or wash him away like another spirit in the night.

Turns out there was one song that came incredibly close to making it onto the album. But the tune, “Lonely Night in the Park,” went down as an outtake.

According to a post by the Boss on Instagram, “After five decades in the vault, 'Lonely Night in the Park' has been digitally released for the first time ever today."

It’s hard to imagine the perfection that is Springsteen’s seminal album either having an extra song or having one replaced. What on earth would you replace? “Meeting Across the River” is just too cryptically poignant and such a beautiful setup for the climax of the album, “Jungleland.” Would you take out “Night” or “Backstreets” or would you come to your senses?

I think the album was absolutely perfect, but of course, it’s what I’m used to. But if you haven’t heard “Lonely Night in the Park,” take a listen.

See if you can imagine it on “Born To Run.” Personally, I think they were right to stand back and let it all be.