Springsteen Announces Massive ‘Darkness’ Set
After years of rumors, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have announced the details of their Darkness On The Edge of Town box set, which will be released on November 16. Numerous songs on the 3 CD/3 DVD package don’t appear to have been heard anywhere, even on bootleg, including “Someday (We’ll Be Together),” “The Brokenhearted,” “Save My Love,” “Ain’t Good Enough For You,” “It’s A Shame,” and “The Little Things (My Baby Does).” The set includes a remastered version of the album, two discs of rare and unreleased songs, a DVD of a 1978 Houston concert and another DVD of live cuts from 1976 through 1978 and a complete filmed performance of the album last year in Asbury Park.
Check out classic photographs of Bruce Springsteen through the years
Read the press release below:
Columbia Records will release Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story’ on Nov 16. The Deluxe Package comprises over six hours of film and more than two hours of audio across 3 CDs and 3 DVDs. The media contents are packaged within an 80-page notebook containing facsimiles from Springsteen’s original notebooks from the recording sessions, which include alternate lyrics, song ideas, recording details, and personal notes in addition to a new essay by Springsteen and never-before-seen photographs.Containing a wealth of previously unreleased material, ‘The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story’ offers an unprecedented look into Springsteen’s creative process during a defining moment in his career. ‘The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story’ will additionally be released as a 3CD/3 Blu Ray disc set.
The set will be available as ‘The Promise,’ an edition which consists of only the unheard complete songs on two CDs or four LPs, along with lyrics and the new essay by Springsteen.The previously unheard song “Save My Love” and an excerpt from the documentary will be streaming at https://www.BruceSpringsteen.net.The Deluxe Package includes ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town,’ digitally remastered for the first time.
CD 1: REMASTERED ‘DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN’1. Badlands2. Adam Raised A Cain3. Something In The Night4. Candy’s Room5. Racing In The Street
6. The Promised Land7. Factory8. Streets Of Fire9. Prove It All Night10. Darkness On The Edge Of Town“‘Darkness’ was my ‘samurai’ record,” Springsteen writes, “stripped to the frame and ready to rumble…But the music that got left behind was substantial.” For the first time, fans will have access to two discs containing a total of 21 previously-unreleased songs from the ‘Darkness’ recording sessions, songs that, as Springsteen writes, “perhaps could have/should have been released after ‘Born To Run’ and before the collection of songs that ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’ became.”
Highlights include the extraordinary rock version of “Racing in the Street,” the never-before-released original recordings of “Because the Night,” “Fire,” and “Rendezvous,” the supreme pop opus “Someday (We’ll Be Together),” the hilarious “Ain’t Good Enough for You,” the superb soul-based vocal performance on “The Brokenhearted,” the utterly haunting “Breakaway,” and the fully orchestrated masterpiece and title song “The Promise.” All 21 songs have been mixed by Springsteen’s long-time collaborator Bob Clearmountain. According to long-time manager/producer Jon Landau, “There isn’t a weak card in this deck. ‘The Promise’ is simply a great listening experience.”CD 2: THE PROMISE (DISC 1)1. Racing In The Street (’78)2. Gotta Get That Feeling3. Outside Looking In4. Someday (We’ll Be Together)5. One Way Street6. Because The Night
7. Wrong Side Of The Street8. The Brokenhearted9. Rendezvous10. Candy’s BoyCD 3: THE PROMISE (DISC 2)1. Save My Love
2. Ain’t Good Enough For You3. Fire4. Spanish Eyes5. It’s A Shame6. Come On (Let’s Go Tonight)7. Talk To Me8. The Little Things (My Baby Does)
9. Breakaway10. The Promise11. City Of NightThe Deluxe Package also features “The Promise: The Making of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town,'” a documentary directed by Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny. The ninety-minute film combines never-before-seen footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band shot between 1976 and 1978–including home rehearsals and studio sessions–with new interviews with Springsteen, E Street Band members, manager Jon Landau, former-manager Mike Appel, and others closely involved in the making of the record.Advanced word on the documentary is so strong that it was invited to debut at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival on September 14 and will make its television debut on HBO on October 7.DVD 1: “THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF ‘DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN'”In addition, the set features more than four hours of live concert film from the Thrill Hill Vault, including the bootleg house cut (the footage that appeared on-screen at the concert) from a 1978 Houston show, and a 2009 performance of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’ in its entirety from Asbury Park. The special performance in Asbury Park was shot in HD without an audience and successfully recreates the stark atmosphere of the original album.
DVD 2: DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (PARAMOUNT THEATER, ASBURY PARK, NJ,2009)
1. Badlands2. Adam Raised A Cain3. Something In The Night4. Candy’s Room5. Racing In The Street6. The Promised Land
7. Factory8. Streets Of Fire9. Prove It All Night10. Darkness On The Edge Of TownTHRILL HILL VAULT (1976-1978)1. Save My Love (Holmdel, NJ 76)
2. Candy’s Boy (Holmdel, NJ 76)3. Something In The Night (Red Bank, NJ 76)4. Don’t Look Back (NYC 78)5. Ain’t Good Enough For You (NYC 78)6. The Promise (NYC 78)7. Candy’s Room Demo (NYC 78)8. Badlands (Phoenix 78)
9. The Promised Land (Phoenix 78)10. Prove It All Night (Phoenix 78)11. Born To Run (Phoenix 78)12. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (Phoenix 78)DVD 3: HOUSTON ’78 BOOTLEG: HOUSE CUT1. Badlands
2. Streets Of Fire3. It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City4. Darkness On The Edge Of Town5. Spirit In The Night6. Independence Day7. The Promised Land8. Prove It All Night
9. Racing In The Street10. Thunder Road11. Jungleland12. The Ties That Bind13. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town14. The Fever15. Fire
16. Candy’s Room17. Because The Night18. Point Blank19. She’s The One20. Backstreets21. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)22. Born To Run
23. Detroit Medley24. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out25. You Can’t Sit Down26. Quarter To Three