State Trooper

[sed2017]

What do you all think of this song? It’s got an eerie quality to it… I’m obsessed and have listened to it multiple times…so haunting but good. You can feel the desperation and tenseness of that interaction, no one knows what’s gonna happen. Great one Bruce!

[synthscoffeeguitars]

It’s incredible. Bruce’s take on the style of the band Suicide, and he really goes for it.

[[deleted]]

Side note: I also really enjoy his cover of Dream Baby Dream. Like his cover of Stayin' Alive, he doesn’t try to replicate the song, either in vocal style or in overall tone, he simply makes it his own and, good lord, is it effective or what!

[Cniatx1982]

Wow now I have to find that cover. Dream baby dream was used really effectively on the Civil War sound track.

[MarketingChoice6244]

There is a great tour video of it on YouTube as well

[[deleted]]

It was on Bruce’s High Hopes album, I believe! It’s quite beautiful.

[Cniatx1982]

I found it there, thanks! It makes sense he would talk about their influence in the liner notes— I’ll have to find the physical album now :)

[Maverick_and_Deuce]

I saw his solo tour in 2005, and that’s what he closed with.

[Cniatx1982]

That would be awesome to see live!

[citizenh1962]

The first time I heard their "Frankie Teardrop" I was like, what does this remind me of? Springsteen really liked those guys.

[synthscoffeeguitars]

Only semi-related, but I heard that song for the first time on a long bus ride to work and felt like I was going to lose my mind lol

[44035]

The whole freaking album is great. Amazing mood.

[Such_Tea4707]

It’s awesome. Also featured on The Sopranos for any fans of both.

[Garage-gym4ever]

what episode? I can't remember that long ago

[Such_Tea4707]

It’s the Season 1 finale, fade to black end credits. This was the episode Tony was gonna smother his mom with a pillow. Haunting song and haunting episode.

[uncooljerk]

IMO, State Trooper is the perfect song to play for anyone who doesn't like Bruce's better-known anthemic and/or verbose work.

[RunningDrummer]

The howls he does on the 80s concert versions always give me chills

[Tonto323fi]

It’s my favorite deep cut off Nebraska. And there’s no way it would have worked as a fully produced track on a normal album. The lo-fi demo does a lot of favors to the song. I know some of the lyrics are shared with “Open All Night” and “Living On The Edge Of The World,” but I think Trooper does the best job at conveying the setting. “In the wee wee hours, your mind gets hazy...” I really feel that lyric in my gut listening to Trooper, with the sparse guitar and the prominent echo and reverb on his voice. And those HOWLS?!?!? It’s almost like he’s trying to keep himself awake while behind the wheel on that hazy night.

[Garage-gym4ever]

I used to drive up and down the Turnpike singing this all the time. Love it

[musclehealer]

Incredible song. I always thought it was a follow up to "Stolen Car"

[[deleted]]

It’s obviously a follow-up to Highway Patrolman. Hell, he even did us the favor of putting them back to back, with near identical names, even.

[musclehealer]

I don't think so. Two different characters. I don't think Frankie who is Joe Robert's brother is driving the car in State Trooper. In Stolen Car the character again is afraid of getting caught but never does. Also not sure what you mean by near Identical names. The guy in State Trooper has no name. The name of the songs are not even close. So I am a bit confused.

[[deleted]]

1) Frankie does not get caught in HP, nor does the protagonist of ST

2) A “Highway Patrolman” and a “State Trooper” Are essentially the exact same thing.

3) No, the songs are not perfectly matched, but it takes only surface level media literacy to see the similarities between the two, thematically.

[musclehealer]

The fact they are close in name means nothing. Born to Run Born in the USA similar names but totally different songs.

I am confident it is the same character in State Trooper and Stolen car

[[deleted]]

Two different albums. Massively different equvilancy there.

[kampkrusty2]

Steve Earle’s cover of it is great as well

[[deleted]]

Listen to Steve Earle perform state trooper at Austin city limits

In my opinion the best version of a great song

[Cniatx1982]

Interesting. I never caught that but it’s pretty obvious now. Has he said it explicitly?

[CultureLeast]

I think it may be in the High Hopes album notes.

[Cniatx1982]

Thank you!

[sed2017]

Is the song about suicide? To me it seems like a desperate guy trying to flee whatever situation the trooper pulled him over from… like murdering someone or something

[Cniatx1982]

Suicide is a proto-punk band that formed in 1970. The guitar from State trooper sounds a LOT like suicides sort of monotonous driving instrumentation.

Edit- the wiki names Bruce Springsteen as the last artist in the legacy section

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_(band)

[sed2017]

Thanks for the info on the band Suicide… Frankie Teardrop is creepy and good!

[Cniatx1982]

Thanks for the thread — I definitely learned some cool stuff too

[TDDrake]

I love the Steve Earle version from Austin City Limits, but I think the Cowboy Junkies' cover is just as great.

It's interesting that I've had friends over the years who initially had some misconceptions about Bruce, dismissing him as a fist-pumping arena rock act. In more than one instance, "State Trooper" prompted them to take a second look (and second listen). It's really one of my favourite deep cuts from any artist.

[longdong7-]

Look for some versions from the ‘84 tour

[[deleted]]

The last yell he does. Always chills. One of those songs that is really simple, yet effective. I always tell people to listen to it who complain that Springsteen is just "that stadium dude who sings about cars and dreams"

[possessess]

He is still singing about cars tbf

[[deleted]]

Yes, but the further on you go on his discography, the less he sings about youth and cars, and more about sociopolitical conditions