đź“° Bowie Cuts Bruce's Songs - Article : Dec. 1974
- David Bowie
- Dec 7, 1974
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 30
A intriguing 1974 Melody Maker report revealing that David Bowie had recorded several songs by rising American songwriter Bruce Springsteen during sessions in Philadelphia.
The Thin White Duke quietly covering the future Boss — an early glimpse of Bowie’s fascination with Springsteen’s songwriting.
Melody Maker
Date: December 7, 1974
Length: 2 min read
đź“° Key Highlights
• David Bowie records multiple Bruce Springsteen compositions
• Notable tracks include “Spirit In The Night”, “It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City”, and “Growing Up”
• Sessions held in Philadelphia
• Mention of a forthcoming Springsteen TV film for British broadcast
• Early sign of Bowie’s interest in American songwriters outside his usual circle
đź“° Overview
Published on December 7, 1974, this short but significant Melody Maker piece reports on David Bowie’s latest studio activity, where he cut several tracks written by Bruce Springsteen, highlighting the cross-pollination between two major artists of the era.
đź“° Source Details
Publication / Venue: Melody Maker
Date: December 7, 1974
Format: News brief
Provenance Notes: Original 1974 Melody Maker magazine clipping.
đź“° The Story
The article states that Bowie had recorded several Bruce Springsteen songs during recent sessions in Philadelphia. Among them were “Spirit In The Night” (already singled out), “It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City”, and “Growing Up”. It also notes that a television film of Springsteen was being prepared for British audiences.
đź“° Visual Archive
Simple newsprint layout with bold headline “Bowie cuts Bruce’s songs” and tightly set text columns, typical of Melody Maker’s news sections.
đź“° Related
For more similar posts, check out the tags at the bottom of the page.
đź“° Closing Notes
This brief 1974 report is a fascinating footnote in rock history — Bowie, at the height of his soul phase, recognising the raw talent of a young Bruce Springsteen years before *Born To Run* made him a superstar.
đź“ť Copyright Notice
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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