18 Tracks

18 Tracks is an album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1999. All but three selections had been on the boxed set Tracks, released a half year before. This single album was intended to capture more casual fans,[1] and thus was oriented towards the shorter, more pop-oriented selections from Springsteen's vault.

18 Tracks
Compilation album by
Bruce Springsteen
ReleasedApril 13, 1999
RecordedMay 3, 1972–February 12, 1999
GenreRock
Length71:12
LabelColumbia
ProducerBruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen chronology
Tracks
(1998)		 18 Tracks
(1999)		 Live in New York City
(2001)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band chronology
Tracks
(1998)		 18 Tracks
(1999)		 Live in New York City
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Tom HullB+ ()[2]

"The Promise", a Darkness on the Edge of Town outtake that gained considerable reputation as Springsteen's ultimate tale of betrayal following live performances beginning in 1976 and even more so in 1978, was included in a newly recorded version among the three new numbers after howls of outrage from the faithful for leaving it off Tracks. "The Fever" had been recorded in 1973 but never seriously considered for inclusion on an album; instead, it became familiar to progressive rock radio listeners as manager Mike Appel released it to such stations in 1974 and it became an underground hit.[3] It was also recorded by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Obscure early-1990s Human Touch outtake "Trouble River" was the third previously unreleased cut exclusive to this compilation.

When Springsteen appeared on The Charlie Rose Show in November 1998 to promote Tracks, Charlie Rose asked him specifically about excluding "The Promise" and "The Fever." Springsteen responded that he was never happy about the way "The Promise" had been recorded and that "The Fever" was never one of his favorite songs.[4] Though he would acquiesce and release both songs on 18 Tracks to appease his fans, he re-recorded "The Promise" rather than include any of the rejected outtakes he had in his archives. Though it had been recorded with the full E Street Band during the original sessions for Darkness on the Edge of Town, Springsteen returned to the solo piano arrangement that had been typically used for its earliest live performances, including its debut at Monmouth Arts Centre in Red Bank, NJ on August 3, 1976.[5] Jacob Nierenberg of Consequence of Sound would later write that "this stripped-down version [from 18 Tracks] is even better than the original [studio outtake]."[6]

The new recording of "The Promise" would be nominated in 2000 for two Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Commercial goals for the album were not met,[7] as it only reached No. 64 on the Billboard 200 album chart and became his first album not to receive a RIAA certification. It did modestly better on the UK charts.

Track listing
  1. "Growin' Up" – 2:38
  2. "Seaside Bar Song" – 3:33
  3. "Rendezvous" – 2:48
  4. "Hearts of Stone" – 4:29
  5. "Where the Bands Are" – 3:43
  6. "Loose Ends" – 4:00
  7. "I Wanna Be With You" – 3:21
  8. "Born in the U.S.A." (Demo version) – 3:10
  9. "My Love Will Not Let You Down" – 4:24
  10. "Lion's Den" – 2:18
  11. "Pink Cadillac" – 3:33
  12. "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart" – 3:24
  13. "Sad Eyes" – 3:47
  14. "Part Man, Part Monkey" – 4:28
  15. "Trouble River" – 4:18
    • Recorded April 1990 (Human Touch outtake)
  16. "Brothers Under the Bridge" – 4:55
  17. "The Fever" – 7:35
    • Recorded May 1973
  18. "The Promise" – 4:48
    • Recorded February 1999

Personnel

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[20] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[21] Gold 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Allmusic Review
  2. Hull, Tom (October 29, 2016). "Streamnotes (October 2016)". Tom Hull - on the Web. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  3. Brucebase, On The Tracks: Tracks
  4. Rose, Charlie (November 20, 1998). "Bruce Springsteen performs in studio and discusses his songs, writing process, and musical influences". Charlie Rose. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  5. "Bruce Springsteen - THE PROMISE 1976 (audio)". YouTube. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  6. Nierenberg, Jacob (June 10, 2019). "Bruce Springsteen's 10 Best Solo Deep Cuts". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  7. "Brucebase - Tracks - Studio Sessions". brucebase.wikidot.com.
  8. "Austriancharts.at – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  12. "Lescharts.com – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  14. "Norwegiancharts.com – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  15. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  17. "Swisscharts.com – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  18. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  19. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  20. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 951. ISBN 8480486392.
  21. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. "British album certifications – Bruce Springsteen – 18 Tracks". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 12, 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type 18 Tracks in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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