The “darkly romantic” music of Roy Orbison and Phil Spector inspires the song “Born to Run.” Springsteen wants to create a “record that sounded like the last record on Earth, like the last record you might hear…the last one you’d ever NEED to hear” (208), both epic and restrained. He wants to incorporate standard rock and roll tropes—“the road, the car, the girl” (208)—but knows America is undergoing social upheaval. He strives to include all these realities in the song, which takes six months to write. Springsteen is pleased with the final recording, though it marks Boom Carter and Earl Sancious’s final appearances with the band. After extensive auditions, Max Weinberg assumes drumming duties and Roy Bittan takes over keyboards. “Born to Run” gets airplay, but faulty equipment at the studio hampers production of the rest of the album.

Springsteen asserts that to maintain career longevity, an artist needs more than primal instinct. To survive over the long haul requires a knowledge of craft, self-awareness, and “creative intelligence.” He laments the passing of so many musical talents who died too young; he prefers living.

Enter the king (Small “k”)

Springsteen forges a close friendship with music critic

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