When you go to a Bruce Springsteen concert, there is no guarantee about what you’ll get. Setlists might be written, sure, but what is a setlist to a group of the greatest musicians on the planet if not just a suggestion? When Springsteen performs, he likes to live in the moment, which means playing songs that come to mind in different pockets of the evening. These can be influenced by real-world events, destinations, or a sign held by an audience member. Regardless, no two shows are the same.
“First of all, the entire band are bar band veterans, so they’d played hundreds of nights before we’d ever stood out in front of an audience after we had a record deal,” said Springsteen when asked how his band are so prepared for whatever song he throws at them, “I mean, if we played ‘Wild Thing’, you’ll be fired from The E Street Band if you don’t know how to play that.”
Some of the artists Springsteen covers the most during these shows include The Beatles and Bob Dylan; however, Elvis Presley also makes his way into the mix. While many of the Elvis-affiliated songs might not be ‘The Kings’ originals, they are songs he made famous and is most closely associated with, and Springsteen paid homage to the musical pioneer with these faithful yet slightly contorted covers.
He’s played a range of different songs that the King performed, but these are some of his best; whether that’s because of influence or execution, they are simply spellbinding.
Bruce Springsteen’s five best Elvis covers
‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’
An elongated intro as a hush falls over the crowd and Springsteen addresses them. Is there a more notable chord sequence in the world? There are no illusions as to what Springsteen is about to sing, and the crowd have their suspicious minds rewarded as Springsteen utters the words, “Wise men say, only fools rush in.”
This is clearly a track that Springsteen feels closely affiliated with, as he has covered it over 60 times. Despite having such an extensive catalogue, Springsteen’s tracks are not flooded with love songs, which is a suitable substitute.
‘Love Me Tender’
Written originally as the theme song for the movie of the same name, ‘Love Me Tender’ became one of Elvis Presley’s most celebrated among fans and critics alike. The track is simple, with standard chords and soft words, but its rawness adds to the unwavering declaration of love embedded within.
Springsteen capitalises on this raw appeal as he sings the song softly, that slight country twang nestled in the back of his throat as the words of Elvis are projected once again. He re-enters the building through Springsteen’s majesty, who doesn’t hold back in exploring every pocket of emotion contained in the timeless love song.
‘Viva Las Vegas’
Springsteen is always happy to pay homage to whatever city he finds himself in. If you see him in Liverpool, you can bet you’ll be hearing a Beatles classic. If you see him in his hometown of Jersey, there will be a rendition of ‘Jersey Girl’, and if you see him in Las Vegas, what other song is there to sing other than that named after the neon jungle?
Featured on the album The Last Temptation of Elvis, Springsteen doesn’t try to mess with the song in any way. It’s already perfect, one that embodies the energy, love, and joy contained in Las Vegas. Springsteen and the E Street Band keep the upbeat nature and rocking sound of the song as they play through it. Enough love songs; this one is for dancing.
‘Jailhouse Rock’
Similar in tone to ‘Viva Las Vegas’, this song was built for shaking and moving, as was ‘Jailhouse Rock’. The song suggestion is handed to Springsteen on a placard, which he sees and is immediately drawn to. He turns to the E Street Band with one simple instruction: “The key of E!” And the rest is history.
His voice is at its best during this cover. He performs with such grit that it feels as though his vocals have been blended with grime scraped off of a prison floor. Nothing is perfect for this song, as Bruce and Co completely make it their own.
‘Burning Love’
This is a challenging track to cover, given its success. It was one of Presley’s most popular releases after ‘Suspicious Minds’, but the song’s stature didn’t stop Springsteen from delivering his own rendition. During a gig in Nashville, the band decided to sing ‘Burning Love’. It takes a while for him to get going as he works out the chords, but then it all comes together.
“You guys come in on the B, the B minor,” he tells the band before unleashing into a cover of ‘Burning Love’. He starts on his own, and the band come in on the B minor as instructed; it’s a thing of beauty. There is nothing quite like seeing some of the best musicians on the planet work out the crooks of a classic before your very eyes, and yet, here we are.