Maps of Music

Lucky Town (1992)

Where the lyrics of Lucky Town take you, and where it was really made.

Lucky Town was not planned as an album at all: Springsteen meant to record one more song, wrote ten, and released them as a separate record the same day as Human Touch.

Key places

A&M Studios in Hollywood (1992)

Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Lucky Town was recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California, one of the two studios listed for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Thrill Hill in Colts Neck, New Jersey (1992)

Recording site Springsteen's home in Colts Neck — Lucky Town was recorded at Thrill Hill in Colts Neck, New Jersey, the other studio listed for the album. The point is placed at the town center. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Lucky Town: tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen
• Released March 27, 1992, the same day as his ninth studio album, Human Touch
• Peaked at number three on the Billboard 200
• Lead single "Better Days" (double A-side with Human Touch's title track) peaked at number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100
• Compared to Human Touch: more stripped-down, folk-based sound and more personal lyrics
• Human Touch consists mostly of love songs; Lucky Town focuses on specific events in Springsteen's life

Background

• Springsteen began Human Touch intending to release it sometime in 1990, but the project took longer than expected
• Shelved the project in early 1991, resumed work in September of that year
• Meant to record just one more song ("Living Proof"); ended up writing and tracking ten new songs
• Compiled the ten new songs into a separate album, released simultaneously with Human Touch

Recording

• Recording studios listed: Thrill Hill in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and A&M Studios in Hollywood, California
• Production credited to Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, and Chuck Plotkin
• Roy Bittan added production on "Leap of Faith", "The Big Muddy", and "Living Proof"
• Toby Scott engineered; Bob Clearmountain mixed; Bob Ludwig mastered

Cover

• Cover photography by David Rose

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey; grew up in Freehold, New Jersey.
• Inspired by Elvis Presley and the Beatles, began playing with local bands in the 1960s, including the Castiles, Steel Mill and the Bruce Springsteen Band.
• Formed the band that became the E Street Band in October 1972; the name came into use in September 1974.
• Signed to Columbia Records in 1972 by John Hammond; debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. released January 1973.

Members

• Performs solo and with the E Street Band, his backing band since 1972.
• Long-time members include Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Steven Van Zandt, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg and Patti Scialfa.
• Clemons died June 18, 2011; Federici died in 2008.

Career

• Born to Run (1975) brought worldwide fame; Born in the U.S.A. (1984) became one of the best-selling albums of all time.
• Won an Academy Award in 1994 for "Streets of Philadelphia"; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
• Has sold more than 140 million records worldwide; holds 20 Grammy Awards and a Special Tony Award.
• The 2023–2025 tour with the E Street Band was among the highest-grossing tours in history.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone published a favorable combined review of Lucky Town and its companion album, Human Touch, but said the goals of the two records would have been better realized by a single, more carefully shaped collection
• AllMusic called Human Touch a disappointing album of second-rate material and Lucky Town an ambitious collection addressing many of Springsteen's major concerns
• Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called it a ponderous, well-crafted disappointment, shorter and lighter than its co-released Human Touch
• Bill Wyman of the Chicago Reader compared it favorably to Human Touch, calling Lucky Town the superior work, but said its formula returns and its themes never come alive

Reappraisal

• Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune later called Lucky Town highly underrated, containing some of the strongest songwriting of Springsteen's career

Records

• Billboard 200 peak: number three
• "Better Days" peaked at number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100
• The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll (1992): Lucky Town placed at number 17, Human Touch at number 80
• RIAA certification: Platinum, for more than one million copies sold in the United States

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Living Proof" was inspired by the birth of Springsteen's first son.
• "Local Hero" recounts an instance when Springsteen saw a photograph of himself in a store window.
• "Souls of the Departed" recalls "Born in the U.S.A." in its sonic structure and social commentary, and was inspired by the Gulf War.
• "If I Should Fall Behind" was featured at every show during the 1999–2000 Reunion Tour and was included on the Live in New York City release.
• Eleven songs were written during these sessions, and "Happy" was the only outtake, later released on the Tracks box set.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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