David Bowie's Encounter with Bruce Springsteen: A Tale of Awkwardness and Admiration
In 1973, David Bowie came across Bruce Springsteen's debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J, and was impressed. Bowie decided to cover two songs from the record. During the early Diamond Dogs sessions in November '73, Bowie recorded a version of Growin' Up with Ronnie Wood on guitar. A year later, while working on his Young Americans album at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Bowie recorded a version of It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City. A DJ suggested inviting Springsteen to the studio, leading to Springsteen's visit on November 25, 1974. However, Bowie was not present when Springsteen arrived, causing some confusion. Bowie later admitted to feeling awkward about the encounter and not playing the cover for Springsteen.
Bowie shared his mixed feelings about Springsteen's music, expressing dislike for Springsteen's solo performances but admiration for his band's sound. Bowie recalled the night of Springsteen's visit as awkward, with both artists struggling to connect. Bowie felt that Springsteen might have found him strange, while Bowie himself was unsure how to interact with someone he considered "normal." Springsteen left before hearing Bowie's cover of his song, It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City, which remained unreleased until 1989. Bowie's version of Growin' Up was later included in reissues of his albums Pin Ups and Diamond Dogs.
In conclusion, the meeting between David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen in 1974 was marked by a lack of connection and understanding between the two artists. Despite Bowie's admiration for Springsteen's band, the encounter was awkward and Bowie felt unable to relate to Springsteen. The unreleased cover of It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City and the later release of Growin' Up showcase Bowie's appreciation for Springsteen's music, even if the meeting itself did not go as planned.