TALK TO ME

Outtake version

Instrumental

Page last updated: 27 Aug 2010

Intro

TALK TO ME is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and donated to Southside Johnny who released it on his 1978 album Hearts Of Stone. See Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' version for more details. The song will be released in November 2010 on The Promise, a 2-disc set of Darkness on The Edge Of Town out-takes accompanying the 2010 reissue of Springsteen's 1978 album.

Composition and Recording

Springsteen reached a final settlement in his yearlong litigation with Mike Appel on 28 May 1977. Effectively this meant that for the first time in a year Springsteen was able to go into a studio and record. The Darkness On The Edge Of Town recording sessions kicked off in early June 1977 at Atlantic Record Studios in New York City. Springsteen had a considerable amount of new material – but the songs were in various stages of writing completion. Consequently many of the songs were shaped over the course of numerous sessions spanning several months.

TALK TO ME was recorded during those sessions, and the only circulating audio is from August 1977 in Atlantic Record Studios. The circulating take is instrumental only (or possibly backing track). A complete recording with the Springsteen vocal has yet to circulate but almost certainly exists. It is still unknown whether the version that will be released on The Promise is an original recording, both music and vocals, or newly recorded vocals over the original backing track.

It is is unknown when TALK TO ME was written.

This circulating instrumental outtake of TALK TO ME was released on several bootlegs, including The Definitive Darkness Outtakes Collection (E Street Records), The Lost Masters Vol. 2 (Labour Of Love), and The Iceman (Scorpio).

Southside Johnny's version

In the spring of 1978, Springsteen donated two of his compositions, TALK TO ME and HEARTS OF STONE, to Southside Johnny for use on Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' upcoming third studio album, Hearts Of Stone. See Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' version for more details.

Live History

Bruce Springsteen performed TALK TO ME live a few times over the years, mostly with Southside Johnny. The first known live performance was on 26 Sep 1991 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.

• 26 Sep 1991 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ

Southside Johnny performed TALK TO ME during two of the five 2001 Christmas Holiday shows at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ. Springsteen was probably playing guitar during this song (assuming he was on stage all night).

• 04 Dec 2001 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ
• 06 Dec 2001 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ

Southside Johnny performed TALK TO ME again, with Steven Van Zandt, on the last the three 2003 Christmas Holiday shows at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ. Springsteen was probably playing guitar during this song (assuming he was on stage all night).

• 08 Dec 2003 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ

Springsteen performed TALK TO ME during both the early and late shows of the holiday jam held on 19 Dec 2004 at Harry's Roadhouse in Asbury Park, NJ, backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band. Southside Johnny made a guest appearance during the afternoon show but he was not present during TALK TO ME. This is the premiere of this track with Bruce only singing. See the live 19 Dec 2004 (early show) version for more details.

• 19 Dec 2004 (early show) at Harry's Roadhouse, Asbury Park, NJ
• 19 Dec 2004 (late show) at Harry's Roadhouse, Asbury Park, NJ

Springsteen also performed TALK TO ME during several private school benefits:

• 10 Apr 2005 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the fourth annual private fundraiser for the Rumson Country Day School.
   
• 02 May 2006 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the fifth annual private fundraiser for the Rumson Country Day School.
   
• 17 Sep 2006 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the first annual private fundraiser for the Ranny School of Tinton Falls, NJ.
   
• 29 Apr 2007 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the second annual private fundraiser for the Ranny School of Tinton Falls, NJ.
   
• 13 May 2008 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the third annual private fundraiser for the Ranny School of Tinton Falls, NJ.
   
• 17 Oct 2009 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, during the fourth annual private fundraiser for the Ranny School of Tinton Falls, NJ.

By the time this page was last updated, Springsteen had performed TALK TO ME live a total of 12 times as far as it's known.

[Click here to display/hide list of all performances]

Available Versions

List of available versions of TALK TO ME on this website:

Credits / References

Much of the above info about the live history of the song is taken from Brucebase and Backstreets.

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