10 Live Albums That Are Better Than Studio Albums

Of all the titles that Bruce Springsteen has received over the years, he is very much not a man of few words. Going through every single one of the Boss' albums, he has a lot to say through the stories he tells, either talking about people who are down on their luck and trying to make an honest stand or using his own music as a way to reconcile his own inner demons with his broken family and hard life in Jersey. Beyond the power of the E Street Band, there's a heart at the center of it all, and that heart held nothing back when he hit the stage.

While most of Live 1975-1985 is not for the pop friendly audience, the long extensions of these songs are a way for us to see Bruce's state of mind when he pulls into these shows. As much as something like Thunder Road may have sounded like an epic on Born to Run, hearing the raw power of the E Street Band without any overdubs is a sight to behold, with Bruce commanding them like a drill sergeant at some points.

When the music drops out though, Bruce is as vulnerable as he can be, going on long stories to tell the audience that hit you right in the center of the chest. He may seem like a rock god, but when you hear The River live and listen to Bruce talk about his father actually caring about him not getting drafted, you're seeing a completely different person. This is a man standing in front of an audience and just pleading for some type of relief.