Anyone who knows me knows I adore Rick Springfield. And by adore I mean love. And by love I mean obsessively devoted to. It began when I was about six and my Aunt Linda let me watch one of his performances on TV. After that I was hooked. I wore out my Working Class Dog cassette tape. As I’ve previously mentioned, I grew up watching General Hospital, and of course, the days of Dr. Noah Drake are among my favorites.
Then I grew up and his star began to fade. For a long time, I lost track of him. I never lost my love, but it had become that nostalgic fondness one feels for a childhood friend. Then he re-emerged several years back to reappear on General Hospital for a story arc, and my interest was sparked once more. After reading his memoir, Late Late at Night, I was even more fascinated by him because of his raw honesty about his depression and obsessive tendencies. As someone who has suffered paralyzing depression, I can appreciate the trials he went through. Though his behavior leaves much to be desired, and not particularly something I find admirable nor “cool”, his story did spark my fan-fire for his music.
You can hear sample tracks from the album on his official site: http://www.rickspringfield.com/s4eow/tracklist.html
His latest album is Songs for the End of the World—and it ROCKS! I mean, it literally rocks. The first song, Wide Awake, begins with a booming drumbeat accompanied by an electric guitar frenzy. It’s one of those songs that gets your blood pumping, and is perfect for a long drive home late at night. Almost no chance of falling asleep at the wheel if you have this one cranked! It continues with a mix of rock-based songs with the upbeat pop and lovelorn ballads Rick has become known for thrown in. My kids, whom (to my husband’s chagrin) are HUGE Rick fans, love this album. My 3-year-old requests to listen to it almost every time we’re in the car (she alternates requests between this CD and the Phineas and Ferb soundtrack). Like me, her favorite Rick songs are the older ones (Jessie’s Girl, Kristina), but “I Hate Myself” and “Our Ship’s Sinkin’” have climbed the list. Other favorites of ours include:
- You and Me (a soulful ballad)
- Joshua (written for his son, this is a beautiful exhortation to seize the moment and live the big life you’re meant to live)
- Love Screws Me Up (an explicit lyric in the second verse, but one of those fun songs you can’t help but sing along with.)
This past January, I took my 10-year-old to see Rick perform in Hershey. It was her first rock concert and my first Rick concert. Let me just say, he puts on a FABULOUS show. It was a mix of the old favorites and an introduction to the new album. Next time, I will spring for the floor seats since he leaves the stage and roams around the floor among the fans! For a man who’ll be turning 64 (yes, 64!) in a few months, he has more energy and electricity than many 30-year-old’s I know. (And a rockin’ body—yowza!)
Check out some of his new stuff on iTunes or Amazon and see what you think. You may be delightfully surprised at his transformation from teeny-bopper idol to solid rocker.
A Common Sea 
Have you listened to “Human Touch” lately? The man was a prophet!
Nothing wrong with liking Rick Springfield. Just don’t call him Bruce. 😉
—
Tim Brannan
The Other Side and The Witch
Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword
The Freedom of Nonbelief
Posted by timsbrannan | April 22, 2013, 16:25No kidding! He was eerily prescient. LOL
~Lynn
Posted by A Common Sea | April 22, 2013, 18:24I too lost track of him for over a decade but rediscovered him in Nov. 2008 and have seen him over 20 times since. Had a lot of catching up to do musically and I would definitely recommend his 2004 CD release “Shock, Denial, Anger, Acceptance”. A lot heavier than anything else he’s done but comes from that darkness you read in his memoir. You must see him again at close range! 🙂
Posted by deem1962 | April 22, 2013, 17:44I downloaded a few songs from that one. I wish I had the money to get my daughter and me VIP passes. Definitely getting floor tickets next time!
~Lynn
Posted by A Common Sea | April 22, 2013, 18:28By the way, green with jealousy over your gravatar! 🙂
Posted by A Common Sea | April 22, 2013, 18:29Let me tell you I’ve dished out $300 a few times for sound check meet & greet passes to get photos with him. Other times I’ve gotten lucky by emailing the casino he’s playing and asking to be a part of their meet & greet with him. They all have them but usually reserve the spots for their VIP/high rollers. If you’re lucky, like I have been a few times, they’ll find room for you or some VIP will drop out because they’re not fans anyway. And any other time I’ve met him was being in the right place at the right time (the hotel he’s staying at-here’s a tip: if he’s playing a casino he’s staying at their hotel most likely). Unfortunately right now his merchandise company has temporarily stopped selling sound check passes, hopefully they’ll start selling them again soon.
If you get seats close at the next concert your daughter has a good chance of having him bring her up on stage for “Don’t Talk To Strangers”. Where are you located? I’m in Minnesota. If you’re on Facebook send me a friends request- https://www.facebook.com/debbie.miller.9469545?ref=tn_tnmn
Posted by deem1962 | April 22, 2013, 19:26He’s 64?!?!? Can’t believe it. I saw him interviewed on something….it IS crazy, the life he’s led. I’m glad his wife worked through things with him. I wasn’t head over heels about him, but he IS cute. 🙂
from The Dugout
Posted by Mare | April 23, 2013, 10:18You know what? There are LOTS of us who LOVE RICK SPRINGFIELD! Check us out at http://www.weloverickspringfield.com and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/weloverickspringfield. So glad you finally got to see him and there is no other way to see Rick than from the seats down front. So, do it!! Btw, my 10 year old LOVES LOVES LOVES him and he back.. he can’t see her without hugging & kissing her. Ya know that would have made me pretty jealous 30 years ago. LOL 😉
Posted by krissysue | April 26, 2013, 18:43