Imagine, for a moment, punk rock's favorite American princes, The Ramones, launching into a hard-driving version of "Hungry Heart," done in the same fast-paced frenzy as other songs of theirs like "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Rock 'N Roll High School."
Just for a moment.
Yeah, me neither.
But that nearly happened. If not for Bruce Springsteen's friend and producer, Jon Landau, "Hungry Heart" would have been an album track and concert staple for the late Joey Ramone and his brothers.
Springsteen's intention was to write "Hungry Heart" for the Ramones after a chance meeting in late 1979 between Ramone and Springsteen in Springsteen's beloved Asbury Park, N.J. Ramone had the utmost respect for Springsteen and wanted him to write a song for him. Well, the respect was mutual on Springsteen's end and that night after hanging out together, Springsteen reportedly wrote "Hungry Heart."
But Landau got wind of this. As his producer, Landau had watched his superstar buddy hand over hits that could've been big for him to others, such as "Fire" for the Pointer Sisters, "Because The Night" for Patti Smith Group and "Blinded By The Night," a song that Springsteen recorded for his "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J." debut album, but became a monster smash for Manfred Mann's Earth Band in early 1977, the one and only No. 1 hit in Springsteen's career as either a singer or songwriter (not counting the benefit song "We Are The World" by USA For Africa). He convinced Springsteen that he should record the song and for once, put selflessness aside. Springsteen agreed.
Springsteen had recorded numerous songs for an upcoming album, songs that did not make the final cut for his "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" album. Those songs were still in the can when Springsteen, his E Street Band buddies and Landau went into the studio to record in 1980. One of the newer songs was "Hungry Heart," whose backing vocal would come from Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of Turtles fame and the infamous "Flo And Eddie." With Danny Federici's organ giving the track a bluesy feel to it, "Hungry Heart" became the song all parties involved with the record agreed should be the debut single for a new Springsteen album.
When that album was finished, "The River" was 19 songs strong and instead of leaving more songs on the "cutting room floor," Landau did another successful convincing job -- he got Columbia Records to agree that Springsteen's new album should be a double album.
They agreed. On November 1, 1980, the album debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Top 200 album. One week later, on November 8, "The River" pounded out the last seven notches ahead of it on the chart and became Springsteen's first No. 1 album, spending four weeks at the top.
And "Hungry Heart" -- the song that Springsteen nearly made a Ramones staple -- gained immediate street cred for the Freehold, N.J.-born-and-raised rocker, debuting on the entire Billboard Hot 100 at No. 30 on November 8, 1980! The song, Springsteen's third Top 40 hit after "Born To Run" and "Prove It All Night," made a strong climb up the chart and in December became Springsteen's first-ever Top 10 hit. In January 1981, "Hungry Heart" peaked at No. 5.
The hit put Springstreen on the map as more than just an album-rock artist who never quite hit his potential after making the covers of Time and Newsweek magazine on the same week in October 1975. He would follow that up with "Fade Away," another organ-driven single from Federici's fingers. That song would peak at No. 20 in early 1981.
"The River" was a combination of peppier and dark tunes that helped to define a time in our country in which the economic recession was in full swing, but also defined Springsteen's sound as a singer and songwriter, among the songs being "The Ties That Bind," (which was nearly the title of the album), "Independence Day," "Jackson Cage," "Sherry Darling," "Point Blank," "Ramrod," "Cadillac Ranch" and the title track, a tale inspired by his sister's relationship with his future brother-in-law when they were teens.
"Hungry Heart" is still a staple of Springsteen concerts where he lets the audience sing the opening verse, while urging them on with his occasional "C'mon!" He returns for the second verse after they get done with the chorus.
It's amazing that the unselfish Springsteen nearly gave the song to Joey Ramone. He and his brothers may have had a nice, little version of it.
Good thing Jon Landau saw the hit potential for his partner in crime.
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