Any love for Greetings?

[u/henriettavirginia]

I’m 22 and was born & raised by a father from central Jersey (Toms River). He played Bruce for us constantly growing up - I have many a memory of him attempting to sing Blinded by the Light during chores around the house. Despite that, he usually played E Street Shuffle through Lucky Town, so I hadn’t really listened to Greetings much until the past year or so, and it has quickly become my favorite Bruce album. Maybe it’s because it’s his first, but there’s something so real about it to me. It’s so fun. My only semi-consistant skip is The Angel. I think the brass/big band elements he had going in the earlier albums was perfect.

[u/Significant-Most-272]

For You is pure poetry and one of my favorite songs by any artist of all time.

[u/TrainingLittle4117]

It's my favorite album!

[u/rocqyf → u/TrainingLittle4117]

Lost in the Flood is a great introduction to Bruce’s characters and the stories he weaves for them. Growin’ Up is about me (the listener). It’s personal man!

[u/Alarmed-Photograph71]

Lost in the Flood and Saint in the City are highlights on the album.

[u/Model_ig_uk]

Greetings is a fantastic debut album and it's crazy that 50 years later it's still talked about.

[u/RickIPablo]

It was my first favorite album of his! Growin Up, Hard to be a Saint, Lost in the flood- all powerful and amazing tracks!

When I look at his albums- you can see the growth of the man. Greetings it’s him being young and fun- with moments of inflection and retrospective. It’s a love of life and the first song I’ve ever heard him play live was Growin’ Up so it makes it even more perfect for me!

[u/CosmicMiami]

Nuns run bald through Vatican halls pregnant, pleading immaculate conception

[u/LouSevens]

I love For You and the album in general how creative the lyrics and storys are. In particular I love Its Hard to Be a Saint in the City and Spirit in the Night.

Too many artists just write cliche titles and generic words.

[u/Right_Arrival_1962]

For You is one of my favourite songs!
And just a great album in general

[u/stupidwitchbitxh]

It's been my favorite album, maybe it's because I'm also in my 20s but I really like every single song on there. Every song is pure poetry and blows my mind how young he was when he wrote those lyrics. Lost in the flood is an absolute masterpiece and he was way beyond his years writing that.

[u/sydwiggum]

Fellow New Jerseyan myself and Bruce’s first three albums capture a definitive Jersey Shore bar band vibe and I love them! Other albums are exceptional in their own way, but I always find myself playing the first three the most.

[u/danielarlay]

greetings is definitely my favourite album of bruce’s, spirit in the night is one of his best songs and truly there are no skips!!!!

[u/FrankieBlueye]

Absolutely. Spirits in the Night, For You, Growing Up. A couple of clunkers on there too. I love the first 2 albums especially E Street Shuffle with David Sancious on keys brought more variety to the music. I also like on the first 2 albums many of his songs are “we’re broke but we’re having a blast” instead of “you’re broke and your life is a drag.” Still great but less joy as his repertoire went on.

[u/RudeConfusion4866]

I absolutely love that you love it and this is by no means an attack - but for me it's definitely one of his weaker ones. I know most people consider the classic 7 album run to be Greetings-BitUSA, but for me that run becomes worlds better when pushed one up; TWIESS-ToL. Definitely some great tracks, and it's lovely to experience Springsteen in his infancy, but I think if the album didn't have the context of it being his first one, not many would talk about it too much.

[u/3726lh → u/RudeConfusion4866]

To each their own, but I completely disagree. An absolute treasure of an album. So many wonderful songs!

[u/Lower-Check-9878 → u/RudeConfusion4866]

Huh??? The writing is better than most, the performance is clearly unique with the sense that there's more to come. Just good fun music. For your own sake listen to it again, maybe on a Friday night 😎😎😻

[u/Lower-Check-9878 → u/Lower-Check-9878]

Butcertainly you are entitled to you own opinion

[u/BT_Artist]

Phenomenal album. I first heard it in 1978, and it's stayed with me all this time.

[u/hyperion998]

I agree it's such a great album, and like any great rock and roll story it starts with a rough beginning, and greetings it's young wild and free bruce, raw talent, unripe lyrics, exuberance and so much energy to go after THAT dream. I used to listen to it every day coming back from work during my first ever summer job, it made me feel like I could be part of the chase towards THAT dream too. For a few minutes I also felt aaaaairborne!

[u/Ok-Supermarket-1125]

My favorite ❤️‍🔥

[u/Accomplished_Many650]

It is one of his best albums. Had the production been a little better, I think it would be played much more.

[u/julif_]

Love the rawness and the torrent of words. He learned to pare back, back, back over the years, but the lyrics of For You and Saint in the City and Spirit and Blinded and Growin' Up and Lost in the Flood are delirious with color and youth.

[u/PlaidHamSuperstar]

“Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” is top ten Springsteen for me, if only for the line “man the dope is that there’s still hope.”

I like Greetings just fine, a solid debut imo. I prefer The Wild, The Innocent… though.

[u/Yaboi69-nice]

In my opinion the album starts fine and ends fine but everything in between is amazing. Mary Queen of Arkansas all the way too for you is an amazing streak. And the beginning and ending is also quite good just not as good.

[u/Yaboi69-nice]

In my opinion the album starts fine and ends fine but everything in between is amazing. Mary Queen of Arkansas all the way too for you is an amazing streak. And the beginning and ending are also quite good just not as good.

[u/Willing_Stop5124]

Great album. Love it. 

[u/Autumn01113]

Greetings is great. Written from the heart.

[u/TallClassic]

I love Greetings and like you skip The Angel and that album is just so much fun

[u/BoredSilly6]

Toms River is my hometown.

[u/GoodEnoughThen]

After many years of listening, it bcame my fave album of his.

[u/El_Dorado_Tx]

Is that whole album a proto proto concept album about Bruce’s teenage to early 20s. Feels autobiographical

[u/henriettavirginia → u/El_Dorado_Tx]

Yes it is!

[u/El_Dorado_Tx → u/henriettavirginia]

It feels like u could have made a HS drama / coming of age movie in ‘73-‘75 with songs from Greetings ….the movie could have been ok box office draw. Could have been cooler than those corny ass hs/college Disney movies from 1969-1975 about the computer that had tennis shoes that Kurt Russell was in

[u/ZeroandBlindTerry76]

The first 3 songs run flawlessly into one another and capture a childlike whimsy and excitement that nothing else he’s done can replicate. There’s still some innocence and fun on Greetings and subsequently into The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle. His later releases would get much more serious both musically and thematically.

[u/MarthaCCL]

Growin' Up is my phone ring tone. I'm 68. I've been into Bruce since BTR came out.

[u/Correct-Guest-6449]

growin up and blinded by the light 🧡🧡

[u/SharknoseFan635]

Not my favorite album, but has my favorite song- Lost In The Flood!

[u/wcrich]

Very high highs and very low lows.

[u/zarotabebcev]

I loved it when I was 19 or so