Baseball player

Can't fault any songs on the album really. Hitch hiking is a good first song, nice melody, simple but endearing lyrics. Tuscon train is a lovely song, every time I hear it I'm more convinced that she is on the train! Nothing more needs to be said about western stars, apart from the sheer balls of rhyming "again" with "again"! Chasing wild horses is the best orchestration I've heard from Bruce since wiess or btr... I like how the banjo (or uke, can't tell which) in the instrumental between the second and third verses is mirrored by strings on the outro. All of the last four songs are brilliant, what a way to end an album. As soon as I heard moonlight motel, I thought "that is a classic tear wrencher, like the river or racing", then immediately thought "don't be daft, those are some of the best songs he's written", but I think i was right the first time. Moonlight motel is an absolute marvel... so simple and get so comp!ex. I've yet to make it through the song without a tear welling up. So thanks Bruce for bringing us such a wonderful album.

Rod Liddle is always controversial. He probably saw all the good reviews and thought he'd annoy people by posting a bad one. I think the deliberate dig about Bruce never having it hard is either a major misunderstanding of the boss's work or him just being a knob head.

The highways jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive. Delivered dead pan.

Can't beat Steve's line from the sopranos as an excuse for being late

I would like to use my freedom of speech to say that you're using your freedom of speech to talk bollocks. obviously in a polite and non-judgemental way.

Why would he, if in his dream she said 'its better to have loved'. He has all these memories that he cherishes, he's not going to shoot himself after his wife comes to him in a dream. Also, the 'last night I dreamed...' line suggests that his toast to his wife and the hotel has already happened and it's now the day after (unless he's remembering all this in the afterlife, which seems unlikely seeing as suicides go to hell and he'd be too busy having a poker shoved somewhere unmentionable to write beautiful songs). What is this btx forum anyway? Is it for masochists?

Is the 5:15 train the same one Pete Townsend was on? Maybe we should ask him if Bruce's girl is on it.

Can anyone else hear the guitar part from 'hunger strike' by temple of the dog on hitch hiking?

Had another listen to the album, it does certainly get better with repeated listening, and more importantly, I feel, reading and immersing. I do want to defend the Tom morello version of tgotj. I am, as well as a Bruce fan, a fan of heavy metal, particularly technical thrash like Megadeth. So the guitar solos in the Tom morello version are of particular interest to me. I can understand why some people don't like this version, but as someone coming to Bruce more from the guitar angle as well as the storytelling angle, it does appeal. But we all like Bruce for different reasons.

Although pony boy springs to mind. I think he is back on track with album flowers with moonlight motel though.

So I had another listen this afternoon. Musically, not his best, which is probably why I never really got into the album before. But the lyrics are superb, excellent stories. Thanks to everyone that posted a reply, I've finally got into this album and can appreciate it. Only one gripe really, what on earth is the last song on the album for? Surely something off tracks would be more appropriate?

Long time since I've been on, hi everyone. Really enjoying listening to western stars and reading the discussions around the album. Having been a fan since 85, I've appreciated all his albums, to some extent, even human touch. But I've never been able to get into Tom joad. I like the version (of the song) with Tom morello, but never really cared for the album. Perhaps because I was at university at the time and exposed to pearl jam etc at the time of it's release and preferred a different sound? Or maybe I don't like listening to mumbled lyrics over inaudible guitar? One article i read said "I've never listened to gotj all the way through. And neither have you" and I identified straight away. Anyway, as a long time fan, I feel I'm missing out on a major part.of Bruce's work. So, what should I do? Sit down quietly and read the lyrics while.listening? Appreciate the vocal melodies? Play it in my car? What do you like about gotj?

Just listened to 18 tracks (again). I much prefer the promise on this than the one from darkness. Stands back for the onslaught!