4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Encyclopedia
"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)", often known just as "Sandy", is a 1973 song by Bruce Springsteen
, originally appearing as the second song on his album The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle
.
One of the best-known and most praised of his early efforts, the song remains one of his most popular ballads, and has been described as "the perfect musical study of the Jersey Shore
boardwalk culture."
New York hard rock band Kiss
later released a single titled "Shandi
", from their 1980 album Unmasked, with the song title being inspired by Springsteen's Sandy according to Paul Stanley
, the only member of Kiss to work on the recording of the song in the studio, although all four members of the group appeared in the song's promotional video clip.
, the song is a powerful love ballad, dedicated to one Sandy and describing the depressing atmosphere that threatens to smother the love between the singer and Sandy. Locals include the "stoned-out faces," "switchblade
lovers" and "the greasers" who "tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping out on the beach all night." The singer is tired of "hangin' in them dust
y arcades
" and "chasin' the factory
girls."
The song begins with the line: "Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight." Writer Ariel Swartley views the song's verses as depicting the narrator as something of an "adolescent loser ... [who's] ruining his chances with the girl: he can't stop telling her about the humiliations, about the girls who led him on, about the waitress that got tired of him." Nevertheless, Swartley observes the choruses to be warm, immediate, and portray an irresistibly romantic atmosphere.
Van Morrison's
influence can be heard in this song, as "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" closely parallels his romanticization of Belfast
in such songs as "Cyprus Avenue
" and "Madame George
" from the 1968 album, Astral Weeks
.
"Sandy" showcases the wistful side of Springsteen; Los Angeles Times
writer Robert Hilburn
later wrote that "the verses [were] whispered as if he was singing into his girlfriend's ear." During recording of the song for the album, Springsteen wanted a children's choir to sing on it, but they did not show up for the session. Instead, he recorded the high, clear voice of Suki Lahav
, overdubbing it repeatedly, to give a choir-like effect. Lahav, the wife of Springsteen's sound engineer at the time, would not be credited for her role,. but would later join the E Street Band
for six months as a violinist and singer.
No singles were released from The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle
. "Sandy" would, however, along with "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
", become fan favorites from the album, and would garner progressive rock
radio airplay during the ramp-up of Springsteen's visibility preceding the 1975 release of Born to Run
. The song would be released as a single in Germany
in mid-1975, with the title reversed into "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)". "Sandy" also attracted the attention of other musicians; it was one of the two Springsteen songs that drummer Max Weinberg
knew when he auditioned for Springsteen's E Street Band
in late 1974. Once Born to Run made Springsteen a major rock figure, "Sandy" received additional airplay on progressive and album oriented rock formats.
.
The song was a mainstay of Springsteen and the E Street Band's concert set list
s during the early part of his career, and a 1975 performance is included on the 2006 Hammersmith Odeon London '75
audio and video release. It became much rarer to hear after the 1980–1981 River Tour
, appearing only very sporadically, and then usually in New Jersey.
Within the E Street Band
, the song was heavily identified with Danny Federici
's accordion
part, which is the main musical element. "Sandy" was played several times late on the first leg of the 2007–2008 Magic Tour
, including Federici's final regular appearance in November 2007 before taking a leave of absence for melanoma
treatment. When Federici made his only return to the stage after that, on March 20, 2008, when he appeared for portions of a Springsteen and E Street Band performance at Conseco Fieldhouse
in Indianapolis
, "Sandy" was the one song that he requested be performed. Following Federici's April 17, 2008 death, "Sandy" was performed in tribute to him, with Roy Bittan
taking over the accordion part. In July 2008, the live EP
Magic Tour Highlights
was released, with the final Federici performance of "Sandy" the closing track. The song has been played live about 230 times.
who recorded a single of "Sandy" (under that title) in 1975, and included it on their Another Night
album. Released on Epic Records
in the U.S. in April 1975, it only achieved minor airplay, reaching number 85 on the U.S. pop singles chart
. It had better success in New Zealand
, reaching number 12 on their singles chart. It was not released as a single in the UK. While not a big hit unto itself, The Hollies use of "Sandy" presaged other artists mining the early Springsteen songbook for material, a notion that would soon be exploited to much greater commercial success by Manfred Mann
and others.
This song was chosen by Tony Blair
as one of his Desert Island Discs
, apparently because he listened to it many times when he was courting his future wife Cherie Booth.
Air Supply
recorded "Sandy" for their 1985 album Air Supply
. Singer-songwriter Richard Shindell
recorded what has been described as a "near-holy reading" of this song for his 2002 live album, Courier
.
Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls recorded a version in Los Angeles, 2009 which is officially endorsed by Bruce Springsteen. The band line up features the original E Street Band keyboardist and accordion player Danny Federici's son, Jason Federici. The song was released through Springsteen's website and a video can be seen on YouTube.
Swedish artist Ulf Lundell
made a Swedish version of the song called "Sanna, (Nyårsafton Åre 1983) (Sandy)". The song was dedicated to his daughter Sanna, and instead of taking place on 4th of July, it takes place on New Year's Eve.
Ben E. King
covered the song on the 1997 tribute album One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen
The "Madame Marie" mentioned in the song was a real-life fortune teller on the Asbury Park
boardwalk
named Marie Castello
, who died June 27, 2008 aged 93.
Springsteen offered memories and condolences of her on his website, saying:
Springsteen said some of the same remarks on stage during the next show on the Magic Tour
, dedicating a performance of "Sandy" in Gothenburg, Sweden on July 4, 2008 to her. Similar dedication took place in Helsinki
, Finland
a few days later.
The dedication, word-by-word, from Gothenburg.
Springsteen incorrectly noted she died at 98; she was in fact 93. The song is always dedicated to Danny Federici
as of April 17 as this was "his" song, featuring a prominent accordion throughout the song.
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, originally appearing as the second song on his album The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is the second album by Bruce Springsteen and the as-yet-unnamed E Street Band, and is described by Allmusic as "one of the greatest albums in the history of rock & roll." It was released in 1973...
.
One of the best-known and most praised of his early efforts, the song remains one of his most popular ballads, and has been described as "the perfect musical study of the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
boardwalk culture."
New York hard rock band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
later released a single titled "Shandi
Shandi (song)
"Shandi" is a hit single by American hard rock band Kiss. Released on their 1980 album, Unmasked, the song was popular in Australia, where it reached number five on the Australian charts...
", from their 1980 album Unmasked, with the song title being inspired by Springsteen's Sandy according to Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
, the only member of Kiss to work on the recording of the song in the studio, although all four members of the group appeared in the song's promotional video clip.
Themes and recording
Set on, as the title suggests, the Fourth of July in Asbury Park, New JerseyAsbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
, the song is a powerful love ballad, dedicated to one Sandy and describing the depressing atmosphere that threatens to smother the love between the singer and Sandy. Locals include the "stoned-out faces," "switchblade
Switchblade
A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened automatically by a spring when a button, lever, or switch on the handle or bolster is activated A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, pushbutton knife, switch, Sprenger, Springer,...
lovers" and "the greasers" who "tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping out on the beach all night." The singer is tired of "hangin' in them dust
Dust
Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
y arcades
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
" and "chasin' the factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
girls."
The song begins with the line: "Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight." Writer Ariel Swartley views the song's verses as depicting the narrator as something of an "adolescent loser ... [who's] ruining his chances with the girl: he can't stop telling her about the humiliations, about the girls who led him on, about the waitress that got tired of him." Nevertheless, Swartley observes the choruses to be warm, immediate, and portray an irresistibly romantic atmosphere.
Van Morrison's
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
influence can be heard in this song, as "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" closely parallels his romanticization of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in such songs as "Cyprus Avenue
Cyprus Avenue
"Cyprus Avenue" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1968 album Astral Weeks.In performance it was a concert highlight and closer for years to come and would end with Morrison's command, "It's too late to stop now!" as he stalked from the stage...
" and "Madame George
Madame George
"Madame George" is a ten-minute song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It appears on the album Astral Weeks, released in 1968. The song features Morrison performing the vocals and acoustic guitar...
" from the 1968 album, Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks is the second solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in November 1968 on Warner Bros. Records. It was Morrison's first album after Warner Bros. had been able to free him from his contract with Bang Records...
.
"Sandy" showcases the wistful side of Springsteen; Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
writer Robert Hilburn
Robert Hilburn
Robert Hilburn is a pop music critic and author. As critic and music editor of the Los Angeles Times from 1970 to 2005, his reviews, essays and profiles have appeared in hundreds of publications around the world...
later wrote that "the verses [were] whispered as if he was singing into his girlfriend's ear." During recording of the song for the album, Springsteen wanted a children's choir to sing on it, but they did not show up for the session. Instead, he recorded the high, clear voice of Suki Lahav
Suki Lahav
Tzruya "Suki" Lahav is an Israeli violinist, vocalist, actress, lyricist, screenwriter, and novelist. Lahav was a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band from September 1974 to March 1975, then returned to Israel and found success there.-Biography:Tzruya Lahav was born and raised in Kibbutz...
, overdubbing it repeatedly, to give a choir-like effect. Lahav, the wife of Springsteen's sound engineer at the time, would not be credited for her role,. but would later join the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
for six months as a violinist and singer.
No singles were released from The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is the second album by Bruce Springsteen and the as-yet-unnamed E Street Band, and is described by Allmusic as "one of the greatest albums in the history of rock & roll." It was released in 1973...
. "Sandy" would, however, along with "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
"Rosalita " is a 1973 song by Bruce Springsteen, from his The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle album, and is especially famed as a concert number for Springsteen and The E Street Band...
", become fan favorites from the album, and would garner progressive rock
Progressive rock (radio format)
Progressive rock is a radio station programming format that prospered in the late 1960s and 1970s, in which the disc jockeys are given wide latitude in what they may play, similar to the freeform format but with the proviso that some kind of rock music is almost always what is played...
radio airplay during the ramp-up of Springsteen's visibility preceding the 1975 release of Born to Run
Born to Run
The album's release was accompanied by a $250,000 promotional campaign by Columbia directed at both consumers and the music industry, making good use of Landau's "I saw rock 'n' roll's future—and its name is Bruce Springsteen" quote. With much publicity, Born to Run vaulted into the top 10 in its...
. The song would be released as a single in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in mid-1975, with the title reversed into "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)". "Sandy" also attracted the attention of other musicians; it was one of the two Springsteen songs that drummer Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.Weinberg grew up in suburban New Jersey...
knew when he auditioned for Springsteen's E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
in late 1974. Once Born to Run made Springsteen a major rock figure, "Sandy" received additional airplay on progressive and album oriented rock formats.
Live performance history
"Sandy" was included on Springsteen and the E Street Band's best-selling 1986 box set Live/1975–85, in a 1980 Nassau Coliseum performance that nevertheless had a "club feel" to it. Its sequencing in the box set represented the opening stages of the journey that the core characters in Springsteen's work take; Springsteen said, "Then you get 'Sandy'. That's the guy and he's on the boardwalk, and I guess that was me then, when I was still around Asbury. And there's the girl.... Here it is. This is the beginning of the whole trip that's about to take place." It is also included on the 2003 compilation The Essential Bruce SpringsteenThe Essential Bruce Springsteen
- Charts :- Certifications :- External links :* *...
.
The song was a mainstay of Springsteen and the E Street Band's concert set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
s during the early part of his career, and a 1975 performance is included on the 2006 Hammersmith Odeon London '75
Hammersmith Odeon London '75
Hammersmith Odeon London '75 is both a concert video and the fourth live album by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, released in 2006 . It is a full-length recording of their performance on 18 November 1975 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, during their Born to Run tours...
audio and video release. It became much rarer to hear after the 1980–1981 River Tour
The River Tour
The River Tour was a concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in 1980 and 1981, beginning concurrently with the release of Springsteen's album The River.-Itinerary:...
, appearing only very sporadically, and then usually in New Jersey.
Within the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
, the song was heavily identified with Danny Federici
Danny Federici
Daniel Paul "Danny" Federici was an American musician, best known as the longtime organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.- Career :...
's accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
part, which is the main musical element. "Sandy" was played several times late on the first leg of the 2007–2008 Magic Tour
Magic Tour (Bruce Springsteen)
The Magic Tour was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2007–2008 concert tour of North America and Western Europe.The tour began October 2, 2007, in Hartford, Connecticut, and concluded August 30, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, including Federici's final regular appearance in November 2007 before taking a leave of absence for melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
treatment. When Federici made his only return to the stage after that, on March 20, 2008, when he appeared for portions of a Springsteen and E Street Band performance at Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, "Sandy" was the one song that he requested be performed. Following Federici's April 17, 2008 death, "Sandy" was performed in tribute to him, with Roy Bittan
Roy Bittan
Roy Bittan is an American keyboardist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, which he joined on August 23, 1974...
taking over the accordion part. In July 2008, the live EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Magic Tour Highlights
Magic Tour Highlights
Magic Tour Highlights is an EP by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which consists of four live audio tracks and their accompanying videos, and was released for digital download on July 15, 2008...
was released, with the final Federici performance of "Sandy" the closing track. The song has been played live about 230 times.
Other versions
One of the first artists to cover Springsteen were The HolliesThe Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
who recorded a single of "Sandy" (under that title) in 1975, and included it on their Another Night
Another Night (The Hollies album)
Another Night is an album by English rock/pop band, The Hollies. It is the band's second album with vocalist Allan Clarke since his departure in 1972...
album. Released on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in the U.S. in April 1975, it only achieved minor airplay, reaching number 85 on the U.S. pop singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It had better success in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, reaching number 12 on their singles chart. It was not released as a single in the UK. While not a big hit unto itself, The Hollies use of "Sandy" presaged other artists mining the early Springsteen songbook for material, a notion that would soon be exploited to much greater commercial success by Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
and others.
This song was chosen by Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
as one of his Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
, apparently because he listened to it many times when he was courting his future wife Cherie Booth.
Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
recorded "Sandy" for their 1985 album Air Supply
Air Supply (1985 album)
Air Supply is the eighth studio and second eponymous album by Australian soft rock band Air Supply, released in 1985 . The album was a step down in the band's sales, reaching gold certification and #26 in the US charts...
. Singer-songwriter Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children....
recorded what has been described as a "near-holy reading" of this song for his 2002 live album, Courier
Courier (album)
Courier is the first live recording and sixth album by Richard Shindell. It includes many of his most popular originals from previous recordings, a cover of Lowell George's classic song, "Willin'", and what has been described as a "near-holy reading" of Bruce Springsteen's "Fourth of July, Asbury...
.
Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls recorded a version in Los Angeles, 2009 which is officially endorsed by Bruce Springsteen. The band line up features the original E Street Band keyboardist and accordion player Danny Federici's son, Jason Federici. The song was released through Springsteen's website and a video can be seen on YouTube.
Swedish artist Ulf Lundell
Ulf Lundell
Ulf Lundell is a Swedish writer, poet, songwriter, composer, musician and artist....
made a Swedish version of the song called "Sanna, (Nyårsafton Åre 1983) (Sandy)". The song was dedicated to his daughter Sanna, and instead of taking place on 4th of July, it takes place on New Year's Eve.
Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
covered the song on the 1997 tribute album One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen
Madam Marie
One of the song's most famous lines is:- Did you hear, the cops finally busted Madame Marie,
- for tellin' fortunes better than they do ...
The "Madame Marie" mentioned in the song was a real-life fortune teller on the Asbury Park
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
named Marie Castello
Marie Castello
Marie Castello , who was known as Madam Marie, was an American fortune teller and psychic reader who worked on the Asbury Park, New Jersey, boardwalk from 1932 until 2008...
, who died June 27, 2008 aged 93.
Springsteen offered memories and condolences of her on his website, saying:
"Back in the day when I was a fixture on the Asbury Park boardwalk, I'd often stop and talk to Madam Marie as she sat on her folding chair outside the Temple of Knowledge. I'd sit across from her on the metal guard rail bordering the beach, and watched as she led the day trippers into the small back room where she would unlock a few of the mysteries of their future. She always told me mine looked pretty good - she was right. The world has lost enough mystery as it is - we need our fortunetellers. We send our condolences out to her family who've carried on her tradition. Over here on E Street, we will miss her."
Springsteen said some of the same remarks on stage during the next show on the Magic Tour
Magic Tour (Bruce Springsteen)
The Magic Tour was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2007–2008 concert tour of North America and Western Europe.The tour began October 2, 2007, in Hartford, Connecticut, and concluded August 30, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, dedicating a performance of "Sandy" in Gothenburg, Sweden on July 4, 2008 to her. Similar dedication took place in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
a few days later.
The dedication, word-by-word, from Gothenburg.
- We always send this one out to Danny,
- and just a few days ago, Madame Marie,
- who was the gypsy teller in the Asbury Park
- boardwalk passed away, she was 98,
- that's a lot of fortune-telling.
- There's enough mystery lost in the world,
- we need all the fortune-tellers we can get,
- so tonight we're gonna send this one out to
- Madame Marie...
Springsteen incorrectly noted she died at 98; she was in fact 93. The song is always dedicated to Danny Federici
Danny Federici
Daniel Paul "Danny" Federici was an American musician, best known as the longtime organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.- Career :...
as of April 17 as this was "his" song, featuring a prominent accordion throughout the song.