Better Days (Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes album)
Encyclopedia
Better Days is an album by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
, released in 1991. It yielded minor hits "It's Been a Long Time" and "I've Been Workin' Too Hard". The song "It's Been a Long Time" features shared lead vocals by Southside Johnny, Steve Van Zandt, and Bruce Springsteen
and is a reflection back on their early years together in the music business. "I've Been Working Too Hard" features a duet with Jon Bon Jovi
. Eight of the eleven songs were written by Van Zandt, hearkening back to the Jukes first three albums which also featured Van Zandt writing, playing guitar, and singing harmony and sometimes duet vocals. One track "All the Way Home" was written by Bruce Springsteen who later recorded his own version of it for his solo album Devils and Dust.
except were noted.
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes are a Jersey Shore musical group led by Southside Johnny. They have been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. They have recorded and/or performed several Springsteen songs, including "The Fever" and...
, released in 1991. It yielded minor hits "It's Been a Long Time" and "I've Been Workin' Too Hard". The song "It's Been a Long Time" features shared lead vocals by Southside Johnny, Steve Van Zandt, and Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and is a reflection back on their early years together in the music business. "I've Been Working Too Hard" features a duet with Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
. Eight of the eleven songs were written by Van Zandt, hearkening back to the Jukes first three albums which also featured Van Zandt writing, playing guitar, and singing harmony and sometimes duet vocals. One track "All the Way Home" was written by Bruce Springsteen who later recorded his own version of it for his solo album Devils and Dust.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Kit Kiefer awarded the album 4 stars and stated "A comeback album that by all rights shouldn't be this good, Better Days reunites Southside Johnny with his old cohorts Springsteen and Van Zandt and some special guests (Jon Bon Jovi, Flo and Eddie) for 11 bittersweet originals capped by the gorgeous soul ballad "It's Been a Long Time." ".Track listing
All tracks written by Steven Van ZandtSteven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt is an Italian-American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve...
except were noted.
- "Coming Back" – 3:59
- "All I Needed Was You" – 5:06
- "It's Been a Long Time" – 5:31
- "Soul's On Fire (Intro)" (John Lyon, Van Zandt) – 1:04
- "Soul's On Fire" (Lyon, Van Zandt) – 6:55
- "Better Days (Intro)" – 0:58
- "Better Days" – 5:04
- "I've Been Working Too Hard" – 5:06
- "Ride The Night Away" (Steve Jordan, Van Zandt) – 5:12
- "Right To Walk Away" (Dennis LocorriereDennis LocorriereDennis Locorriere was the lead vocalist, guitarist of the pop group Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, later Dr Hook...
, Lyon, Leroy Preston) – 4:45 - "All Night Long (Intro)" (Bobby Bandiera, Lyon) – 0:19
- "All Night Long" (Bandiera, Lyon) – 5:25
- "All the Way Home" (Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
) – 3:54 - "Shake 'Em Down" – 3:12
Personnel
- Bobby BandieraBobby BandieraBobby Bandiera is an American rock guitarist and singer known in the Jersey Shore sound world.- Biography :Bandiera was originally in a band called Holme from Orange, New Jersey...
– guitar, backing vocals - Jon Bon JoviJon Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
– vocals (duet "I've Been Working Too Hard"), backing vocals ("Soul's On Fire") - Rusty Cloud – organ, hammond organ, piano
- Barry Danielian – trumpet
- Charley DraytonCharley DraytonCharley Drayton is an American multi-instrumental musician and producer, who has played as a drummer and bass guitarist for many bands and artists and is currently the drummer in Australian rock bands Divinyls and Cold Chisel....
– backing vocals - Frank Elmo – baritone saxophone
- FloMark VolmanMark Volman is an American rock and roll singer, best known as a founding member of the 1960s band The Turtles. At times during his career he has used the pseudonym "The Phlorescent Leech"...
– backing vocals - Frenchy Gauthier – art direction
- Rick Gazda – trumpet
- Eddie Hedges – backing vocals
- Steve JordanSteve Jordan (musician)Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
– backing vocals - Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg – trombone, backing vocals
- Jeff Lancaster – design
- Dan Levine – trombone
- Steve Van Zandt – guitar, vocals (lead "It's Been a Long Time"), backing vocals, horn arrangements, producer
- Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– mastering - Ed ManionEd ManionEd Manion , also known as Eddie "Kingfish" Manion, is an American saxophonist who plays both tenor and baritone sax. He is best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band Tour later called Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band with the release of the CD/DVD Bruce...
– baritone saxophone - Dave McNair – associate producer, engineer, mixing
- Benjamin Newberry – photography
- Frank Ockenfels – photography
- Mark PenderMark PenderMark "The Loveman" Pender is a trumpet player and vocalist who has played with Southside Johnny, Little Steven and Bruce Springsteen. Since 1993 he has performed on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien as a member of The Max Weinberg 7 and The Tonight Show Band...
– trumpet, backing vocals - Michael Scalcione – assistant engineer
- Mick Seeley – backing vocals
- Southside JohnnySouthside JohnnySouthside Johnny is an American singer-songwriter, who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.-Early days:...
– arranger, harmonica, vocals - Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
– guitar, keyboards, vocals (lead "It's Been a Long Time"), backing vocals - Joey StannJoey StannJoey Stann is an accomplished saxophonist who has worked as a sideman and has recorded with a long list of rock and roll luminaries. Stann performs primarily both on the tenor and baritone saxophone but has contributed backing vocals and played the synthesizer while recording with them in the studio...
– tenor saxophone, backing vocals - Garry TallentGarry TallentGarry Wayne Tallent , sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being the longtime bass player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....
– bass - Max WeinbergMax WeinbergMax 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...
– drums - Carol Whaley – photography
- Zoe Yanakis – maracas, photography, production coordination, tambourine