On the Line (album)
Encyclopedia
On the Line is an album released by Gary U.S. Bonds
in 1982, the second of two Bruce Springsteen
& the E Street Band
collaborated albums from Bonds, the first being Dedication
, released the previous year in 1981. The musicians accompanying Bonds on the album include many members of the E Street Band
. The album includes seven songs written by Springsteen, one written by Steven Van Zandt
, and two written by Bonds himself ("Turn the Music Down", "Bring Her Back"), and features a duet with Steven Van Zandt
on the track "Angelyne". The album produced one single, "Out of Work" which peaked at #21 on the mainstream rock charts.
According to the liner notes on the Razor & Tie
reissue, after recording the album, Columbia Records had Bruce Springsteen remove his vocals from the tracks, specifically from the track "Angelyne", so Van Zandt stepped up to record the duet instead. Because of this, although Springsteen can still be heard on several of the tracks, he is not credited in the original liner notes. Additionally, the liner notes state that three other songs were recorded for the album but not present on the final release including Springsteen's "Action In the Street", "Lion's Den", and "Savin' Up".
The album was re-released in 1992 on the Razor Edge label of Razor & Tie
music, and then again in 2009 on BGO Records paired with Dedication
.
Production:
Gary U.S. Bonds
Gary U.S. Bonds is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer. He is also a prolific songwriter.-Career:...
in 1982, the second of two 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...
& 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...
collaborated albums from Bonds, the first being Dedication
Dedication (Gary U.S. Bonds album)
Dedication is an album released by Gary U.S. Bonds in 1981, the first of two Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band collaborated albums from Bonds, the second being On the Line, released the next year in 1982. The musicians accompanying Bonds on the album include many members of the E Street Band...
, released the previous year in 1981. The musicians accompanying Bonds on the album include many members of 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 album includes seven songs written by Springsteen, one written by Steven Van Zandt
Steven 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...
, and two written by Bonds himself ("Turn the Music Down", "Bring Her Back"), and features a duet with Steven Van Zandt
Steven 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...
on the track "Angelyne". The album produced one single, "Out of Work" which peaked at #21 on the mainstream rock charts.
According to the liner notes on the Razor & Tie
Razor & Tie
Razor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct...
reissue, after recording the album, Columbia Records had Bruce Springsteen remove his vocals from the tracks, specifically from the track "Angelyne", so Van Zandt stepped up to record the duet instead. Because of this, although Springsteen can still be heard on several of the tracks, he is not credited in the original liner notes. Additionally, the liner notes state that three other songs were recorded for the album but not present on the final release including Springsteen's "Action In the Street", "Lion's Den", and "Savin' Up".
The album was re-released in 1992 on the Razor Edge label of Razor & Tie
Razor & Tie
Razor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct...
music, and then again in 2009 on BGO Records paired with Dedication
Dedication (Gary U.S. Bonds album)
Dedication is an album released by Gary U.S. Bonds in 1981, the first of two Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band collaborated albums from Bonds, the second being On the Line, released the next year in 1982. The musicians accompanying Bonds on the album include many members of the E Street Band...
.
Track listing
- "Hold On (To What You Got)" (Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
) - 3:05 - "Out of Work" (Bruce Springsteen) - 2:53
- "Club Soul City" (Bruce Springsteen) - 3:36
- "Soul Deep" (Wayne CarsonWayne CarsonWayne Carson Thompson is an American country musician. He is a songwriter, producer and plays percussion, piano, guitar, and bass. His most famous songs include "Neon Rainbow", "The Letter", "Always on My Mind" , and "Soul Deep".-Biography:Born in Denver, Colorado, his parents, Odie and Olivia...
) - 3:16 - "Love's On the Line" (Bruce Springsteen) - 3:38
- "Turn the Music Down" (Gary U.S. Bonds/Gary L. Anderson) - 3:37
- "Rendezvous" (Bruce Springsteen) - 2:41
- "Angelyne" (Bruce Springsteen) - 4:03
- "All I Need" (Bruce Springsteen) - 5:10
- "Bring Her Back" (Gary U.S. Bonds/Gary L. Anderson) - 3:45
- "Last Time" (Steven Van ZandtSteven Van ZandtSteven 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...
) - 4:45
Personnel
Musicians:- Gary U.S. BondsGary U.S. BondsGary U.S. Bonds is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer. He is also a prolific songwriter.-Career:...
- lead vocals - Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
- background vocals (uncredited) - Steven Van ZandtSteven Van ZandtSteven 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...
- guitar (solo "Last Time"), background vocals (solo "Angelyne") - Roy BittanRoy BittanRoy Bittan is an American keyboardist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, which he joined on August 23, 1974...
- keyboards - Clarence ClemonsClarence ClemonsClarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
- saxophone (solo "Angelyne" & "Out of Work"), background vocals - Danny FedericiDanny FedericiDaniel 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 :...
- keyboards (solo "Club Soul City"), accordion - 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 - 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
- Additional Musicians:
- Charles JacksonCharles Jackson- Politics and law :* Charles Jackson , American judge* Charles Jackson , Governor of Rhode Island* Charles Douglas Jackson , adviser of Dwight Eisenhower- Arts, music, and literature :...
- background vocals ("Club Soul City") - J.T. Bowen - background vocals ("Out of Work")
- Rusty Cloud - keyboards (solo "Bring Her Back"), background vocals
- Bill Derby - guitar (solo "Turn the Music Down"), background vocals
- Joe Martin - guitar, background vocals
- Mike Micara - drums
- George Ruiz - bass, background 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...
- saxophone (solo "Bring Her Back" & "Love's On the Line"), background vocals
- Charles Jackson
Production:
- Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
- Producer - Steven Van ZandtSteven Van ZandtSteven 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...
- Producer - Neil Dorfsman - Engineer
- Gary Rindfuss - Assistant Engineer
- Josh Abbey - Assistant Engineer
- Toby Scott - Mixing
- Dana Brisbee - Assistant Mixing