It's unclear if it was intended to be a duet between Clarence and his bandleader, but ultimately Jackson Browne joined in on the track. "You're a Friend of Mine" was in fact penned by the same duo behind "Freeway": drummer/producer Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen. Read More: June 1984: Bruce Springsteen Releases 'Born in the U.S.A.' Clemons' wailing sax and onstage antics had been staples of Springsteen's act since the beginning, and he'd recently branched out into high-profile guest work, laying down a solo on "Freeway of Love," Aretha Franklin's first smash hit in more than a decade. While Clemons had already released one solo album for Columbia Records in 1983, sophomore release Hero was released in 1985 during the aftermath of Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which spun off seven Top 10 hits and established The Boss as one of the biggest rockers around. 18, 1986 with "You're a Friend of Mine," an upbeat duet with Jackson Browne that settled in at No. The larger-than-life saxophonist peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 on Jan. As long as he’s working, we’ll be together.Just one member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band had a big chart hit on their own: the Big Man himself, Clarence Clemons. Sometimes I feel I should be paying him because I get so much pleasure out of working with him. “Working with Bruce is a party,” Clemons explained. However, it’s unlikely that the E Street Band will have to function without him anytime soon. It’s hard to imagine Springsteen on stage without Clemons looming nearby, playing those soulful sax lines. Even though we live so close together, we don’t really hang out together very much. We live four miles from each other-I live on the beach and he lives inland. The ties between them extend far beyond music. “It was instant chemistry,” Clemons recalled. On the advice of a friend, Clemons went to see him at a club and wound up sitting in on a jam session with him. He was struggling when he first met Springsteen in 1971 in Asbury Park, N.J. I don’t miss it either.”īorn in Norfolk, Va., Clemons was a semipro football player before settling into a career as a tenor saxophonist. It used to take a day to get over the partying. “It’s nice to wake up in the morning without a hangover. Stopping that is harder than quitting cocaine. No heroin, though, but just about everything else. “I used to do a lot of drugs,” he revealed. I’m getting too old (he’ll be 44 in January) to be irresponsible.” “I’ve cleaned up, gotten some discipline. “It has helped change my life,” Clemons admitted. During the “Hero” sessions, Walden introduced Clemons to the teachings of Sri Chinmoy, an Indian guru. “He helped get me on the right track.”Ĭlemons was referring to a spiritual boost. “This man is a lifesaver for me,” Clemons said after Walden left. They were making plans to meet later at the screening of a new movie. He also hired Clemons to play sax on Aretha Franklin’s hit single, “Freeway of Love.” This time it was Narada Michael Walden, who co-wrote five of the new album’s songs and produced six. It’s a hit without him, and that makes me feel good.” That’s why it’s good that he didn’t sing the duet. “I’d like to have a success with something he didn’t have a hand in.
Why is he recording solo albums? “I want something independent from Bruce,” he replied. I had to find somebody else, so I thought of Jackson, who’s an old friend.”
“It was written with Bruce in mind to sing it, but between the tour and his marriage, he didn’t have time. “The song reflects my relationship with Bruce,” Clemons revealed. The first single, “You’re a Friend of Mine"-a duet with Jackson Browne-is in the Top 40 and climbing on the Billboard pop chart.īrowne wasn’t Clemons’ first choice. One problem was that it didn’t really have the Clemons stamp on it for one thing, he wasn’t doing the vocals. The first, 1983’s “Rescue,” was a nondescript collection that didn’t sell well. Shop for stickers Get an exclusive Clarence Clemons Hero Album Cover Sticker Album Cover Sticker from Record Stickers - 1000s of album cover stickers.
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