Happy anniversary to me

Today is the one-year anniversary of Nancy Bishop’s Journal. When I started this a year ago, I had no idea I would write so prolifically or find it so invigorating to do so.  I’ve written 65 posts, most of them op-ed column length of 700-800 words. Topics have been divided fairly evenly among theater, movies and music, although I’ve been posting more theater reviews lately, since I’m also contributing to Gapers Block, the Chicago website.

Speaking of music, I haven’t written about Bruce Springsteen lately. (How can that be?) So I have a special anniversary treat for you. Bruce  and the E Street Band are nearing the end of their European tour. His fans follow setlists on Twitter every night in lieu of being there to hear him live. Last night they played in Limerick and the Limerick Chronicle celebrated that as front-page news. Bruce’s heritage is Irish and Italian, so he has always been very popular in those countries. (Thanks to kbutler333 Kathleen Butler for the Twitter pic.)

When he played in Rome last Thursday night, his fans got a special treat and I’m sharing it with you to celebrate my anniversary. The song is “New York City Serenade,” a Bruce rarity that thrills his hard-core fans. This really isn’t just for Springsteen fans. It’s a beautiful ballad that starts with a great piano intro by Roy Bittan, the long-time E Street Band keyboard player and Bruce collaborator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAe0IPLqgjE

The song is buried as the last track on Bruce’s second album,  The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, released in 1973.  It’s never been played very much and rarely played in concert.  He played it the other night with the Roma Sinfonietta on stage.

Thanks to my nephew Brad for sending the link.