Born To Run

Recording for this track began at 914 Sound Studios on January 8, 1974 (V1). According to Springsteen, the entire writing and recording process took six months, while he was living at a rented cottage at 7½ West End Court in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Though recordings from early 1974 have never surfaced, early lyric sheets of 'Glory Road' contain many lines that would be used in 'Born To Run', including the title. V2a is the original backing track recorded at 914 Sound Studios on May 21, 1974. V2b is from June 26, 1974, with dubs of Bruce's vocals to the V2a track. Bruce continued work on the song, adding lyrics and overdubs, at 914 Sound Studios, both in June and during a weeklong residency starting August 1, 1974. Finally, on August 6, 1974, V3, V4, and V5 were mixed down from seventy-two tracks to the sixteen available by engineer Louis Lahav. The core backing track, V3, was mixed, along with numerous test arrangements V4, with backing vocals, double-tracked vocals and strings, and finally the one chosen for release V5a. An advanced tape release of the official version V5b, first aired on WMMR in Philadelphia on November 3, 1974 (V5c), and subsequently broadcast by several USA radio stations during November 74-July 75. There is little difference between these versions. V6 was an unreleased tape from October 16 cancelled by Columbia. V7, which may not exist, is the studio log entry for March 17, 1975, an attempted mix session at Columbia Studios, 49 East 52nd Street, New York. Over the years, more than ten alternative mixes of "Born To Run" have leaked, and this a short list and description of those we could identify. V4a has a double tracked vocal and strings; V4b has double tracked vocals. strings, and a female chorus; V4c also has a female chorus. V4d has a female chorus that doesn't kick in until the 3rd verse; V4e is an alternative mix with only basic instrumental backing; V4f has only guitars in the instrumental backing; V4g does not have a drum track. V4h is Bruce's vocal without any backing instruments; V4i features string and enhanced high end; v4j has less overdubbing; V4k does not include the middle verse and the sax solo; this was released by Ktel-CBS in Australia-only in early 1976 on a multi-artist LP called Supersounds.