Bad and Good E Street News

This morning it was all over the internet that Clarence Clemons, the brassy and brilliant saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band since 1971, had a stroke.  At age 69 “the Big Man” was still very active, even having done a duet with (of all people) Lady Gaga for her most recent album.   As a sign of his singular importance to the band, at every concert Bruce would introduce him last, teasing the crowd with “Do I have to say his name?  Do I have to pronounce his name?!!!”  while the fanatics from the seats shouted “Clarence Clarence CLARENCE!!!”  Secretary of the Brotherhood indeed.

This evening there was word of improvement in Clemons’s condition.  As a sign of his and Springsteen’s impact on culture, I even saw bloggers on washingtonpost.com mention him and his illness.  “How can we do politics when the Big Man is ill?”   This particular blog was live during the first big Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire.  In a non-sequitur one of the reporters teased the online audience and asked, “What would be an appropriate Bruce Springsteen song for each of the Republican contenders for the presidential nomination?”

Without delay, reporter Chris Cillizza shot back with these zingers:

Newt Gingrich:  “Wreck on the Highway”

Mitt Romney:  “Born to Run”

Tim Pawlenty:  “Raise Your Hand”

Rich Santorum:  “Countin’ on a Miracle”

Michelle Bachmann:  “No Surrender”

Herman Cain:  “Surprise, Surprise”

Ron Paul:  “”Independence Day”

And another blogger added, a better song for Mitt Romney is “Brilliant Disguise” (“Is that you baby/or just a brilliant disguise?”). 

A Springsteen song for President Barack Hussein Obama?  “Born in the USA”