Customer Reviews

Chimes of Freedom

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Recorded on an Amnesty International tour, Bruce and the E Street Band are in top form on this live 4-track mini disc (originally issued in CD 3-inch form) that brings out a few rarities. Bob Zimmerman's "Chimes" are deftly interpreted by the "new Dylan," and the unexpected appearance of "Hungry Heart" b-side "Be True" is worth the purchase price alone. Best though, is a haunting, extremely personal acoustic version of "Born to Run." Only complaint is that the incredible spoken intro was removed (but you can see it on the Springsteen Video Anthology). "Tougher than the Rest" rounds out the four songs.

Chimes Of Freedom was originally released from Bruce's Amnesty International shows (the last time he played with the E Street Band prior to the 99-00 reunion tour) with the proceeds going to that cause. The tour took place after his Tunnel of Love tour and you get two songs that were prominently featured in those shows, "Tougher Than The Rest" and "Be True". The latter song was originally released as a B-side to the River release "Fade Away" and is a great song. The title track was played specifically for the tour and is an old Dylan song, but Bruce's version is taken from the Byrds rendition of the song. Springsteen has always sang about the underdog and this song perfectly captures the spirit of what Amnesty is all about. The disk closes with an intense acoustic version of "Born To Run". In it's original form, you can get lost in the big production of the song, but in this version it's stripped down to its core which is all about desperation and restlessness. Chimes is an interesting document from an era in Bruce's career that doesn't get alot of attention, but considering what it was all about, maybe it should get more.

This LP is absolutely the best recording of Bruce Springsteen available anywhere. The title song is powerful, driving, and full of the energy, passion, and compassion Bruce's rock & folk music embodies. The acoustic version of Born to Run strips away the song to its essential core -- two people on the road looking for connection to each other and their community. "Tougher Than the Rest" and "Be True" are great singles full of energy and clarity. This CD is a must have for anyone who likes Bruce Springsteen and the folk/rock genre.

"Chimes" is a really fine little record. It was originally released for the benefit of Mr Kite - no, wait, Amnesty International - and it opens with a powerful, slow rendition of "Tougher Than The Rest", rolling along like a monolith, all thunderous drums and vibrating bass notes from the keyboards of Roy Bittan and Danny Federici.

Then follows the first release of the excellent rocker "Be True" (which showed up on "Tracks" ten years later), and a six-minute cover of Bob Dylan's "Chimes Of Freedom" (a few verses are cut, otherwise it would have been a ten minute version).
Bruce Springsteen, it has been said, grew up wanting to be either Roy Orbison or Bob Dylan, and his muscular rendition of "Chimes" is nothing less than majestic.

His powerful baritone voice is at the very forefront of the mix, and he sings the first two verses accompained only by piano and synthesizer, before drummer Max Weinberg comes in at the beginning of verse three.
It's still Springsteen driving the song along, though. The drums seem to be trying to keep up with him all through the next four verses, and they finally give up and fall silent for verses seven and eight, only to reappear as the song winds down.

Finally we are treated to an acoustic, Dylan-esque version "Born To Run", harp and everything. And like Dylan, Springsteen significantly alters the melody, making the song moodier, darker, more pessimistic.

This is a fine concert souvenir. Not an absolutely essential purchase, perhaps, but an enjoyable one nonetheless, and impressive for as long as it lasts.

I bought the tape of this set and wore it out. I was jazzed when the CD was released and have listened to it scores of times over the years.
Bruce pulls some magic out of his throat and guitar on this collection. It seems alot of folks never heard of this, but if you like The Boss and want to hear some incredible stuff, check it out. The price is right and you will not be disappointed. Chimes of Freedom is a classic
Enjoy and pass it along.

Just got hold of this again. This version of Born To Run is simply awesome. There is the original and then there is this version. Both reduce me to tears. Do as you will.

Chimes is a great cd! I paid 14 dollars for this 4 song collection, but it was very very worth it! Tougher Than the Rest gains this energy I never realized it had, Be True was my anthem for a while there (and I guess it still is!), Chimes of Freedom is great as the 'new Dylan' covering Dylan, and Born to Run is like you have NEVER heard it before!
Each song pertains to me in different ways, and I'm sure most people would feel the same. I highly recommend it! Bruce is always the best, and this is a fun cd to have in your collection! Don't pass it up, I guarantee you'll regret it!

My girlfriend originally gave me the cassette of this recording when it first came out, and I absolutely went nuts over it. However, when the CD-3 came out, I got it and was disappointed by the editing done to Tougher Than The Rest and to Chimes of Freedom. Now that the CD was reissued, I had hoped that Columbia would have the good sense with the conventional CD format to restore Tougher and Chimes to original length. They still stuck with the old CD-3 edits! Now, I grant that the intro to Chimes is rather dated, since it was done to promote the Amnesty International tour in progress at that time. However, they could have at least restored Tougher, guitar solo and all. While I love this collection of songs, and it is great that Sony brought back this disc from the grave, I still have to give the CD reissue a ONE star rating for the unforgivable non-remastering done to it. If you don't want to shell out for the import version, stick with the cassette version---it contains the full tracks from the LP/tape original masters, and the sound for a cassette is a Bruce fan's dream come true. FIVE stars for the cassette version---in fact, buy TWO of the tape, because you will want to play that first copy until it is run to the ground!

In 1987, in the shadow of his: "Tunnel of Love" release this four track EP of live music came forth and a lucky few grabbed it up. "Chimes of Freedom" is a great sampler of live Bruce Springsteen from a prime period in his career.

This disc begins with: "Tougher Than Rest" a track from the "Tunnel of Love" album that was being road tested in front of audiences worldwide (this one and the final track of the disc are from the L.A. Sports Arena.) As Bruce is known to step up in an live setting and breathe bigger life into his songs, "Tougher" sounds much bigger when it's performed live, and this is one of the best versions you are going to find of this great song. "Be True" started life as a b-side earlier in the eighties, and it shines here as one of Bruce's best romantic songs, again this outshines it's studio cousin as the better version.

The title track of this disc is the third track of this CD. Pete Seeger's: "Chimes of Freedom" contains a lot more verses than The Byrds used in their version from 1965, and Bruce shows he knows what the song is all about. This is an epic protest song and Bruce sings it for every man and woman that were locked up in jails and prisons throughout the world. The version of this by The Alarm, is my favorite but this rendition by Bruce comes very close to that one as he is singing from the heart and he nails this. "Born To Run" is the final track found here and it's an acoustic version that carries as much weight as any electric full-on band version I had already enjoyed...This is my favorite track of this CD because it shows the man and his guitar as a musical force of might. Bruce, is a musician of depth, and this is the proof of that in spades!

This short EP is a great sampler of the talents of Bruce Springsteen. This is a fantastic little EP.
Four & 1/2 Stars!

This is an essential EP with acoustic version of Born To Run that brings a tear to my eye, an amazing cover of Dylan's Chimes of Freedom, a flat out sweet live version of Tougher than the Rest and a steal at under ... bucks. What are you waiting for?