Springsteen Makes Surprise Appearance at Jersey Club

Bruce Springsteen shocked fans with a surprise appearance during Alejandro Escovedo's Saturday night performance at Asbury Park, New Jersey's Stone Pony. Springsteen joined Escovedo on "Always a Friend," a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and "Faith," a track from Escovedo's new studio album Street Songs of Love that features the Jersey legend. According to NJ.com, the performance also marks the first time the Rock Hall legend has performed the Stones' Some Girls classic. (Watch "Beast of Burden" up top, and "Always a Friend" and "Faith" below.)

The appearance marks Springsteen's first non-charity show performance at the Stone Pony since a cameo at a Mike Ness concert in May 2008. He previously teamed with Escovedo in Houston in 2008, when Escovedo joined the E Street Band for "Always a Friend."

Escovedo recently stopped by the Rolling Stone studio for an intimate performance of three tracks off Street Songs of Love (watch it here). Plus, check out David Fricke's review of Escovedo and friends' concert at New York's Bowery Electric last week.

"Always a Friend"

"Faith"

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Song Stories

“The A Team”

Ed Sheeran | 2011

This debut track from the then-20-year-old British singer-songwriter has a dark story behind it. Sheeran says he culls songwriting inspiration from "viewing other people's situations," which, for the heroine in "The A Team," involves drug addiction and prostitution that began as a teen. Sheeran paints the woman's trials with haunting imagery such as "But lately her face seems/Slowly sinking, wasting/Crumbling like pastries." "I did a gig at a homeless shelter, [and the song] is about one of the women there. It's her story," he said.

More Song Stories entries »

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