No Retreat, No Surrender

On October 27, 1975, Bruce Springsteen hit the covers of both Time and Newsweek. Jon Landau proclaimed, "I have seen the future of rock 'n roll and its name is Bruce Springsteen."

The album (Yes, album) Born to Run had burst onto the scene. Springsteen was 26 years old.

I was 17 years old and a freshman in college. The first time I heard Thunder Road on the radio I was awestruck. These days, my superfan status is just as strong. My opinion of Bruce as the greatest rock and roll songwriter/performer/star hasn't changed.

Other things have, of course, changed.

Today I went to the mailbox and pulled out the September/October 2009 issue of AARP The Magazine. Yes, at 51, I've qualified for AARP membership for over a year. On the cover of this issue, brandishing his guitar, nobody else but the Boss. He'll be 60 next month and he's still filling arenas and rocking out concerts that last two or more hours.

In Thunder Road, there's a famous lyric that says, "So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore. Show a little faith, there's magic in the night." Nine years later in No Surrender, Bruce sings, "Well now young faces grow sad and old and hearts of fire grow cold. We swore blood brothers against the wind. Now I'm ready to grow young again."

I don't think he ever grew old, and if there's anybody that doesn't seem to fear that he isn't that young anymore, it's Bruce.

From the time I became a fan, Bruce has inspired me with his songs and his life example. 34 years later he still does. Can't wait to see him and the E Street Band in concert again next month!

I don't feel like I've ever grown old either, which does not mean that I don't take full advantage of the AARP discount at hotels and Borders Books.

Hey, AARP scored Bruce for its magazine cover. That makes it totally cool in anybody's book.