Bruce Springsteen fans defend ‘extremely cheesy’ song often dubbed The Boss’ ‘worst’

Fans of Bruce Springsteen are defending a song from The Boss which many are dubbing “extremely cheesy” and the “worst” in his discography.

While Springsteen is not short of songs in his discography (a seven album set, Tracks II: The Lost Albums, will feature more than eighty unreleased songs), there are some which fared better than others. Some which did not review the best on initial release are being re-evaluated by dedicated fans on the r/BruceSpringsteen forum. One user wrote: “I really don’t understand the hate this track gets. I have consistently seen people tout this as one of the worst Springsteen songs of all time and to me that’s just ridiculous.”

The song in question, from his Human Touch album, has since been defended by fans who say that while the lyrics are “extremely cheesy,” there is plenty of heart and interest to it. One user defending Real Man posted to the subreddit and wrote: “It’s a fun, extremely cheesy, little song about how good his girl makes him feel. Also, for the record, I actually like how cheesy the song is.

“It feels like he’s so overcome with his excitement and love for his partner that he can’t help but spew the cheesiest lines he can. Bruce’s vocals match the energy as well. You can just tell he’s singing it with a smile on his face.

“The only thing I think is really wild about the song is that it’s the penultimate track on the entire album. Would’ve been better as the opener to the D-Side if anything.” Fans have since agreed on the song being far better than people let on.

One user wrote: “I really like it too, I think maybe people overly hate on it because Bruce himself said at one point he doesn’t like it. But I think it’s really fun & it makes me think of my girlfriend. It’s a sweet song and I really enjoy it.” Others say they enjoyed the song but found parts of it “tacky”.

Another wrote: “It’s the tacky production I don’t like. Put a real horn section on it instead of the synthy faux-horns and it might not sound too bad. The production is my main gripe with that entire album.”

A third added the problem was not with the individual songs but the overall feel of the album. They wrote: “The production on this album is among the worst, but the songs are incredible—this track is no different.

“The Shrine versions of Real World and Soul Driver display how great they are lyrically and melodically, but on the album, they are mediocre because of the production. Roll of the Dice and Man’s Job on the Other Band tour sound like hit singles.”

Another user agreed the project “has its moments” but is well away from the quality usually associated with The Boss. One user wrote: “Human Touch may not be his best album, but it had its moments. The title track is one of his best songs, even with its extended ending with vocal adlibs and guitar solos.”