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I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
I saw my reflection in a window
I didn't know my own face
Oh brother are you gonna leave me
Wastin' away
On the streets of Philadelphia
I walked the avenue 'til my legs felt like stone
I heard voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and whispering as the rain
On the streets of Philadelphia
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Philadelphia is a sterile film that features some of the heart-wretching performances of Tom Hanks, Antonio Banderas, and Denzel Washington. The AIDS crisis was finally gaining some of the respect and attention it needed, and with this film, the tables slowly began to turn. In the film, Tom Hanks plays a gay man struggling with his disease who is subsequently fired for his condition. If you have not seen the film yet, it is important that you do so, as it is one of the most important in gay cinema to ever have been filmed. Though the sub-set genre of HIV+ films blatantly copied this movie and irk me to no end, Philadelphia is as tragic as it is flat-out necessary. Out of every artist on the face of the planet, the last person I would have expected to write and record the theme song for this would be American-hero rock star Bruce Springsteen, who, at the time, was left without his thumpin' E Street Band. Released in early winter of 1994, Streets of Philadelphia became another Top 10 hit for Bruce, and one of my personal favorite releases.

As always, Bruce's songwriting pays off with this track, but the real star is a hushed and cracking vocal delivery that find our man playing a version of Tom Hanks's character. The adult contemporary sound Springsteen was experimenting with in the mid-90s was the result of years of balls-to-the-wall rock and roll, and Bruce was in a very quiet and subdued place. Streets of Philadelphia greatly reflects a darker side of Bruce that doesn't rely on musical theatrics to get the message across; simply stated, he sounds like he's marching towards his death. There's very little to this song aside from his hushed voice, but there are some pleasant drum machine rolls and long, drawn synth-chords to give the track an icy feel. The video itself in famous for Bruce's re-recorded vocals, in which he gives the musical illusion that he's walking down the winter roads. The melody is haunting and gets into your brain the same way Secret Garden would do the following year.

The single version of this release features one b-side that, once again, comes from Bruce's flopped MTV Plugged release from 1992. Despite of the controversy and drama that follows that record, it did give us some beautiful mixing. If I Should Fall Behind is another quiet love song that has an honest, classic feel. Springsteen's always been a contemporary to Mr. John Fogerty, another one of my country-rock favorites, and there's a melodic vibe on this track that reminds me both of our Fortunate Son as well as Paul Simon. Now, Bruce's voice hadn't fully deepened by the time of this single's release, so his vocals have to be taken with a grain of salt, but what eclipses his lack of true singing talent is his honesty and passion. And the powerfully quiet harmonicas make up for anything anyway.

VERDICT
Both of the tracks on this single can be found elsewhere, and they are quiet and wintery. If you like your Springsteen romantic, sad, humble, and stark, this is the release for you. But much like the rest of mid-90s work, you will not get the classic sound of the 70s and 80s. Much like my personal favorite Madonna, Bruce has reinvented himself and he's as cold as ice. Though it is very rarely performed live, it is a classic single with a hauntingly sweet melody.

01. Streets of Philadelphia [5 Stars]
02. If I Should Fall Behind (Live) [5 Stars]

SCORE: 5 STARS

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OTHER BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN REVIEWS:
1975 - Born to Run
1978 - Darkness on the Edge of Town
1984 - Born in the U.S.A.
1992 - 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) (CD-Single)
1994 - Streets of Philadelphia (CD-Single)
1995 - Secret Garden (Cassingle)
2002 - Lonesome Day (CD-Single)
2007 - Magic
2009 - Working on a Dream

Recommended: Yes