Townes Van Zandt-Racin' In The Streets from Austin Pickers

Recorded in 1984 for my PBS series, "Austin Pickers". Townes talks about his Dad, learning to play guitar and "jams" with his baby boy...and does The Boss.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Townes
• _Van
• _Zandt
• austinpickers
• Ed_Heffelfinger
• altcountry
• Austin

[TheUnrepentant1]

Damn, what an awesome cover.

Townes voice is much missed to these ears, hearing him cover Bruce is a little piece of discovered nirvana to me.

"See you when I get there, Maestro" ~Steve Earle

[seaweedsalghe]

I didn't know Van Zandt. I discovered his music just two days ago and I definitely fell in love with it. And him.

Your four videos of him are extraordinary, intimate, sweet, and for what I know, the best around. On Youtube, at least.

Thank you.

[Joeyland]

there arent to many covers by him but i think there all great

[theberlindoctor]

Sax is awful. I'm glad that went out of style.

[what1111000]

Let me say, I LOVE townes van zandt. I mean I love him, maybe the biggest Townes fan in New Jersey and I've turned him on to dozens of people. This is also absolutely my favorite Springsteen song.

So I hate to be in the least negative, but.... I'm not saying it's terrible, but I was a bit disappointed. Not into the sax, and it's a little too fast. Townes is one of the most emotional singers and this is one of the most emotional songs.... could have been better. But thanks for posting!

[dannyknapp]

did Springsteen ever record a Townes song ?

[yomnachin]

Townes' voice really sounds beautiful, but come on ... a saxophone ... This alone ruins this cover.

Thanks for the upload though !

[probinson1337]

@austinitesince1979 he clucks like that, and makes a teethsucking noise obviously, on both fraternity blues and talkin' thunderbird blues on Live at The Old Quarter. Always found it endearing and indicative of Townes' lack of pretense.

[rosseland84]

Townes van zandt is a huge star and a magnificent musician no doubt about that. but for me springsteen is huge. townes's version of racing in the streets has no soul. it's suppose to be sung with a sort of sadness in your voice because it's a sad song. it's a great song and it deserves a better interpretation his just rushing to finish it and that's a pity. it's not good enough.listen to jackson browne and springsteens version of it. that's the way to do it. it's just exquisid

[navelofswitzerland]

great as always, but this saxophone is really killing the sound

[gizzflow1]

He's just so incredibly humble, God always takes his best first...

when we all get to Heaven, imagine the shows, Townes, Gram, Hank, Jimmie Rodgers, just a noodlin' away, simply amazing!

[everysinglenamesgone]

Also, these videos are AMAZING! THank you so much for posting them!!!