In the fifth and final installment of Overshadowed Originals and Classic Covers, we take a look at “Jersey Girl.”
The song was written and originally recorded by the great storyteller Tom Waits for his 1980 album, “Heartattack and Vine.” The inspiration was his future wife and collaborator, Kathleen Brennan, who was living in New Jersey.
But it was made more popular when Bruce Springsteen began performing a slightly altered version of the song during his live shows in 1981 and then tracked it as the B-side of his “Cover Me” single from the “Born in the U.S.A.” album. It was also the closing track of Springsteen’s 1986 box set, “Live 1975/85.”
Note: You’ll need to click on the link to watch the Bruce Springsteen version.
Tom Waits – “Jersey Girl” (1980)
Bruce Springsteen – “Jersey Girl” (live cover)
Tandem With The Random 