Tunnel of Love (Bruce Springsteen)

A generally solid effort, but nothing Bruce could have come out with would have met the expectations of radio, records, or the public.

A more personal and downbeat album than Born in the USA, I think it is the sound of a man maturing and reassessing his objectives as a songwriter in the same way he did on The River.

listen to a few times...anyone who can't relate to the lyrics has lived a much more blessed life than I have and I think mine is pretty good. How can you beat a line like god have mercy on a man who doubts what he's sure of or I try so hard baby but I just don't see what a woman like you is doing with me ? He's not trusting himself after Born in the USA. An icon stripping himself bare. Add this to 41 shots and his recent rants against Bush. He may be rich and he may be famous but he goes through the same travails we all do. This is his most personal album and my favorite.

Another Bruce Springsteen album that would have been alot better if it was just shelved...it would have really been for its own good....

I have never been a big fan of Bruce Springsteen, though I have enjoyed his song writing. In other words, I like when other artists cover his songs. I didn't even like Born In The USA (1984), though it did have its moments. With that said, I do like Tunnel Of Love (released in 1987) which was Springsteen's first full-length effort after Born. The release has a nice acoustic sound as evidenced by the more notable tracks: Ain't Got You, Tougher Than The Rest, Brilliant Disguise (my personal favorite), and the title track. As other comments have noted, the prevailing themes of Tunnel are new love, maturing love, and lost love. While the songs are generally strong, the consistent theme makes Tunnel a bit tedious at times. Nevertheless, while this may be my favorite Springsteen release, it still suffers by comparrison with many of the other releases on this list.

This whole album is a story. It starts out with a man trying to attract a woman. Then they meet, fall in love, and decide to marry. Then the man gets cold feet, but goes through with the wedding anyway. By Tunnle of Love they have begun to loose faith in each other and doubt there love. By When Your Alone they have separated, and Valentines Day offers a second chance at love.

Big Springsteen fan, and I love this album. The way that the songs are ordered on the album, it is almost like a time line that a lot of relationships fall into. You start of with songs like 'Ain't Got You' and 'Tougher Then the Rest' which are about being attracted to someone and trying to start a relationship with them. Then you have 'All That Heaven Will Allow' about when the relationship is at is peak, both people are so hapy it seems like nothing could go wrong. Then you have 'Spare Parts' and 'Cautious Man' which is basically about doubts people may have as to how strong their love really is. Followed by 'Walk Like A Man', about the wedding. 'Tunnele Of Love' is about the uncertainty that may follow after a couple gets married and trying to ride out whatever problems may arrise. This is followed by 'Brilliant Disguise' 'Two Faces', 'One Step Up' about desention and lost trust, basically the fall of love. Then 'When You're Alone' which is about separation. Finally, we hav... Read more

This is Springsteen, and still 80s... what's not to love! I have to cite this as one of the BEST Springsteen albums ever! I just love it to death! There is some kind of cozy magic to this one that just blows me away. The sad, romantic songs touch my heart, and the faster tracks (few as they are) show that the E Street Band will always be the best! This album makes me feel so much for Bruce in his first marraige, and hearing his current wife (of 10 years this year!) singing in the background is almost a foreshadowing! I don't know what it is, but All that Heaven Will Allow will always melt my heart...

This album is so great! I can't really describe it, but I know deep inside what I feel. The whole basis of this cd is the emotions that go along with love, and each one, from being blissfully in love (All that Heaven Will Allow) to being alone, apart from the one you thought would always be there (When You're Alone). I have felt all the emotions while listening to this, and it enhances and gives fondness to the memories of those times. This album really showcases the Boss's amazing songwriting talent! The lyric booklet almost reads like poetry (Valentine's Day, Walk Like a Man) and it is just superb! I have loved it forever, and I always will! A favorite of mine, this softer Bruce cd should melt any heart, and turn you into a Bruce believer!

I love this CD! Its full of so much memory and feeling! I could never be swayed into beliving otherwise! This album is so awesome!!!! The weird thing is, it sort of chronicles Bruce's first marraige (to Julieanne Phillips) from the falling in love, to the wedding, to the demise of the marraige. Powerful stuff!!!!!

Not.

Yes this album is different from most of the other Boss's albums. Maybe my hearing isn't so good or something but I don't care for the country-ish crooning Bruce does on this album. I don't care for wifey Patty's vocals on every other song. Anyone who claims this is his best music hasn't listened to his previous work. Give me Born To Run, Darkness on The Edge of Town, The River, Greetings from Asbury Park, and heck even his commericalized Born In The USA...but please don't make me listen to this!

This album is a perfect example of what a romantic album should be! It goes from a look at how no amount of fame can amount to the one you love, to the contemplative Tougher than the Rest, to All that Heaven will Allow, the most romantic song in the world (if only it could be longer!) then, after a few other good songs (including one dedicated to Springsteen's father) the title track takes us through that roller coaster ride known as love. Two Faces, Brilliant Disguise, One Step Up, and When You're Alone bring a realistic, longing for true love to return, beautiful part of the album, and then, the final song, Valentine's Day adds a shot of optimism. This album is so good to play while sitting on the couch or window seat with the snow falling lightly outside the window. Bruce proves again that he is the Boss and that he always will be! He may be middle aged, but he still has an awesome, expessive face and soooo much poetic talent!

Tunnel of Love with Born to Run are Mr.Springsteen's best recordings to date. Softer than most of his rock-based efforts and less brooding than the acoustic ones, ToL shows yet another dimension of the man's talent. The River, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and Nebraska are all close runners up, but these two CD's come as close to giving you a comprehensive look at Bruce Springsteen as any two CDs can.

This album is very different from most of the Boss's other albums, but it is every bit as great! From the optimistic and lovely All that Heaven will Allow, Tunnel of Love, and Valentine's Day, to the bittersweet Brilliant Disguise, One Step up, and When You're alone, this albun shows that middle age has taken no negative toll on the number one guy of all time!!