TS: Springsteen "Hungry Heart" vs. Magnetic Fields "100,000 Fireflies"

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I woke up today with an awful mash-up of these two songs running riot in my head -- thank God it was only a dream.

And the correct answer is 100,000 Fireflies, though Hungry Heart is one of three Bruce S. songs I like.

― O-Keigh (O-Keigh), Thursday, 23 March 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

hungry heart is really really awesome - i know 100KFF is one of those MF songs i should be able to immediately call to mind, but i cant right now.

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Thursday, 23 March 2006 16:30 (twenty years ago)

man, i like a lot of the river.

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Thursday, 23 March 2006 16:32 (twenty years ago)

hungry heart

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 23 March 2006 16:35 (twenty years ago)

i like MF pretty all right and don't really like BS much, but "Hungry Heart"

― pyjamagrama (teenagequiet), Thursday, 23 March 2006 16:39 (twenty years ago)

I heard "Hungry Heart" - it made me want to kill myself.

"100,000 Fireflies", on the other hand, is a thing of rare beauty which also makes me want to kill myself - but in a nice way.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 23 March 2006 17:01 (twenty years ago)

I really wish Merritt had recorded a version of that song with his vocals instead of the woman's.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Thursday, 23 March 2006 17:16 (twenty years ago)

"Hungry Heart"

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Thursday, 23 March 2006 17:46 (twenty years ago)

One of those duels you hate anyone to lose. Have to go with "100,000 Fireflies" as Bruce has lots of other good stuff, and this is the only MF song that I really luuuuv.

― Mitya (mitya), Thursday, 23 March 2006 17:50 (twenty years ago)

that second verse of "hungry heart" is pretty incredible ---- it's like 30 words and hits like a novel ------

― reacher, Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:17 (twenty years ago)

is that the "i met her in a..." verse?

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:20 (twenty years ago)

That's the best Magnetics Fields song, in my opinion.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:29 (twenty years ago)

i've always really really wanted to hear what the ramones 'hungry heart' would've sounded like

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:31 (twenty years ago)

i bet it would be like, fast and loud and stuff

― pyjamagrama (teenagequiet), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:34 (twenty years ago)

there is a version of 100,000 fireflies with merritt on vocals.. i guess its live or something, has some sweet banjo in it; superchunk ruined it for me though.. now when you were my baby, theres a classic MF song that will never get old!!

― gwolfcow, Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Now I'm thinking that a Superchunk version of "Hungry Heart" could be terrific (and better cover material than "1000000 Fireflies").

― James, Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:37 (twenty years ago)

haha a superchunk 'hungry heart' would be awesome

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:39 (twenty years ago)

I thought this would be a Pinefox thread!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:50 (twenty years ago)

is that the "i met her in a..." verse?

yeah exactly!

― reacher, Thursday, 23 March 2006 18:53 (twenty years ago)

i could picture "hungry heart" finding a place on end of the century.

― alex in montreal (alex in montreal), Thursday, 23 March 2006 19:58 (twenty years ago)

It almost did, if you believe Joey that BS wrote the song for the Ramones but ended up keeping it for himself.

― drench, Thursday, 23 March 2006 20:26 (twenty years ago)

BS wrote the song for the Ramones but ended up keeping it for himself

Bruce himself mentions this in the "greatest hits" liner notes (I think) ------- basically says his manager talked him out of giving it to the Ramones ----

― reacher, Thursday, 23 March 2006 21:43 (twenty years ago)

"Hungry Heart."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 23 March 2006 23:01 (twenty years ago)

I don't really remember how "Fireflies" goes but it'd be very hard to beat "Hungry Heart".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 23 March 2006 23:03 (twenty years ago)

"Take Ecstacy With Me"

― M. Biondi (M. Biondi), Thursday, 23 March 2006 23:11 (twenty years ago)

For years I thought "Hungry Heart" was by Billy Joel!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 23 March 2006 23:57 (twenty years ago)

I'm generally a huge Brucesteen fan, but I've never never liked "Hungry Heart" all that much. He should've ignored his manager and handed it over to the Joey Ramone.

"100,000 Fireflies" is great, both the Fields' version and Superchunk's cover.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 24 March 2006 00:27 (twenty years ago)

Can anyone confirm something I think I've read, that the recording of "Hungry Heart" was sped up to increase the tempo? I used to think that the record's vocal didn't sound much like Springsteen, and when I heard that story, it made perfect sense (if it's true). And if so, was Bruce trying to compete with (or emulate) the Ramones, or just get a catchy pop hit?

― James, Friday, 24 March 2006 01:50 (twenty years ago)

i could believe that

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Friday, 24 March 2006 01:56 (twenty years ago)

"Hungry Heart," if only for the lines "got a wife and kid in Monterey, Jack/I went out for some cheese and I never came back." (Actually, it's not one of his best hits, not even close, but I don't like Magnetic Fields very much, so Bruce wins anyway in my book.)

― xhuxk, Friday, 24 March 2006 02:03 (twenty years ago)

wait a sec

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Friday, 24 March 2006 02:05 (twenty years ago)

superchunk do poor versions of a lot of great songs.

― keyth (keyth), Friday, 24 March 2006 03:43 (twenty years ago)

x-post I've heard the Magnetic Fields play a version with Merritt on vocals, back when they were fun, and it was good. I just wish there was a studio version with him on vox. Until then, there's always "Plant White Roses."

As for "Hungry Heart," it's of course great, and part of Springsteen's proud traditional of having hits with his darkest songs ("Born to Run," "Hungry Heart," "BitUSA," "Dancing in the Dark," "Brilliant Disguise," "Streets of Philadelphia," etc.). Mildly subversive from a guy who inspires mass fists-in-the-air singalongs. I guess Bruce-town's full of losers who relate (me included, sometimes).

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 24 March 2006 20:54 (twenty years ago)

hungry heart.

how does the other one go?

lol at going out for some brie and leaving your wife btw. i believe he went out for "a ride" and never came back like a river that don't know where it's going. which obviously makes it alright.

― Dr J Bowman (Dr J Bowman), Friday, 24 March 2006 23:53 (twenty years ago)

for ref, 2nd verse of hungry heart, which along with the first gives about 2/3 of the gist of Rabbit Run:

I met her in a Kingstown bar
We fell in love I knew it had to end
We took what we had and we ripped it apart
Now here I am down in Kingstown again

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Saturday, 25 March 2006 05:24 (twenty years ago)

BROOOCE - always DUD!!
MF - who the fuck cares, gotta be better than ham-fisted Springsteen.

― timmy tannin (pompous), Saturday, 25 March 2006 06:07 (twenty years ago)

Tim: Whatever you like sucks. Are we even?

― O-Keigh (O-Keigh), Saturday, 25 March 2006 07:11 (twenty years ago)

aw, i'm sorry, please ignore my drunken post.......

― timmy tannin (pompous), Saturday, 25 March 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

I'm amazed it took 35 posts for the inevitable "wtf bruce sucks doood!" to happen

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 25 March 2006 20:17 (twenty years ago)

yar, cuz he's like of the people, ya know?

― timmy tannin (pompous), Saturday, 25 March 2006 22:33 (twenty years ago)

lot of garbled lyrics on this thread

it begins:

got a wife an' kids in baltimore, jack
i wen' out for a ride an' i never went back
like a river that don' know where it's flowin'
i took a wrong turn an' i jus' kept goin'

and yes, the record was sped up

in other news, i wish i hadn't sold my m.f. cds sometimes, especially that first one.

― amateurist0, Sunday, 26 March 2006 20:26 (twenty years ago)

I'm amazed it took 35 posts for the inevitable "wtf bruce sucks doood!" to happen

This is partially because I looked at the thread title and went, "Hmm, a dead heat."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 March 2006 20:32 (twenty years ago)

aw, i'm sorry, please ignore my drunken post.......

And please forgive my snappish response. Though not drunk, I was on a couple hours sleep in as many days. I'd hug you, but I have cooties.

― O-Keigh (O-Keigh), Sunday, 26 March 2006 21:43 (twenty years ago)

This is partially because I looked at the thread title and went, "Hmm, a dead heat."
Still, I'm willing to up the snap tenfold if you say the implied "dead heat for last place."

― O-Keigh (O-Keigh), Sunday, 26 March 2006 21:47 (twenty years ago)

Some things are better left unsaid.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 March 2006 21:49 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

I thought this would be a Pinefox thread!
-- Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 23 March 2006

I thought JtN would have said that. I'm glad he did. I am almost surprised I didn't start this thread myself, except that I don't think there's any contest - it's average Boss vs utterly outstanding Merritt; '100,000 Fireflies' by 100 miles.

― the pinefox, Friday, 11 July 2008 14:42 (seventeen years ago)

ten months pass...

You won't be happy with me
But give me one more chance
You won't be happy anyway

^^^omg best lyric ever.

― I donated and I expect some sort of reward measured in virgins. (a hoy hoy), Wednesday, 10 June 2009 07:30 (seventeen years ago)

four months pass...

So when Bruce sings "Baltimore, Jack" he's talking to someone named Jack? "Baltimore Jack" isn't a section of the town?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 7 November 2009 16:05 (sixteen years ago)

"jack" is a new jersey nickname for maryland

― max, Saturday, 7 November 2009 16:08 (sixteen years ago)

I think they serve Baltimore Jack on bacon cheeseburgers in New Jersey.

― Euler, Saturday, 7 November 2009 16:11 (sixteen years ago)

Hungry Heart is so much more profound than it is good...

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Saturday, 7 November 2009 16:31 (sixteen years ago)

eight years pass...

You won't be happy with me
But give me one more chance
You won't be happy anyway
^^^omg best lyric ever.
― I donated and I expect some sort of reward measured in virgins. (a hoy hoy),

absolutely true. but tonight this lyric "makes me want to kill myself."

― treeship 2, Tuesday, 2 January 2018 04:02 (eight years ago)

(that's another lyric from the song. i'm fine. but like... desperation.... heartache.... approached through the thinnest possible veneer of irony, a way of maintaining dignity... anyone who thinks stephin merritt isn't a good songwriter is wrong)

― treeship 2, Tuesday, 2 January 2018 04:04 (eight years ago)

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