Brilliant Disguise
Encyclopedia
"Brilliant Disguise" is a song by Bruce Springsteen
from his 1987 album Tunnel of Love
. It was released as the first single from the album, reaching the #5 position on the Billboard Hot 100
chart and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart in the United States. The followup single, "Tunnel of Love
", also reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, giving Springsteen two consecutive #1's. The single had less commercial success in other countries.
. On this song, Springsteen played several instruments and is backed by Roy Bittan
on keyboards, Danny Federici
on organ and Max Weinberg
on drums.
The lyrics of "Brilliant Disguise" represent a confession of self doubt on the part of the singer. The emotions expressed in the song include confusion, jealousy and anxiety about whether the singer's wife has become a stranger to him. The song deals with the masks people wear and the bitterness that can ensue when we realize the darkness that may lie behind those masks.
The song's quiet power builds slowly. The sound is scaled back from the typical E Street Band sound. The singer struggles to do things right, but it doesn't help. He can't trust either himself or his wife. Both he and his wife continue to play their roles - he of a "faithful man", she of a "loving woman", but the singer is nonetheless wracked with self-doubt. A key line towards the end of the song:
"I wanna know if it's you I don't trust/Because I damn sure don't trust myself."
sums up the emotions that resonate throughout the song, and indeed the entire second side of the Tunnel of Love album.
Springsteen himself wrote about the song "after '85 I'd had enough and turned inward to write about men, women and love, things that have previously been on the periphery of my work."
The song was later released on the compilation album The Essential Bruce Springsteen
.
"Brilliant Disguise" has been ranked as the #1192 best song of all time, as well as the #27 song of 1987
and the #214 song of the 1980s, in an aggregation of critics' lists at acclaimedmusic.net. The song has also been listed as one of the all time great songs in Toby Creswell's "1001 songs" and as one of the 7500 most important songs from 1944 through 2000 by Bruce Pollock. It was also ranked as the #6 single of 1987 by the Village Voice and the #51 single of 1987 by the New Musical Express.
s from the Tunnel of Love album, including "Tunnel of Love
", "One Step Up
" and "Tougher Than the Rest
", the video for "Brilliant Disguise" was directed by Meiert Avis
.
The video of the song effectively reflects its emotions. The singer sits uncomfortably on the edge of a chair. He plays his guitar as he sings the lyrics about what it means to try to trust someone looking straight into the camera, never flinching. This very personal performance can make it difficult to watch, but it effectively reflects the themes of the song.
The intensely personal "Brilliant Disguise" video broke new ground on MTV
, being a single shot without edits.
The video was later released on the VHS and DVD Video Anthology / 1978-88
.
that supported the initial release of the album through July 2005, the song received 184 live performances in concert.
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
from his 1987 album Tunnel of Love
Tunnel of Love (album)
Tunnel of Love is the eighth studio album by Bruce Springsteen released in 1987.In 1998, Q magazine readers voted Tunnel of Love the 91st greatest album of all time....
. It was released as the first single from the album, reaching the #5 position on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart in the United States. The followup single, "Tunnel of Love
Tunnel of Love (Bruce Springsteen song)
"Tunnel of Love" is the title song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1987 Tunnel of Love album. It was released as the second single from the album, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Like the first single from the album, "Brilliant Disguise", "Tunnel of Love" reached number one on...
", also reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, giving Springsteen two consecutive #1's. The single had less commercial success in other countries.
History
Like much of the Tunnel of Love album, "Brilliant Disguise" was recorded in Springsteen's home studio, called Thrill Hill East, between January and May of 1987 with several members of the E Street BandE Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
. On this song, Springsteen played several instruments and is backed by Roy Bittan
Roy Bittan
Roy Bittan is an American keyboardist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, which he joined on August 23, 1974...
on keyboards, Danny Federici
Danny Federici
Daniel Paul "Danny" Federici was an American musician, best known as the longtime organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.- Career :...
on organ and Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.Weinberg grew up in suburban New Jersey...
on drums.
The lyrics of "Brilliant Disguise" represent a confession of self doubt on the part of the singer. The emotions expressed in the song include confusion, jealousy and anxiety about whether the singer's wife has become a stranger to him. The song deals with the masks people wear and the bitterness that can ensue when we realize the darkness that may lie behind those masks.
The song's quiet power builds slowly. The sound is scaled back from the typical E Street Band sound. The singer struggles to do things right, but it doesn't help. He can't trust either himself or his wife. Both he and his wife continue to play their roles - he of a "faithful man", she of a "loving woman", but the singer is nonetheless wracked with self-doubt. A key line towards the end of the song:
"I wanna know if it's you I don't trust/Because I damn sure don't trust myself."
sums up the emotions that resonate throughout the song, and indeed the entire second side of the Tunnel of Love album.
Springsteen himself wrote about the song "after '85 I'd had enough and turned inward to write about men, women and love, things that have previously been on the periphery of my work."
The song was later released on the compilation album The Essential Bruce Springsteen
The Essential Bruce Springsteen
- Charts :- Certifications :- External links :* *...
.
"Brilliant Disguise" has been ranked as the #1192 best song of all time, as well as the #27 song of 1987
1987 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
and the #214 song of the 1980s, in an aggregation of critics' lists at acclaimedmusic.net. The song has also been listed as one of the all time great songs in Toby Creswell's "1001 songs" and as one of the 7500 most important songs from 1944 through 2000 by Bruce Pollock. It was also ranked as the #6 single of 1987 by the Village Voice and the #51 single of 1987 by the New Musical Express.
Video
Like several other music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s from the Tunnel of Love album, including "Tunnel of Love
Tunnel of Love (Bruce Springsteen song)
"Tunnel of Love" is the title song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1987 Tunnel of Love album. It was released as the second single from the album, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Like the first single from the album, "Brilliant Disguise", "Tunnel of Love" reached number one on...
", "One Step Up
One Step Up
"One Step Up" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1987 Tunnel of Love album. It was released as the third single from the album, following "Brilliant Disguise" and the title track. It reached position #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the United...
" and "Tougher Than the Rest
Tougher Than the Rest
"Tougher Than the Rest" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1987 Tunnel of Love album. It was released as a single in some countries, following "Brilliant Disguise" and the title track, but was not released as a single in the United States...
", the video for "Brilliant Disguise" was directed by Meiert Avis
Meiert Avis
Meiert Avis is an Irish music video and commercial director. Avis has directed videos for artists such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Lopez, New Found Glory and Josh Groban amongst many others....
.
The video of the song effectively reflects its emotions. The singer sits uncomfortably on the edge of a chair. He plays his guitar as he sings the lyrics about what it means to try to trust someone looking straight into the camera, never flinching. This very personal performance can make it difficult to watch, but it effectively reflects the themes of the song.
The intensely personal "Brilliant Disguise" video broke new ground on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, being a single shot without edits.
The video was later released on the VHS and DVD Video Anthology / 1978-88
Video Anthology / 1978-88
Bruce Springsteen's Video Anthology / 1978–88 is a collection of 18 music videos made on his behalf, released in VHS format on January 31, 1989....
.
Live performance history
Despite the personal nature of the song, it has been reasonably popular in live performances. From the Tunnel of Love Express TourTunnel of Love Express Tour
The Tunnel of Love Express was a concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in 1988. It followed by four and a half months the release of Springsteen's 1987 album, Tunnel of Love.-Itinerary:...
that supported the initial release of the album through July 2005, the song received 184 live performances in concert.
See also
- List of number-one hits in Norway
- List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)