Born to “Boss” — whether he likes it or not.
Bruce Springsteen has spoken out about his long-standing dislike of his nickname “The Boss” that’s “dogged” him throughout his career, though the “Tougher Than the Rest” rocker says he’s finally made peace with it.
In an interview on Thursday’s episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast, Springsteen, 75, vented his exasperation with how he has become synonymous with the moniker.
“‘The Boss,’ which dogged me my whole life, still does,” he shared.
“I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve given up and gotten used to it, I suppose,” he added.
The “Born in the USA” hitmaker went on to explain that the sobriquet originated because he was, literally, a boss to members of his band.
“‘Hey, boss.’ You know? ‘Are we getting paid this week?’ ‘Sure,’” he remembered. “And then some DJ heard it and started using it on the radio and it, you know, went viral, as they say. And so there it is.”
The backstory was also documented in the 2012 Springsteen biography, “Bruce,” by Peter Ames, which noted that the rock star’s inner circle called him “The Boss” for the first three years it was bandied about.
The nickname entered the public lexicon in 1974 after a journalist overheard one of Springsteen’s crew shout after him, “Hey, Boss!”
Springsteen was sour on the moniker almost from its inception. During performances in the mid-1970s, he’d often alter the lyrics to his song “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” from “You don’t have to call me lieutenant, Rosie, and I don’t want to be your son” to “You don’t have to call me lieutenant, Rosie/Just don’t ever call me Boss!” according to Ames’ book.
“I remember people calling him that and not taking it seriously. Not ‘til I started calling him the Boss. Then they took it seriously because I was a boss, too. So when I started calling him the Boss the vibe was, ‘If Stevie’s doing it, there’s something to this!’” E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt was quoted as saying in the biography.
While Springsteen fans might bemoan their idol’s perspective on his nickname, they still have reason to go dancing in the dark.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recently announced “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” a treasure trove of seven never-before-released albums recorded between 1983 and 2018.
The collection will “fill in rich chapters of Springsteen’s expansive career timeline — while offering invaluable insight into his life and work as an artist,” a press release stated.
“Tracks II: The Los Albums” is available June 27.