A surprise for Born to Run’s 50th anniversary
Bruce Springsteen has unveiled a rare treasure from his archives: “Lonely Night in the Park.” The song, recorded during the legendary Born to Run sessions in early 1975, has surfaced publicly for the first time to celebrate the iconic album’s 50th anniversary.
While Springsteen recently released dozens of unreleased tracks in the box set Tracks II, this new release stands apart because of its direct connection to Born to Run, the album that catapulted him to superstardom in the United States. For European fans, his breakthrough would come a decade later with Born in the U.S.A.
To mark the milestone, Springsteen has not only shared the unreleased track but also released a commemorative lithograph, with proceeds benefiting the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
A track almost on the original album
“Lonely Night in the Park” has long existed only as a rough bootleg, but it nearly made the official album tracklist. According to then-manager and producer Mike Appel, chronicled in the book Down Thunder Road: The Making of Bruce Springsteen, critic and future manager Jon Landau wanted to replace Meeting Across the River with either Linda Let Me Be the One (later released on Tracks) or Lonely Night in the Park. Appel resisted, and the haunting Meeting Across the River became track seven instead.
Exactly how much the new version of Lonely Night in the Park has been reworked remains uncertain. Producer Ron Aniello, credited here not only as co-producer but also as a guitarist, clearly added modern touches—despite not being part of Springsteen’s circle back in 1975. Guitar credits also include Stevie Van Zandt, who had only a limited role in the original sessions.
Revisiting a rock landmark
Born to Run has been celebrated before—most notably in 2005, when it was reissued with two DVDs: Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run and a historic 1975 concert at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. But this 50th anniversary release feels special, as it directly connects fans with a piece of lost history from the very sessions that defined Springsteen’s career.
For fans, Lonely Night in the Park is more than just a newly released track—it’s a window into the creative crossroads of an artist on the cusp of stardom. As the anniversary approaches, it serves as both a celebration of the past and a reminder of how even the songs left behind can still resonate half a century later.