Julius and Bruce

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Okay, first: Can you believe it’s already been 2,055 years since Julius Caesar was assassinated? Seems like only yesterday. Where does the time go?

If 60 Roman Senators didn’t kill him, the food would have.

Second: When I checked my University email account this afternoon during lunch, I was pleased to learn that both of the essays I submitted for Hamline’s 2012 edition of The Fulcrum were accepted for inclusion. The editors invited me to a book release event in late April wherein I get to read one of the pieces. Also at that time, I will get several copies of the book, so if you want one, let me know. I am willing to autograph the book for a reasonable fee.

Third: After logging 23 non-consecutive weeks at #1, Adele’s album 21 has given was to the new Bruce Springsteen album, Wrecking Ball. While I was more than happy to see Adele continue to rack up weeks at #1 (and there’s no proof that 21 won’t get back to the top again), if she’s gonna lose the top spot to someone, I’m glad it’s Springsteen.

Wrecking Ball now gives the Boss his 10th number one album. This ties him with Elvis at third place for Most #1s ever. I’m not a Springsteen fan, but he certainly deserves the notoriety over so much of the genetically modified crap out there. And, now that I think about it, his 2006 album, We Shall Overcome, would definitely go on my list of favorite albums (holy crap! I think I just thought of an idea for another list!). We Shall Overcome, in fact, is the only Springsteen album from this century to not go to #1 on the album charts.

Certainly one factor affording Springsteen so many number ones is how prolific he’s been; he’s released 17 studio albums, 5 live albums, and five compilation (e.g., “Greatest Hits”) albums. Conversely, one reason why he doesn’t have more #1 albums to his credit is, well, his own fault:

In 1992, he released the albums Human Touch and Lucky Town on the same day. This meant he had to compete with himself for sales. The two albums peaked at #2 and #3, respectively. If he would have spaced them out by, oh, about a month, he surely would have garnered two #1 albums that spring.

Anyway, congrats, Bruce. Knocking Adele off the throne must’ve made it that much sweeter.