Editing Born to Run (section)

===914 Sound Studios===
The recording sessions for the album began at 914 Sound Studios in January 1974.{{sfn|Carlin|2012|p=174}}{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=107}}{{sfn|Masur|2010|p=49}} Springsteen and Appel acted as co-producers; ''Greetings'' and ''Wild'' producer Jimmy Cretecos had departed Springsteen's company in early 1974, citing low profits.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|p=70}} Louis Lahav, the [[Audio engineer|engineer]] from both albums, returned for these sessions. The members of the E Street Band were [[Clarence Clemons]] (saxophone), [[Danny Federici]] (organ), [[David Sancious]] (piano), [[Garry Tallent]] (bass), and [[Ernest Carter (drummer)|Ernest Carter]] (drums);{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|p=72}} Carter had replaced [[Vini Lopez|Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez]], whom Springsteen fired in February over poor personal behavior.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|p=70}}{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=175–177}}{{sfn|Dolan|2012|pp=102–103}} The band went back and forth between studio recording and live concert performances.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=35}} Springsteen used the latter to develop new material,{{sfn|Carlin|2012|p=174}} and he spent more time in the studio refining songs than he had on the previous two albums.<ref name="UCR">{{cite web |last=Lifton |first=Dave |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bruce-springsteen-born-to-run/ |title=How Bruce Springsteen Finally Became a Star with 'Born to Run' |date=August 25, 2015 |website=[[Ultimate Classic Rock]] |access-date=June 19, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315033210/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bruce-springsteen-born-to-run/ |archive-date=March 15, 2017 }}</ref> The album's working titles included ''From the Churches to the Jails'', ''The Hungry and the Hunted'', ''War and Roses'', and ''American Summer''.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=35}}

Recording for "Born to Run" lasted six months.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=107}}{{sfn|Masur|2010|pp=44–47}} Springsteen's [[Perfectionism (psychology)|perfectionism]] led to grueling sessions:{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=86–89}} he obsessed over every syllable, note, and tone of every [[Texture (music)|texture]], and he struggled to capture the sounds he heard in his head on tape.<ref name="UCRGuide" />{{sfn|Masur|2010|p=51}}<ref name="week">{{cite web |last=Moss |first=Charles |url=https://theweek.com/articles/569558/born-run-40-short-history-album-that-turned-bruce-springsteen-into-americas-biggest-rock-star |title=Born to Run at 40: A short history of the album that turned Bruce Springsteen into America's biggest rock star |work=[[The Week]] |date=August 24, 2015 |access-date=June 19, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316033829/http://theweek.com/articles/569558/born-run-40-short-history-album-that-turned-bruce-springsteen-into-americas-biggest-rock-star |archive-date=March 16, 2017 }}</ref> His aim for a Phil Spector-type [[Wall of Sound]] production meant multiple instruments were assigned to each track on the studio's 16-track [[mixing console|mixing desk]]; each new [[Overdubbing|overdub]] made the recording and [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]] more difficult.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=107}}{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=86–89}} As he kept rewriting the lyrics,{{sfn|Springsteen|2016|p=210}} Springsteen and Appel created several mixes containing electric and acoustic guitars, piano, organ, horns, [[synthesizer]]s, and a [[glockenspiel]], as well as strings and female backing vocalists.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=33}} "Born to Run" reportedly had up to five different versions.{{sfn|Masur|2010|pp=44–47}}{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=186–187}} According to Springsteen, the final song had 72 different tracks squeezed onto the 16 tracks of the mixing console.{{sfn|Springsteen|2016|p=210}} Springsteen was pleased with the final mix,{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=86–89}} completed in August 1974.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=71–72}} CBS/Columbia refused to release "Born to Run" as an early single, wanting an album to promote it.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=108}}{{sfn|Gaar|2016|pp=48–49}}

{{multiple image
| footer = [[Roy Bittan]] (left, 2002) and [[Max Weinberg]] (right, 2019) replaced the pianist [[David Sancious]] and the drummer [[Ernest Carter (drummer)|Ernest Carter]], respectively, following their departures from the E Street Band in August 1974. 
| image1 = Roy bittan schunk.jpg
| width1 = 151
| alt1   = A side-shot of a bald man with glasses
| image2 = Max Weinberg-9 (cropped).jpg
| width2 = 125
| alt2   = A photograph of a man playing a drum set
}}
The same month "Born to Run" was completed, Sancious and Carter departed the E Street Band to form their own [[jazz-fusion]] band, [[Tone (jazz-fusion band)|Tone]]. They were replaced by [[Roy Bittan]] on piano and [[Max Weinberg]] on drums.<ref name="UCRGuide" />{{sfn|Gaar|2016|p=50}}{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=182–184}} Bittan had a background in symphony orchestras while Weinberg had experience with various rock bands and [[Broadway theatre|Broadway productions]]. Bittan had previously known of Springsteen's music but Weinberg had not.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=35}}{{sfn|Dolan|2012|pp=109–111}} The two meshed well with the rest of the band, offering new musical insights and relaxed personalities that eased tensions that had built up over years of recording and performing.{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=182–184}} On the album Bittan mostly replaced Federici, whose sole contribution was the organ part on "Born to Run".{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=86–89}} Bittan later said he believed this was due to both men's different performing styles and Bittan wanting to "prove himself" as a new member of the group.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=90–91}}

Recording at 914 continued into late October 1974.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=113}} The band made attempts at "[[Jungleland]]", "[[She's the One (Bruce Springsteen song)|She's the One]]", "Lovers in the Cold", "[[Backstreets]]", and "So Young and in Love", but faulty equipment and Springsteen's lack of direction halted progress.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=94–97}}{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=113}} The music critic [[Dave Marsh]] suggested that Springsteen remained at the subpar 914 Studios because studio costs built up, even though superior ones were available.{{sfn|Masur|2010|p=44}} In November,{{sfn|Dolan|2012|pp=113–114}} Appel sent "Born to Run" to various radio stations around the United States, which CBS executives viewed as professional misconduct.{{sfn|Margotin|Guesdon|2020|pp=71–72}} The stunt generated interest in the track and anticipation built toward the album's release,{{sfn|Gaar|2016|pp=48–49}}{{sfn|Masur|2010|p=48}} prompting Columbia to fund further sessions.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|p=108}}{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=34}} "Born to Run" became frequently requested on radio and at shows.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=34}}

By January 1975, the band had been working for over a year with one finished track. Production continued to be plagued by faulty equipment, false starts, and Springsteen's desire for more takes.{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=188–189}} A new track, "Wings for Wheels", debuted live in February.{{sfn|Dolan|2012|pp=115–116}}{{sfn|Masur|2010|pp=52–53}} Springsteen felt he lacked direction,{{sfn|Carlin|2012|p=194}} and he requested production advice from the writer and producer [[Jon Landau]], who had criticized the production on ''Wild'' in an article for ''[[The Real Paper]]''.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=37}}<ref name="week" /> The two met in Boston in April 1974 and developed a close friendship after.{{sfn|Gaar|2016|pp=48–49}}{{sfn|Carlin|2012|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Dolan|2012|pp=104–105}} In February 1975, Landau was invited to a session, where he suggested moving the saxophone solo on "Wings for Wheels" to the end rather than in the middle.{{sfn|Kirkpatrick|2007|p=37}}{{sfn|Marsh|1981|p=146}} Springsteen liked the change and hired Landau as co-producer of the album.{{sfn|Marsh|1981|p=146}}{{sfn|Masur|2010|p=54}}