A fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the making of Bruce Springsteen’s ground-breaking album, Born to Run – one of the most iconic records in rock history – Tonight in Jungleland combines lush music writing with unprecedented inside access to Springsteen, his bandmates, and the full story behind every song… and coincides with the album’s 50th anniversary in August 2025.
From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland” – with American anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between – Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.
Peter Ames Carlin, whose bestselling biography, Bruce, gave him rare access to Springsteen’s inner circle, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album. Released in August, 1975, Born to Run now celebrates its 50th anniversary. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen’s psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision. A must-read for any music fan, Tonight in Jungleland takes us inside a hallowed creative process and lets us experience history.
A New York Times and Boston Globe Best Book of the Summer
“Carlin, who has published biographies of R.E.M., Paul Simon and the Boss himself, pulls back the curtain on the making of Springsteen’s “Born to Run” album 50 years after its release. Drawing on interviews with the artist and his inner circle, Carlin revisits how each song was written and recorded while shedding light on the arduous studio sessions and their parallels to Springsteen’s career.” —New York Times
“Bolstered by interviews with Springsteen himself... this book thrives in exploring the hard work that preceded it. An admirably comprehensive study of a masterpiece and its creation.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Captivating. . . Carlin takes a fascinating look at the challenges of making an album whose success now seems inevitable, exploring what drives artists to create as well as how their relationship with their work can shift as it becomes part of popular culture. Springsteen fans should snap this up.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)
“Endlessly entertaining.... A must for Springsteen fans and admirers of the album.” —Booklist (starred)
PETER AMES CARLIN is the author of several books, including Sonic Boom: The Impossible Rise of Warner Bros. Records, published in 2021, and Bruce, the biography of Bruce Springsteen published in 2012. Carlin has also been a freelance journalist, a senior writer at People in New York City, and a television columnist and feature writer at The Oregonian in Portland. A regular speaker on music, writing, and popular culture, Carlin lives in Seattle.
View titles by Peter Ames Carlin
A fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the making of Bruce Springsteen’s ground-breaking album, Born to Run – one of the most iconic records in rock history – Tonight in Jungleland combines lush music writing with unprecedented inside access to Springsteen, his bandmates, and the full story behind every song… and coincides with the album’s 50th anniversary in August 2025.
From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland” – with American anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between – Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.
Peter Ames Carlin, whose bestselling biography, Bruce, gave him rare access to Springsteen’s inner circle, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album. Released in August, 1975, Born to Run now celebrates its 50th anniversary. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen’s psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision. A must-read for any music fan, Tonight in Jungleland takes us inside a hallowed creative process and lets us experience history.
Praise
A New York Times and Boston Globe Best Book of the Summer
“Carlin, who has published biographies of R.E.M., Paul Simon and the Boss himself, pulls back the curtain on the making of Springsteen’s “Born to Run” album 50 years after its release. Drawing on interviews with the artist and his inner circle, Carlin revisits how each song was written and recorded while shedding light on the arduous studio sessions and their parallels to Springsteen’s career.” —New York Times
“Bolstered by interviews with Springsteen himself... this book thrives in exploring the hard work that preceded it. An admirably comprehensive study of a masterpiece and its creation.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Captivating. . . Carlin takes a fascinating look at the challenges of making an album whose success now seems inevitable, exploring what drives artists to create as well as how their relationship with their work can shift as it becomes part of popular culture. Springsteen fans should snap this up.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)
“Endlessly entertaining.... A must for Springsteen fans and admirers of the album.” —Booklist (starred)
PETER AMES CARLIN is the author of several books, including Sonic Boom: The Impossible Rise of Warner Bros. Records, published in 2021, and Bruce, the biography of Bruce Springsteen published in 2012. Carlin has also been a freelance journalist, a senior writer at People in New York City, and a television columnist and feature writer at The Oregonian in Portland. A regular speaker on music, writing, and popular culture, Carlin lives in Seattle.
View titles by Peter Ames Carlin
