Dancing In The Dark/ Pink Cadillac

This great single was Springsteen's first hit from his album Born In The U.S.A. For an artist whose previous career was very light on Top 10 hits (he'd had only one — "Hungry Heart" — in 1980), it was a huge surprise to all his fans (and probably to Springsteen himself) when that album ended up producing 7(!) Top 10 hits. That number tied Michael Jackson's record, just set the preceding year for his album Thriller. \r\n

But what makes this single extra-special is the B side, which never appeared on a Springsteen LP (except for later compilations). The previously unreleased, non-album "Pink Cadillac" is simply one of his very best rockers, and its inclusion on the single was a sweet gift to all of Springsteen's 7-inch vinyl collectors. As acknowledgment of its worth, the song became a big hit for Natalie Cole a couple of years later.\r\n

List nerd alert: It's "Dancing" that Dave Marsh thinks so highly of, ranking it at #281 in his Top 1,001 singles list. But me, I would have put "Pink Cadillac" higher on any list than "Dancing." Certainly, it gets a 2-star recommendation from Classic 45s (our highest)! Meaning: You must have this song in your collection... it's not an option! Preferably, you will own this 45 record, within whose grooves resides the original, archival version with jaw-dropping audio! Note: The picture sleeve is nearly flawless but for a small bottom-edge split-seam. The 45 itself is pristine Mint.