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18 Tracks is an album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1999. All but three selections had been on the boxed set Tracks, released six months before. This single album was intended to capture more casual fans, and thus was oriented towards the shorter, more pop-oriented selections from Springsteen's vault.
"The Promise", a Darkness on the Edge of Town outtake that gained considerable reputation as Springsteen's ultimate tale of betrayal following live performances beginning in 1976 and even more so in 1978, was included in a newly recorded version among the three new numbers. "The Fever" had been recorded in 1973 but never seriously considered for inclusion on an album; instead, it became familiar to progressive rock radio listeners as manager Mike Appel released it to such stations in 1974 and it became an underground hit. It was also recorded by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Obscure early-1990s Human Touch outtake "Trouble River" was the third previously unreleased cut exclusive to this compilation.
When Springsteen appeared on The Charlie Rose Show in November 1998 to promote Tracks, Charlie Rose asked him specifically about excluding "The Promise" and "The Fever." Springsteen responded that he was never happy about the way "The Promise" had been recorded and that "The Fever" was never one of his favorite songs. Though he would acquiesce and release both songs on 18 Tracks to appease his fans, he re-recorded "The Promise" rather than include any of the rejected outtakes he had in his archives. Though it had been recorded with the full E Street Band during the original sessions for Darkness on the Edge of Town, Springsteen returned to the solo piano arrangement that had been typically used for its earliest live performances, including its debut at Monmouth Arts Centre in Red Bank, New Jersey, on August 3, 1976. Jacob Nierenberg of Consequence of Sound would later write that "this stripped-down version is even better than the original ."
Commercial goals for the album were not met, as it only reached No. 64 on the Billboard 200 album chart and became his first album not to receive a RIAA certification. It did modestly better on the UK charts.
Track listing
"Growin' Up" (Demo Version) - May 3, 1972 Columbia Records, Studio E, New York – 2:38
"Seaside Bar Song" - July 24, 1973 The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle outtake – 3:33
"Rendezvous" - December 31, 1980 Recorded live at Nassau Coliseum, NY – 2:48
"Hearts of Stone" - October 14, 1977 (+ 1997 horns) Darkness on the Edge of Town outtake – 4:29
"Where the Bands Are" - October 9, 1979 The River outtake – 3:43
"Loose Ends" - July 18, 1979 The River outtake – 4:00
"I Wanna Be With You" - May 31, 1979 The River outtake – 3:21
"Born in the U.S.A." (demo version) - January 3, 1982 Nebraska outtake – 3:10
"My Love Will Not Let You Down" - May 5, 1982 Born in the U.S.A. outtake – 4:24
"Lion's Den" - January 25, 1982 Born in the U.S.A. outtake – 2:18
"Pink Cadillac" - May 31, 1983 Born in the U.S.A. outtake – 3:33
"Janey, Don't You Lose Heart" - June 16, 1983 Born in the U.S.A. outtake – 3:24
"Sad Eyes" - January 25, 1990 Human Touch outtake – 3:47
"Part Man, Part Monkey" - January 1990 Human Touch outtake – 4:28
"Trouble River" - Recorded April 1990 Human Touch outtake – 4:18
