Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. week. There was a dispute not long after the record was recorded—Appel and John Hammond preferred the solo tracks, while Springsteen preferred the band songs. As such, a compromise was reached—the album was to feature five songs with the band ("For You," "Growin' Up," "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City," and "Lost in the Flood") and five solo songs ("Mary Queen of Arkansas," "The Angel," "Jazz Musician," "Arabian Nights" and "Visitation at Fort Horn"). However, when Columbia Records president Clive Davis heard the album, he felt that it lacked a
Weird NJ the legend of the "Hookerman" Lights and the life of Zip the Pinhead. Subjects covered include the Evil Clown of Middletown, Midgetville,"Gates of Hell," Shades of Death Road, Clinton Road, Demon Alley, and the Devil's Tower. The painting of a grinning face named Tillie from the Palace Amusements building in Asbury Park has appeared in many "Weird NJ" books and on the magazine covers. In 2003 a "Weird NJ" book, made up of content from earlier issues, was published. The next year saw the follow-up "Weird US", covering sites and stories across the country. That led to a series of