Better Days (Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes album)


Better Days is an album by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, released in 1991. It yielded minor hits "It's Been a Long Time" and "I've Been Workin' Too Hard". The song "It's Been a Long Time" features shared lead vocals by Southside Johnny, Steve Van Zandt, and Bruce Springsteen and is a reflection back on their early years together in the music business. "I've Been Working Too Hard" features a duet with Jon Bon Jovi. Eight of the eleven songs were written by Van Zandt, harkening back to the Jukes' first three albums which also featured Van Zandt writing, playing guitar, and singing harmony and sometimes duet vocals. One track, "All the Way Home", was written by Bruce Springsteen who later recorded his own version of it for his 2005 solo album Devils and Dust.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Kit Kiefer awarded the album 4 stars and stated, "A comeback album that by all rights shouldn't be this good, Better Days reunites Southside Johnny with his old cohorts Springsteen and Van Zandt and some special guests for 11 bittersweet originals capped by the gorgeous soul ballad "It's Been a Long Time." ".

Track listing

All tracks written by Steven Van Zandt except where noted.
  1. "Coming Back" – 3:59
  2. "All I Needed Was You" – 5:06
  3. "It's Been a Long Time" – 5:31
  4. "Soul's On Fire " – 1:04
  5. "Soul's On Fire" – 6:55
  6. "Better Days " – 0:58
  7. "Better Days" – 5:04
  8. "I've Been Working Too Hard" – 5:06
  9. "Ride The Night Away" – 5:12
  10. "Right To Walk Away" – 4:45
  11. "All Night Long " – 0:19
  12. "All Night Long" – 5:25
  13. "All the Way Home" – 3:54
  14. "Shake 'Em Down" – 3:12

    Personnel