Bruce Springsteen Reveals the “Disappointing” Reason He’s Tried Karaoke Only Once
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The “Born in the U.S.A.” singer recalled performing a karaoke song at a bar in London.
Bruce Springsteen admits that his first — and only — karaoke experience left him “disappointed.”
During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, Oct. 2, the 76-year-old rock icon was asked if he’d ever tried karaoke.
After pausing for a moment, Springsteen replied, “I did.” When Kimmel, 57, expressed surprise, the musician explained, “Yeah, once. I was in London at this little bar where they were doing karaoke, and I thought, ‘Why not get up and give it a try?’ So I chose to sing The Temptations’ ‘Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.’”
Kimmel enthusiastically responded, “Oh, hell yeah.”
Springsteen continued, “I figured I’d get up there, sing a few lines, and the crowd would go wild. But when I started singing, everyone just thought I was another guy making a fool of himself on stage. They had no idea who I was. It was really disappointing. I’ve never done it again.”
The “Born in the U.S.A.” legend appeared on the show alongside actor Jeremy Allen White, who will portray him in the upcoming biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which focuses on the making of his raw, minimalist album Nebraska.
Before Springsteen shared his karaoke story, White, 34, recalled what it was like performing as Springsteen while filming at the iconic Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
“There were about 300 background actors, most of them from New Jersey, maybe even from around Asbury Park,” White said. “They were so excited, and I could really feel their energy. I got lost in the moment — which is kind of the goal as an actor — and for a second, I felt like I was the guy. Then they yelled ‘cut,’ and it went dead silent.”
The audience laughed as White added, “I remembered I’m not the man — this is the man,” gesturing to Springsteen sitting beside him, earning applause.
Kimmel then joked, “Do you think people are now going to ask you to sing Bruce Springsteen karaoke for the rest of your life?”