Based on three years of ethnographic research with Bruce Springsteen fans, and informed by the author's own experiences as a fan,Tramps Like Usis an interdisciplinary study of the ways in which ordinary people form special, sustained attachments to Springsteen and his music and how those attachments function in people's daily lives. An insider's narrative about Springsteen fans--who they are, what they do, and why they do it--this book also explores the phenomenon of fandom in general. The text oscillates between fans' stories and ideas and the author's own anecdotes, commentary, and analysis. Cavicchi challenges the stereotypes of fans as obsessive, delusional, and even mentally ill, and explores fandom as a normal cultural and social phenomenon. He argues that music fandom is a useful and meaningful behavior that enables people to shape identity, create community, and make sense of the world.
Introduction: Studying Fandom 1. Does Anybody Have Any Faith Out There Tonight? : Seeing Bruce in Concert 2. Touched by the Music: Defining Fandom 3. Ignoring the Music Business 4. Fans in the Audience: Performance and the Politics of Participation 5. Listening and Learning 6. Musically Shaping the Self 7. Belonging Together: Fandom, Community, and Connection Conclusion: Toward an Experience-Near Understanding of Popular Music Postscript Appendix A: Springsteen Fan Questionnaire Appendix B: Bruce Springsteen American Discography (Major Works) Notes References
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