Tougher Than the Rest

Bruce Springsteen followed the stadium years of Born in the USA with Tunnel of Love in 1987, a quieter record about marriage made largely alone in his home studio. Tougher Than the Rest is its most direct love song, a mid tempo country rock pledge from a man who admits he is not the smoothest suitor but will outlast the competition. Couples choose it because the lyric suits a second time around or a long courtship, and because the groove is easy to dance to without being slow. It was never released as a single in America but reached number thirteen in the UK in 1988, and its video mixes tour footage with couples of all kinds, gay and straight.