The Fever (Bruce Springsteen song)

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"The Fever" is an early Bruce Springsteen song, perhaps first written in 1971 under the title "(I Got the) Fever For the Girl". It was performed by Springsteen in concert beginning in March 1973. It was recorded in 914 Sound Studios in May 1973, during sessions for Springsteen's second album The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, but was directed towards a demo purposing for manager Mike Appel's Laurel Canyon publishing arm instead and named "Fever For the Girl". In early 1974 Appel sent to it several progressive rock radio stations, where it became a "turntable hit" in the ramp-up of Springsteen expectations prior to Born to Run.

It was recorded by UK singer Alan Rich in 1975 but failed to make much impact. In 1976, it was recorded on Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes' debut album I Don't Want to Go Home, entitled as simply "The Fever", and became better known. In 1979 The Pointer Sisters gave it a go on their Priority album, to minimal effect. The original Springsteen recording finally achieved official surfacing in 1998 on this 18 Tracks outtakes collection.