Aaqib Majid
The loss of one of the most significant people in Bruce Springsteen’s life—his mother, Adele Springsteen—is being mourned by the iconic rock star whose music has shaped generations. Her influence extends much beyond the boundaries of her son’s lyrics, as she died at the age of 98. Adele was more than just Bruce’s mother. She served as his early champion, his anchor, his muse, and the woman whose unfailing love and strength helped to shape the man and music that millions of people have come to know worldwide.
The news of Adele’s death shook Springsteen’s fan base around the world. Bruce had always kept his personal life quiet, but it was no secret that he loved his mother. She was prominent in his heart and often featured in his lyrics rather than being a shadowy, enigmatic character hiding behind celebrity. Springsteen used music, the one language he speaks more well than most, to pay tribute to her.
Bruce played “The Wish,” a song he composed for his mother years ago, in an emotional tribute. It’s a musical love letter to Adele and one of the most intimate songs on his record. Springsteen captures poignant moments of his childhood in its lyrics, such as the early mornings in a working-class home, the reassuring smell of cosmetics on the bathroom sink, and Adele’s resolute walk home from work, head held high, even during difficult times. It is more than simply a song; it is a film about parental dedication, love, and fortitude.
He sung it as a storyteller recalling every little, personal detail—the kind you only remember when someone has made a lasting impression on your soul—rather than merely as a son in sadness. The song’s tender melody and poignant lyrics evoke a dialogue between a youngster and his mother—and, more recently, between a man and her memories.
There was more to Adele than being The Boss’s mother. According to all reports, she was a fireball of a woman—warm, humorous, and vibrant. She has a captivating personality, according to those close to the family, and even in the face of life’s most trying obstacles, she never lost her spirit or sense of humor. And that energy persisted as she fought Alzheimer’s in her latter years. Bruce used to tell her how her face still lit up when she saw him and how her feet continued to find rhythm when music played, even as her memory deteriorated. He once said, in a voice full of wonder and admiration, “She never stopped dancing.”
Bruce and his mother shared a kinship through music, but it was ingrained in their family’s DNA. Through Adele’s passion of dancing, Bruce developed an early understanding for rhythm, melody, and the emotional current that permeates every note. He has frequently mentioned how she would dance anyplace there was music, whether it was in the living room or the kitchen. When he was a youngster, he would watch her move with recklessness and excitement, not realizing that those moments were subtly sowing the seeds of something strong inside of him.
He remembered that rhythm. Every harmonica cry, every guitar pluck, and every lyric written at midnight on ripped pieces of paper echoed it. He was grounded as well as inspired by Adele’s passion for music. Bruce always had Adele to remind him of his origins in a field that can quickly distance artists from their heritage. Her simple, selfless, and loving life served as the basis for the working-class stories he has been telling for many years.
Adele occasionally made an appearance off-stage or even joined the audience at performances all over the world. She is seen dancing at one of Bruce’s concerts, her hips moving, her smile gleaming, and her hands applauding in one famous footage that has been going viral since her death. This moment perfectly captures the unadulterated joy she brought with her, which her son spread to millions of people via his artwork.
Although the Springsteen family has requested solitude during this time, Bruce’s musical homage is powerful. Condolences, memories, and first-hand accounts of how Adele’s presence—whether in a song, picture, or backstage video—impacted their lives have been shared on social media by fans. Many people think back on “The Wish” and how it brought them to tears even before she passed away. Now, a eulogy encased in melody, it strikes even more forcefully.
Alzheimer’s disease is a vicious thief. It destroys connections, identities, and memories. It was unable to take away Adele’s essence, though. She continued to respond to the one thing that characterized her and her son, music, to the very end. Her body recalled even when words failed. She continued to smile. And her unsaid but unshakable friendship with Bruce remained strong.
Adele was no exception to Bruce’s habit of speaking reverently about the ladies in his life. He acknowledged her as the family’s emotional pillar, the one who freely offered and carried love in her pockets. He once stated in an interview, “I understand resilience because of my mother.” “She taught me that although life will knock you down, how you bounce back, smile, and continue dancing defines who you are.”
Ultimately, Adele Springsteen was just that. Yes, she was a mother of a rock star, but more significantly, she was a woman who was born with love in her heart and music in her bones. Her son’s music and the millions of hearts they have touched are testaments to her narrative, even if it may not have been included in tabloids or documentaries.
Adele will undoubtedly be present at every performance while Bruce tours and creates. She will be dancing to the beat of the drums, the hum of the crowd, and the silence in between notes. Dancing all the time.
Bruce will continue to sing her story, as usual.