Roy Bittan

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Lore & Background

Shortly after Springsteen officially disbanded the E Street Band in January 1990, Bittan played three instrumental tracks he had written: "Roll of the Dice" and "Real World." While Bittan provided the music for these initial ideas, Bruce Springsteen added lyrics to both, with official songwriting credits listing Springsteen as the sole writer. There is no track titled 'Trouble in Paradise' from these sessions; this title likely stems from confusion with 'Pony Boy,' which was co-written by Bittan and Springsteen. Springsteen liked the direction enough to begin writing and recording additional material. With the band dissolved, Springsteen assembled a group of studio musicians in Los Angeles, primarily utilizing bassist Randy Jackson and drummer Jeff Porcaro, but Bittan remained the central musical figure on keyboards. Although approximately 25 songs were recorded for the project, the exact number remains unknown.

In Their Own Story

In early 1991, production for Human Touch was initially scheduled for spring or summer release but was halted when Springsteen began recording Lucky Town later that year. Bittan continued his work through this pivot, eventually seeing both albums released on the same day: March 27, 1992. The lead single, "Human Touch," reached number one on the Mainstream Rock chart and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the commercial success, Rolling Stone awarded the album four stars while critics like Bill Wyman of The Chicago Reader called it harshly. Bittan's involvement extended to specific tracks; he played keyboards on the album and co-produced the entire record. Tragically, his collaborator Jeff Porcaro declined an offer to join the subsequent touring band due to prior commitments with Toto, dying of a heart attack a few months later while working in his garden.

Reader's Guide

Roy Bittan's role during the Human Touch era was distinct from his typical E Street Band tenure. While he usually toured and recorded with the full ensemble, this project saw him as the only returning member amidst a new cast of Los Angeles session musicians. He contributed keyboards to all tracks and co-produced the album. His specific musical contributions included playing Hammond organ on "Soul Driver" and "Real Man," though David Sancious also played Hammond organ on those same tracks according to personnel listings. Bittan's writing credits include the instrumental foundations for "Roll of the Dice," "Real World," and "Trouble in Paradise." The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance at the 1993 awards, highlighting the critical weight of his production work during this period.

Did You Know?

• Roy Bittan was not joined by bassist Garry Tallent for the Human Touch sessions; Randy Jackson is credited as the primary bass player on the album, while Tallent did not participate.
• Official songwriting credits for 'Roll of the Dice' and 'Real World' list Bruce Springsteen as the sole writer, rather than Bittan providing music with Springsteen adding lyrics.
• There is no song titled 'Trouble in Paradise' on Human Touch; this is likely a confusion with 'Pony Boy,' which was co-written by Bittan and Springsteen.
• Human Touch was produced solely by Bruce Springsteen, not as a co-production effort with Roy Bittan.
• The E Street Band's disbandment was officially announced in January 1990, though their final touring concluded in late 1989.