Sir Paul McCartney affectionately teased Bruce Springsteen as he presented him with a prestigious honor at the Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday. Springsteen was in London to receive the highest accolade of the ceremony-a fellowship of the songwriting academy. This marked the first time an international star received the award, and Sir Paul remarked that he "couldn't think of a more fitting" recipient, adding humorously, "except maybe Bob Dylan, or Paul Simon, or Billy Joel, or Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift. The list goes on."
Known for his connection to the American working man, Sir Paul joked that Springsteen admitted he had "never worked a day in his life." He imagined how Springsteen might fit into the Beatles, concluding, "When it comes to talent, he’d definitely be in the top five."
Springsteen, taking the jibes in stride, hugged Sir Paul as he took the stage. His voice was hoarse from performing a rain-soaked, three-hour concert in Sunderland the previous night, but he said he never considered canceling the show. "We came out last night, and I was like, 'What is this weather? Driving rain, wind roaring.' But standing in front of me, in the rain, I realized: These are my people."
Reflecting on his initial arrival in the UK in 1975, Springsteen recalled the disappointment of airplane food and the absence of cheeseburgers, replaced by fish and chips. He was also greeted by a sign at the Hammersmith Odeon proclaiming, "London is finally ready for Bruce Springsteen," which made him worry that London might not be ready for him if it wasn't ready for a cheeseburger.
Despite these initial misgivings, Springsteen was warmly received at the Ivor Novello Awards, where he performed a croaky version of "Thunder Road." Only the 27th person to receive the fellowship of the Ivors Academy, Springsteen joins a prestigious group that includes Sir Elton John, Joan Armatrading, John Barry, Kate Bush, and Sir Paul McCartney himself. The honor recognizes his cultural impact, having sold over 140 million records and won an Oscar, a Tony, and 20 Grammy Awards. Elbow's Guy Garvey, attending the event, praised Springsteen for his craftsmanship, describing him as "a force to be reckoned with" and "the boss."
Sir Paul also recalled how Springsteen had kept his promise to join him onstage at Glastonbury, despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, affectionately calling him "a lovely boy."
In other news from the awards, London-born pop star Raye was named songwriter of the year, adding to her Brit Award win from March. The 26-year-old singer, known for hits like "Worth It," "Prada," and "Escapism," expressed that the award was a validation she had longed for. Raye used her victory speech to advocate for better pay for backroom songwriters, likening their current royalty share to an author not being paid for a bestseller.
Lana Del Rey received the special international award, recognizing her influence on a generation of songwriters. Reflecting on criticism at the start of her career for writing about challenging relationships, she noted the current prevalence of such themes and their importance, particularly in light of a 300% increase in interpersonal relationship violence at the onset of COVID-19 in the US. Backstage, Lana shared that she often experienced long periods of writer's block, despite her critical acclaim, likening her creative passion to a bird that follows her around.
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