‘Jersey Boy’ Charlie Puth Names His Favorite Bruce Springsteen Songs
Before he lived in Los Angeles, Charlie Puth was a New Jersey native. In one interview, the songwriter even mentioned how Bruce Springsteen influenced his upbringing (and inspired his music).
Where is Charlie Puth from?
Puth is the songwriter behind “See You Again,” “Attention,” and “Light Switch.” He collaborated with BTS’ Jungkook on “Left and Right” and Selena Gomez for “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” Additionally, Puth writes for Maroon 5, Pitbull, Zara Larsson, and other well-known musicians.
Before becoming a Los Angeles native living down the street from Elton John, Puth spent time in Rumson, New Jersey. The artist went to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School before attending the Berklee College of Music.
“He had a brilliant ear .. until then, I had never had a student with perfect pitch,” Forrestdale music teacher John Lebitsch told NJ.com. “He could construct these incredible jazz improvisations (on piano) as part of the ensemble band, but he never showed off or tried to show anyone up.”
For a 2022 Bustle video, Puth even mentioned his New Jersey upbringing, breaking down some slang used in the Garden State.
“The boss is Bruce Springsteen, and it’s funny — when I saw him perform in Asbury Park, I thought people were booing at him,” the musician said. “I didn’t realize that when you like what Bruce is playing, you scream, ‘Bruce.’”
‘My City of Ruins’ by Bruce Springsteen helped inspire Charlie Puth’s ‘See You Again’
Puth is an unapologetic fan of Bruce Springsteen, even covering “Growin’ Up” during a pandemic relief concert. As a New Jersey rite of passage, Puth named some of his favorite Springsteen moments.
“I was always so fascinated how Bruce was able on The Rising to combine happy chords, happy sentiment with the dichotomy of what was being sung lyrically — happy and sad at the same time,” Puth said during an interview with Rolling Stone.
The artist added that “My City of Ruins” inspired the chord progression of “See You Again.” Following Puth’s Springsteen cover, the Boss himself reached out to the “Attention” songwriter, as later recalled on the Howard Stern Show.
“I’ll never forget getting a call from the 732 number – that’s a New Jersey area code,” Puth said. “You get full body chills when you hear Bruce’s music. I get them when I hear his voice.”
During the same interview, Puth named “Jungleland” as one of his favorite Springsteen originals.
Other New Jersey-born artists include Halsey, Frank Sinatra, and Jack Antonoff
There’s Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra. Several musicians mentioned their Garden State upbringing. That includes Kevin, Joe, and Nick of the Jonas Brothers, who spent some of their childhood in Wyckoff.
With roots in Edison, New Jersey, Halsey mentioned her love for Taylor Ham, (or bacon), egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches during her Hot Ones segment.
Producer, songwriter, and Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey, singing about his home state in “Stop Making This Hurt” and “Chinatown.” In fact, the 2021 release Take the Sound of Saturday Night was described by Antonoff as the sound of “going from New York over the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey.”
