# Why is Springsteen called "The Boss"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-springsteen-called-the-boss/78103>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 25, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-springsteen-called-the-boss/78103 "2001-08-25T18:10:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-springsteen-called-the-boss/78103/1 "2001-08-25T18:10:52Z")

</div>

Bruce seems like a pretty humble guy, so I don’t imagine he demands the E Street Band call him this. I’ve searched for “Springsteen” and “The Boss” in all the GQ threads from the past two years, nothing comes up. Anyone know?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-springsteen-called-the-boss/78103/2 "2001-08-25T18:47:49Z")

</div>

See this [http://www.xs4all.nl/~dvroegop/springsteen/](http://www.xs4all.nl/~dvroegop/springsteen/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-springsteen-called-the-boss/78103/3 "2001-08-26T19:53:16Z")

</div>

I thought it was something his band started calling him.

The funniest one is calling Frank Sinatra “Ol’ Blue Eyes.” It was concocted by a publicist/ad writer for a comeback tour, and now it’s accepted as if people had been calling him that forever.