Songfacts®:

• Despite its title, this cut is not an ode to the Boss, but is in fact a love song. "I have such a reverence for Bruce Springsteen's career and how he's built it," Church told The Boot. "The interesting part is it's a love affair that takes place in an amphitheater between two people. It didn't happen with Springsteen, ironically, it happened with another artist. I went to a concert when I was younger with a girl, and to this day when I hear that artist, it's the soundtrack to that girl. I never think about her any other time, except when that song is on. That's where the 'Springsteen' came from, and he seemed to be the perfect guy to craft that story around because of my love for him."
• Church penned the song with bandmate Jeff Hyde who also co-penned "Smoke A Little Smoke," and Nashville songwriter Ryan Tyndell, whose other credits include the Clay Walker single, "Where Do I Go From You."
• Church told Reuters this is his favorite song from his album Chief. He explained: "I lived that song. I was 15 years-old and she was 16. We had that love affair where you connect with someone, and the artist that was playing becomes a soundtrack to your relationship. We didn't stay together, but to this day, when I hear Bruce Springsteen, I think of her and I hope she thinks of me."
• Both Bruce Springsteen's first and last names have been mentioned on Hot 100 hits. "Springsteen" by Eric Church debuted on the chart in March 2012, and Rick Springfield's "Bruce," in which the singer pokes fun at how his fans used to confuse him with Springsteen, peaked at #27 in 1984.
• This was Church's second Country #1, following his previous single, "Drink In My Hand," which topped the chart six months earlier.
• Bruce Springsteen was the first male musician included in the title of a #1 Country song since Waylon Jennings name-checked Hank Williams in his November 1975 chart-topper "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way."
• Bruce Springsteen is a fan of this song and of Eric Church. In 2012 Bruce had his road manager deliver a note written on the back of one of his setlists.
  
  "It's a pretty incredible note," Church told Billboard. "It means the world to me - and the set list is three hours and 37 minutes. That impressed me, too."
  
  The two performed together for the first time at the "Stand Up for Heroes" benefit on November 5, 2018 at Madison Square Garden, where they sang Bruce's "Working On The Highway" together.
• Chief picked up Album of the Year honors at the 2012 CMAs, marking Eric's first CMA prize. "I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where I fit in," he said, as he accepted his award. "Too country, too rock... I wanna thank you guys for giving me somewhere to hang my hat tonight."
• "Springsteen" won Song of the Year at the 2012 American Country Awards.
• Country singer Payton Smith ("Like I Knew You Would") is a great admirer of this song. He told Songfacts in 2021: "The line, 'Funny how a memory sounds like a melody'... To me, that's music. It takes you right back to a moment in time and it makes you feel something. I think we're all trying to write a line as good as that one."