Bruce Springsteen’s rejected ‘Dancing in the Dark’ video up for auction

An original 3/4-inch U-matic master videotape of the rejected music video for Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’ is being auctioned by Wax Poetics. The 18-minute tape features four different performances and was previously part of the personal collection of former Columbia Records president Al Teller.

The auction, which runs from September 24 through October 22, also includes a plaque signed by Springsteen commemorating the 20 million worldwide sales of the ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ album. Proceeds from the sale will support organizations that fund public, primary, and secondary music programs.

The shelved version was directed by Jeff Stein and featured a starker, darker setting compared to the well-known Brian De Palma version. Former Columbia Records president Al Teller noted that the original version was deemed inappropriate for the song because it lacked the full-band production expected for the track.