This Time It's for Real is the second album by New Jersey band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, featuring three compositions by Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, as well as an additional five by the latter. Like their first album, I Don't Want To Go Home, there are a number of guest artists and duets, a trend that would be dropped for their next album, Hearts of Stone. "Check Mr. Popeye" features Kenny "Popeye" Pentifallo on vocals with The Coasters on background vocals. The track "First Night" features the Satins on background vocals and Steven Van Zandt on duet vocals. "Little Girl So Fine" features background vocals by the Drifters.[4][5]
According to Van Zandt, the two new Springsteen/Van Zandt compositions ("Love on the Wrong Side of Town" and "Little Girl So Fine") were written, at least in part, during recording sessions at Columbia Recording Studio in December 1976. Versions of both songs with unfinished lyrics appear on Van Zandt's compilation album The Early Work, recorded in 1976-77.[6] A third composition, "When You Dance", was written by the pair when they were both members of the Bruce Springsteen Band in 1971.
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The front cover photograph of the band was taken at Minetta Street, Greenwich Village, New York City.[8]
