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New Springsteen CD too dirty for Starbucks to sell (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ae/3170161)

LOS ANGELES -- Starbucks Corp., a growing force in the music scene, Thursday said it chose to keep Bruce Springsteen's new album, Devils & Dust, off the menu at its coffee shops, partly because of concerns about its explicit lyrics.

The album is the first CD ever by Springsteen to get an advisory label because of the steamy lyrics on the single Reno, which includes a description of anal sex and an encounter with a prostitute.

Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment for the Seattle-based operator of 4,400 North American coffee houses, stressed the decision was mostly due to other considerations, including plans to stock other upcoming CDs, but said content was a concern.

"There were a number of factors involved. It (the lyrics) was one of the factors, but not the only reason," Lombard told Reuters.

He said Starbucks' two Hear Music stores in Santa Monica and Berkeley, California were selling Devils & Dust, even though the CD would not be stocked in coffee shops.

Newsweek this week reported Starbucks retreated from a deal with Springsteen's label, Sony BMG's Columbia Records, to distribute the CD in thousands of its stores.

"While we agreed the lyrics to Reno did warrant an advisory, our decision to choose another title to showcase was ultimately an issue of scheduling," said Lombard, noting the Springsteen release conflicted with Starbucks' plan to showcase a CD this month by female rockers "Antigone Rising".

Lombard said Sony brought the album's advisory sticker to the attention of Starbucks.

"We have great respect for Bruce Springsteen and for Sony. We're confident that we'll all have the opportunity to work together in the future," Lombard said.

A spokesman for Sony BMG, a joint venture of Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG, said the company was pleased Starbucks was carrying the album in its two California specialty stores.

Seattle-based Starbucks made its mark in music sales this past year by accounting for 25 percent of the nearly 3 million units sold of the late Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company.

Other artists, like jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux, have have seen a boost in sales from Starbucks.

Springsteen's new album sold 222,000 copies in the week that ended Sunday, May 1, making it the artist's second album in a row to debut at No. 1 on the sales charts, according to music retailer tracker Nielsen SoundScan.

"Reno"

She took off her stockings
I held 'em to my face
She had your ankles
I felt filled with grace

"Two hundred dollars straight in
Two-fifty up the ass" she smiled and said
She unbuckled my belt, pulled back her hair
And sat in front of me on the bed

She said, "Honey, how's that feel
Do you want me to go slow?"
My eyes drifted out the window
And down to the road below

I felt my stomach tighten
As the sun bloodied the sky
And sliced through hotel blinds
I closed my eyes

Sunlight on the Amatitlan
Sunlight streaming through your hair
In the Valle de dos Rios
The smell of mock orange filled the air

We rode with the vaqueros
Down into cool rivers of green
I was sure the work and the smile coming out 'neath your hat
Was all I'll ever need

Somehow all you ever need's
Never quite enough you know
You and I, Maria, we learned it's so

She slipped me out of her mouth
"You're ready," she said
She took off her bra and panties
Wet her fingers, slipped it inside her
And crawled over me on the bed

She bought me another whisky
Said "here's to the best you ever had"
We laughed and made a toast
It wasn't the best I ever had
Not even close

It's no "Born to Run", that's for sure.

I wish he'd go away.

It's no "Born to Run", that's for sure.

I wish he'd go away.

We're talking about buying music at Starbucks.

Does anyone else see a problem with this?

First the Music, Then The Coffee (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_47/b3909094_mz017.htm)

Starbucks (SBUX ) has never been primarily about the coffee.