Brilliant Disguise

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Brilliant Disguise is a Bruce Springsteen song from his 1987 album Tunnel of Love. It was released as the first single and became a hit in the United States, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Mainstream Rock chart. The B-side was "Lucky Man." The track was mostly recorded at Springsteen's home studio, Thrill Hill East, in Rumson, New Jersey, in early 1987, with additional parts added by E Street Band members in March, and produced by Jon Landau, Springsteen, and Chuck Plotkin.

Lyrically, it is a confession of self-doubt. The singer feels confusion and jealousy as he worries his wife has become a stranger. The song talks about the masks people wear and the darkness that can lie behind them. The lyrics fit Springsteen's own life at the time: he had just married Julianne Phillips, and they later divorced in 1989. A memorable line is: "I wanna know if it's you I don't trust / Because I damn sure don't trust myself."

Musically, the song is quieter and more intimate than much of the E Street Band sound. It was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 1988 Grammys. The video, directed by Meiert Avis, is in black and white and shows a tense, intimate kitchen scene filmed at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

Brilliant Disguise has endured as a notable song from the era. The single's cover photo was taken by Pamela Springsteen. The tune has appeared on later collections like The Essential Bruce Springsteen and has been praised in lists of great songs. It was a regular part of Springsteen's live shows from the Tunnel of Love era well into the 2000s.