"Poor men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be kings,
And a king ain't satisfied 'til he rules everything."
- Badlands, Darkness on the Edge of Town
While not overly profound, this briefly and clearly sums up many of the themes present in Bruce's numerous song catalog. Wanting more and more is a classic human weakness, so much so that four of the seven deadly sins deal with the desire for acquiring what pleases you (envy, greed, gluttony, lust). But, without going into another lecture about how writing about universal themes ensures his long-lasting popularity and how super-awesome Bruce is, I just have to say....
HOW HAVE WE NOT MENTIONED THIS LINE YET?!?! It's preposterous! This line from "Badlands" may be one of Bruce's most iconic. I'd put it up there with lines like "I want to know if love is wild" and "Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack". What other Bruce lines would you consider "iconic"? Let me know in the comments. (And just to clarify - I'd consider an iconic line one that is not only popular, but is instantly and unmistakeable characteristic of Bruce's songwriting.)
"We learned more from a 3 minute record then we ever learned in school."
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