Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Streets of Philadelphia

“Ain’t no angel gonna greet me,
It’s just you and I, my friend”
- Streets of Philadelphia, Philadelphia (Soundtrack)

Despite being a movie buff, I’ve still never seen the movie Philadelphia. I’ve always intended to but just haven’t gotten around to it. Without having seen the movie, I always feel the above lyrics give me a vivid picture of the movie. Extrapolating what I know about the movies, it feels like the above lyrics evocate the bond between Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington’s characters – two people where professional circumstance leads into a bond of friendship that neither expected. If I ever get around to watching the movie I’ll find out if that’s true but for now I enjoy having my version.

These lyrics speak to the randomness of circumstance; divine power is eschewed for the common man standing next to you. What I love about this is the sense that we don’t always know who the friend we need the most is going to be.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - The River

“I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy”
- The River, The River

Having recently had the good fortune to hear “The River” performed live for the first time I’ve been listening to the song a lot lately. A favorite of mine, it’s been on steady rotation over the years. The song contains a wealth of rich lyrics and certain ones have stood out to me at different points in my life. With the latest election, I've been reminded of the winter of 2008 when I’d recently graduated from college and was having great difficulty finding a job during the economic downturn. I clung to these lyrics and turned to them for support through the process. Even though the song was released in 1980, its timeless quality reminded me that I wasn't the only one facing economic hardship. Four years later, the state of the economy is still a tough point for Americans. Hopefully the song continues to provide support for those in need.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Election Day Special!

"Woke up Election Day, skies gunpowder and shades of gray
Beneath a dirty sun, I whistled my time away"
-- "Livin' in the Future", Magic

"Livin' in the Future" is quickly becoming one of Springsteen's most underrated songs.  Played frequently during the Magic tour, it as all but disappeared from his current concert setlists.  Springsteen would always introduce the song with a rousing introduction - "This song's called 'Livin' in the Future', but it's about what's happening NOW!"  Even five years later, the song is still about what's happening now - people ignoring their current situations, insisting that they've moved past their problems and into a better state of life.  The song is an indictment of the lackadaisical state of our country - instead of choosing a leader, people are whistling their time away.

So, the morale of the story is - go out and vote.  Or, failing that, re-listen to Magic.  The lack of Magic songs on Bruce's current tour is a true tragedy.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - A Night with the Jersey Devil

"16 witches, cast 16 spells

Make me guitar outta skin and human skull

Sing you a song like the wind in the sandy loam

Bring you baby out'cha your happy home"

- A Night with the Jersey Devil, Working On A Dream

As mentioned in the inception of this blog, this is my least favorite Springsteen song.  In fact, the Working album has yet to worm its way into my heart in the slightest.  With Halloween around the corner, I decided to play this song for the first time since it earned the illustrious title of "Least Favorite Springsteen Song".  As it turns out, I remembered it better than I thought I would.  An unoriginal jazz riff, corny "spooky" sounds, and an awful vocal effect that makes the already difficult to understand Springsteen even more unintelligible all combine to make the song almost impossible to listen to.  I had to look up the lyrics, which, surprisingly, told a violent and grim story, up until the part spotlighted above.  At this point, the haunting Jersey Devil becomes a dangerous....rock star?  Springsteen's bread-and-butter has been writing about the tales of the blue collar heroes, but he should leave the Halloween tunes in the more capable hands of the great Bobby Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Working on the Highway

I saved up my money and I put it all away
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
"Son can't you see that she's just a little girl
She don't know nothing about this cruel cruel world"
--"Working on the Highway", Born in the USA

Springsteen's sense of humor has been a subject of discussion recently on this blog.  "Working on the Highway" is another song I immediately associate with Springsteen's funny side.  However, this is due to the rockabilly style and over-the-top crotch thrusts that are staples of his live performances.  The tale actually told in this song is more sardonic.  The narrator works on the highway dreaming of a better life, gets in trouble while pursuing a girl, and ends up in prison, where he is back working on the highway.  In the end, his freedom and his imprisonment were the same.  The above passage is my favorite part of the song, and, if read out of context of the music and other lyrics, it could easily be mistaken for a song from Nebraska.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Wrecking Ball

Hold tight to your anger,
And don't fall to your fears
- Wrecking Ball, Wrecking Ball

I've always had my reservations about "Wrecking Ball" but I've slowly come to appreciate it through the course of the tour, none more so than last Saturday night at MetLife.

I do consider myself privileged to have witnessed its debut in 2009 but hearing it again for its final NJ appearance this tour resonated with me the most. I still find the song muddled, but the power of the above lyrics really stuck out to me.

Personally, I don't advise holding onto your anger too frequently, but if the situation calls for it, these lyrics can serve as a reminder to stick to your beliefs.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Out in the Street

When that whistle blows
Girl, I'm down the street
I'm home, I'm out of my work clothes
- Out in the Street, The River

The first thing I do when I get home from work is change out of my clothes and into a new outfit. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had a good day or a bad day at work, the second I get home, I need to change my clothes. I don’t have a rigid uniform or uncomfortable requirements but I have a psychological barrier that I can’t feel at ease until I’ve changed into a new outfit. As such, these lyrics from “Out in the Street” always resonate with me. A crowd favorite in Bruce’s recent tours, this song is an unabashed celebration of free time. Even if you love your job, it’s hard not to get caught up by the joy of clocking out when you listen to this song.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Sherry Darling

"Well this morning I ain't fighting tell her I give up
Tell her she wins if she'll just shut up
But it's the last time that she's gonna be ridin' with me."
--"Sherry Darling", The River

Springsteen's sense of humor has been a topic of minor debate among the Legends of Springsteen editors.  On one hand, nearly every song of Springsteen's is full of lost souls who run away from dark places only to find more misery.  On the other hand, in concert, he'll take these songs and make them into joyous crowd sing-a-longs (see "Hungry Heart").  However, Bruce's more humorous side shines through in "Sherry Darling".  His silliest song to-date ironically appears on his third (or fourth) darkest album (I'd rank Nebraska and Darkness ahead of it; Wrecking Ball come close).  These lyrics highlight the exasperation we've all felt when arguing over nonsense - it always gets to a point where silence trumps any feeling of victory you'd get in winning an argument.

Springsteen Lyrics Of The Week- "Local Hero"

"I was driving through my hometown, I was just kinda killing time."

On Monday I went home to see my parents, and on the bus ride to New Jersey I couldn't believe just how much the area I had grown up in had changed.  I guess it's to be expected, but as I moved on with my life so has everyone else. It sounds downright silly to think otherwise, but I guess I couldn't help but feel nostalgic, wishing certain privately owned stores and parts of town were still there instead of retail chains and McMansions.  I'm not sure what exactly Bruce is singing about in this song, but I definitely was pumping this song in my iPod as I drove around.  

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Valentine's Day

"They say if you die in your dreams you really die in your bed
But honey last night I dreamed my eyes rolled straight back in my head"
- Valentine's Day, Tunnel of Love

Bruce has written about dreams several times throughout his career; both literal and metaphorical. One of the most famous examples is "The River." In contrast to the lyrics in "The River" - which paint dreams as false hope - the lyrics in "Valentine's Day" present a dream as a moment of arcane reflection that reveals the true importance of life.

"Valentine's Day" is the last song on the Tunnel of Love album and the entire song possesses a dreamlike quality with its lullaby styled melody, absence of a chorus and nearly two minutes of instrumental conclusion.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Spirit in the Night

"We'll pick up Hazy Davy and Killer Joe
And I'll take you all out to where the gypsy angels go"
- Spirit in the Night, Greetings from Asbury Park

Right now there's a really good movie (but not for the faint of heart) called Killer Joe playing in limited release. Whenever I read about it or think about it I can't help thinking about the above lyrics from "Spirit in the Night." The song is not played in the movie (nor would it fit) and isn't referenced anywhere in the dialogue. I don't suspect the playwright Tracy Letts had it in mind when writing the play in 1993 either.

In fact, I doubt anyone except the Bruce obsessives would connect the film with the song. But maybe I'm wrong! Maybe I'm underestimating the staying power of the many vivid characters Bruce has created, especially the large casts assembled in his first two albums. Regardless of the filmmakers' intentions, I've been listening to the song with increased interest the past few days and thank them for that.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Blinded By The Light

"Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat

In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat"

--Blinded By The Light, Greetings from Asbury Park

I know we've just recently discussed this song in a lyrics of the week post,  but I wanted to call special attention to it again, as this was the first song on Bruce's first album.  These two lines, with their plethora of internal rhymes and nonsense imagery, are what Bruce chose to make his first impact on the musical world with.  While this was a risky move, the lyrics displayed youthful playfulness and energy, encapsulating the strongest element of Springsteen's career at the time - his live performances.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - This Depression

"This is my confession,
I need your heart, in this depression"
- This Depression, Wrecking Ball

Continuing on the theme of last week’s article in The New Yorker, “This Depression” from Wrecking Ball takes on a new persona in light of Bruce’s comments about struggling with depression. It comes as a surprise to think that someone who seems as unbelievably happy with his job, that someone who has brought so much joy to millions of people, can feel a lack of self-worth and suffer from depression. In our quick take, we even expressed skepticism that Bruce could feel as low as the narrator of the song. But Bruce’s own admission suggests that he can. I’ve always found it strange that this was one of the two songs from Wrecking Ball that hadn't been played on the tour. Then, just last week in Norway, he played it for the first time. I initially assumed he wasn’t as proud of it but perhaps, up until now, it just felt too personal to play it live.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Blinded by the Light

He said, "Take a right at the light, keep goin' straight until night, and then, boy, you're on your own"
- "Blinded by the Light," Greetings from Asbury Park

The version of “Blinded by the Light” released by Manfred Mann's Earth Band has long been a favorite song of mine. I vividly remember the first time I heard it. I was fifteen and listening to the car radio while my Dad picked up groceries from Publix during a vacation in Florida. I was instantly captivated by its energetic intro, distinct synthesizer, drastic tempo changes... and baffling lyrics.

I listened to it nonstop that summer. The more I listened to it, the more I decided that the only explanation for the lyrics were that they were hastily scribbled down by a psychedelic rocker in the throes of mind-altering drugs. I couldn’t fathom any other explanation for the flat out bizarre lyrics.

Years later I discovered the song was written by Bruce Springsteen and I realized, “Oh it's just Bruce being Bruce.” Few rock stars have as squeaky clean a history as Bruce. To my knowledge there is no evidence or even conjecture that he's ever had any drug usage in his life. It’s tempting to posit the lyrics to “Blinded by the Light” (or “Bishop Danced”) as indication that Bruce at least tried drugs in his youth, but upon reading the lyrics closely and listening to Bruce’s original version from Greetings from Asbury Park, they seem to reflect Bruce’s observation of a surfeit of oddball characters on the Jersey Shore boardwalk and his attempt to cram them all into one song.

The lyrics above are omitted from Manfred Mann's epic toe-tapper. In a certain respect they are quintessential Bruce lyrics – they involve literal and metaphorical driving and the existentialist undercurrent that if you want to make it out of this town, you have to do it yourself. This is too deep for the Manfred Mann version – which in many respects is a superior song – but they reflect the care and precision that Bruce puts into what otherwise seems like haphazard song writing in the hands of another performer.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

Sandy
The fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight...
- "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" from The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle


Well, the choice was obvious, but in keeping with the theme of this week, I'll spotlight Bruce's classic summer song, "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)".  While the lyrics are very sad, yearning for a more innocent time, the song's imagery and tone creates an aged photograph of the perfect summer day.  So, go out there, check out the girls in their summer clothes, drink warm beer in the soft summer rain, and dance with your shirt open!

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Land of Hope and Dreams

This train....
Carries saints and sinners
This train....
Carries losers and winners
This train....
Carries whore and gamblers
- "Land of Hope and Dreams", from Wrecking Ball

Even before Wrecking Ball, I loved the live version of "Land of Hope and Dreams", especially his listing of the passengers on the train.  The extra emphasis on the "whores" always stood out to me.  Upon re-examination, this is an interesting listing, as the first two sets of passengers are diametric opposites, whereas whores and gamblers seem like two peas in a pod.  I believe Bruce is linking these two together to highlight that neither "sin" is completely black-and-white, as the gamblers and whores fall into a gray area.  

He hasn't shied away from either subject in the past, with songs like "Reno" and "Lucky Man" portraying depictions of both lifestyles.  Pulling from my own life, I do love to gamble, and, while I have no desire to use the services of a lady of the night, I recently read a graphic novel called "Paying For It" by Chester Brown which explored the world of prostitution and raised many interesting points that may make people question their stance on the issue.  Regardless, the overall message of the song is that there is room for everyone upon this "train", and we should leave our judgments aside to better help everyone improve their worlds.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - I Wanna Be With You

Well I lost my job at the Texaco station
Instead of pumpin' gas I dreamed of you
I got thrown out of my house
I got such a bad reputation
'cause all I wanna do is be seen with you
- Tracks (Disc 2)

A leftover from The River, “I Wanna Be with you is one of Bruce's more aggressive love songs. On the surface, his love is passionate, driven home by the repeated proclamations of “I Wanna Be With You” in the chorus. But closer inspection reveals lyrics that indicate obsession rather than ardor. While this single-minded devotion to another person is romantic, Bruce uses lyrics like the ones above to suggest there can also be something unhealthy and self-destructive about loving someone too much.

Springsteen Lyrics Of The Week- "Thunder Road"

"Roy Orbison singing for the lonely"- Thunder Road, Born To Run


Roy Orbison is one of those artists I just never appreciated.  I just thought he was the old timer with the sunglasses and the funny voice who wrote songs for Van Halen to make better.  It wasn't until I heard Springsteen declare his undying support for him, that I finally realized "Hey, maybe I was wrong."

And was I ever wrong.  While I'm still far from a fanatic of Roy Orbison, I've come to appreciate so much more after learning of his influence on Bruce.  He's one of the most legendary voices in rock n' roll, and an influence on practically ever songwriter to come after him.  Bruce had the privilege to play with him in the concert "Roy Orbison and Friends: Black and White", which was a celebration of Orbison's music and one of the best concerts you will ever see.  I highly recommend it.  Bruce also had the honor of inducting him into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame.  With all fanatics Bruce has, it's so odd to see him humbled by someone else, but that's the only way to describe Bruce's introduction.

"In 1970, I rode for fifteen hours in the back of a U-haul truck to open for Roy Orbison at the Nashville Music Fair. It was a summer night and I was 20 years old, and Orbison came out in dark glasses, a dark suit and he played some dark music. In 1974, just prior to going into the studio to record my album Born To Run, I was looking at Duane Eddy for his guitar sound and I was listening to a collection of Phil Spector's records and Orbison's All-Time Greatest Hits. I'd lay in bed at night with just the lights of my stereo on and I'd hear 'Crying', 'Love Hurts', 'Running Scared', 'Only The Lonely', and and 'It's Over' filling my room. Orbison's voice was unearthly. He had the ability, like all great Rock and Rollers, to sound like he dropped in from another planet and yet get the stuff that was right to the heart of what you were livin' in today, and it was how he opened up your vision. I carry his records with me when I go on tour today, and I'll always remember what he means to me and what he meant to me when I was young and afraid to love. In 1975, when I went into the studio to record, Born To Run, I wanted to make a record with words like Bob Dylan, that sounded like Phil Spector's productions, but most of all I wanted to sing like Roy Orbison. Now, everybody knows that nobody sings like Roy Orbison."

- Bruce Springsteen (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Speech, January 21, 1987

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Devils and Dust

"I got my finger on the trigger
But I don't know who to trust."

- "Devils and Dust", from Devils and Dust

While activism in society is making a slight comeback (we've mentioned the OWS movement before on this blog), there has been a noticeable lack of protest songs.  Many protest songs today end up sounding corny and very dated, such as Third Eye Blind's attempt at an anthem last fall.  However, Springsteen's "Devils and Dust" stands strong as time goes by.  On its surface, it is a powerful tribute to the soldiers caught in the murkiness of fighting an unpopular war in Iraq.  But if you examine the lyrics further, they can be easily applicable to the uncertainty and fear that invades every person's life.

Springsteen Lyrics of the Week - Meeting Across The River

"Well Cherry says she's gonna walk
'Cause she found out I took her radio and hocked it
But Eddie, man, she don't understand
That two grand's practically sitting here in my pocket"

- Meeting Across The River, Born To Run 

We’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again now:  Bruce Springsteen is the greatest storyteller in Rock N’ Roll.  “Meeting Across The River” is one of his best story-songs, and it’s fitting that it goes on the album that tells the best story, Born To Run. All the preceding songs on Born to Run seem to take place in New Jersey but this song bridges (pun-intended) the album to New York City, the setting for the finale of “Jungleland” which closes out the album.

“Meeting Across The River” is about a wannabe criminal who doesn’t seem to be able to get it right.  The details of the song are unclear, but the message is not: If he screws up, he’ll be killed.  The unnamed protagonist seems not to be the most skilled criminal, but in his mind he’s Don Corleone.  When he asks his friend Eddie for help with his latest situation, he gives him the promise of the big payoff but then shows his naivety  with the above-quoted lyric.  If the payoff is so great, then the task can’t be that easy.

Bruce rarely plays this one live, but when he does, no one gets up to get a beer or go to the bathroom.  All eyes are on Bruce Springsteen and he never fails to deliver.  The lack of instruments in this song, including percussion, really set the scene of desperation and self delusion.  The piano really picks up at the end of this song, again playing along with the emotions of the protagonist, but then slows down and fade out.  The trumpet, and somber piano coda to the song seems to imply that Eddie and the protagonist weren’t successful.  Oh well, they weren’t successful but Bruce definitely was when he wrote this classic.