...and I no doubt have in the last years, bemoaning his sudden need to price out the common man, that he pretends to stand up for, out of concert tickets and his music (seriously, Bruce, listing your 8 CD outtake box set for 250 bucks?!? Da fuck?!?). But when you need the man, he stands and delivers.
I heard this on the radio this afternoon, and even if I knew about the song, it hits pretty hard when stuck between the usual radio fare. Sure, the lyrics are, uhm, workmanlike, and so is the musical backing which he seems to have borrowed from the Wrecking Ball era. But, you know, who really freakin' cares? The dude's got things to say that need sayin', even if the song isn't some sort of protest song masterpiece. Then again, are any of them? Fittingly, Bruce's voice is now reduced to a croak that approaches Dylan, but again, who cares?
You might get bored of me leaving links to Brian Phillips articles, but here's another one well worth reading, and it also says things worth saying and thinking about.
I don't really have anything specific to add, having just talked about how you can't trust your eyes and ears in my A.I.-related thoughts (fittingly, led by Mr. Phillips), but you owe it to you and everyone else to try and keep those as open and discerning as possible...
Oh, also, fuck state-sanctioned murder squads 'upholding the law'...
I am not a big Springsteen fan, but I admire him greatly for standing up in our moment of need. I thought the lyrics were both good & appropriate - much better than workman like. The music however is meh. Generic Springsteen at best. A lugubrious & non rememberable melody. Sounds more like someone else tried to compose a Springsteen like song. So no masterpiece like Neil Young’s Ohio. But still Bruce deserves his flowers for taking a stand.
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