April 26, 2006
Bruce and I Got Back Together
In 2004, I had a falling out with Bruce Springsteen.
Now what you have to understand is that before that time the Boss and I were very close.
I once waited all day in line in Atlanta to see him live. I found complete acceptance among the blue collar worker fans in their late thirties and early forties as we shared our love for Bruce in the line that day. During the concert, I found myself in the front, right against the stage. I felt his spit. I felt his power. He looked me straight in the eye, acknowledged my existence, and gave me his harmonica, after using it to deliver a pounding performance of "Promised Land," one of my favorite Boss songs. That is when my relationship with Bruce peaked. It soon plummeted.
Bruce's actions during the Bush/Kerry election left a bad taste in my mouth. It wasnt so much that I wanted him to like Bush. Ive known of his left wing politics ever since he shunned Reagan's use of his song "Born in the USA" in the early eighties. No, Bruce's politics dont make me mad. In fact, the older I get, the more sympathetic I become with his politics.
What made me mad is that Bruce became a shameless puppet for the Kerry machine (Kerry has forever tainted Bruce's once beloved "No Surrender" by using it as his campaign stage intro), and he tried to manipulate Americans by attempting to resurrect the sixties protest spirit in a hollow, commercialized, and ultimately pointless fashion.
The "Vote for Change" tour was a joke, a ridiculous display of mostly ridiculous, aged rock stars throwing a ridiculous temper tantrum. A lot of people involved with the Vote for Change tour went on to make CRAPPY albums. (Listen to R.E.M.'s "Around the Sun" to see what Im talking about. Aah! What the heck was that! Their worst album ever.)
And so I wasnt surprised that Bruce's output in 2005, "Devils and Dust," was less than stellar. The title track has an appealing honesty to it, but most of the album sinks in my mind to the level of cliche, overused production technique (at least when it comes to Bruce) and a bored lack of inspiration. I've been giving this album more of a try lately, but it still fails to grab me in any significant way.
For a long time now, its been hard for me to stomach Bruce, or to get excited about him like I used to. (I was foaming at the mouth for "The Rising" when that was released). Well, thankfully, I think Bruce and I have finally come full circle. He's come to terms with his emotions about America and the Bush adminstration, and Ive come to terms with my feelings about him. I sympathize with a lot of his political frustrations, and whats more, I can once again enjoy new music from him.
This is because he has been able to express his frustrations the way he used to, not with boring rehash of music that sounds like it should have been on the Jerry Maguire soundtrack, but with music that is fresh, vibrant, and totally alive.
That's how I feel about the new Springsteen record "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions". Springsteen sounds on this record like he is having the time of his life, that he is embracing his role as "The Boss" without being conscious of it at all. I love the fact that this record was recorded live at Bruce's farm over three days, without post-production add-ins. I love the fact that he is having fun, and yet is delivering a political punch as well, for he wouldnt be Bruce without that political punch. I love his energy. I love his raw emotion. I love it when he lets that stuff out rather than when he holds it all in. Its when Bruce lets it out that he shines. Thats what made him the Boss. Thats what made me a fan. I still get chills up my spine when I listen to "Darkness on the Edge of Town" because it is the sound of a man who is not holding one ounce of his soul inside of himself.
And so Bruce and I may have a future together yet. I think Im ready to make up. There's no denying my love for the guy's music. I just hope he stays away from Babyface and the Dixie Chicks come the next election.
Posted by todd at April 26, 2006 12:26 AM