From: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org (LuckyTown Digest) To: luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Subject: LuckyTown Digest V9 #26 Reply-To: luckytown@luckytown.org Sender: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Errors-To: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Precedence: bulk LuckyTown Digest Monday, July 1 2002 Volume 09 : Number 026 NOTE: Sale/trade posts should be emailed to luckytown-ads, *NOT* to luckytown. That includes tix wanted/tix grovels, post them to luckytown-ads, please. Contents: The Rising and Bruce's "Voice" ["Jon Greer" ] Misc thoughts on The Rising ["Magnus Lauglo" ] "Cross of my calling" in The Rising ["Gregg Wiggins" ] [none] [Jennifer Brindle ] Tickets for Cleveland Listening Party 7/2/02 (Extra tickets avail able) [] Re: The Voice of The Rising [Angela G Morgan ] Sixty pound stone [JohnnyBilo@aol.com] Bruce on A&E [ALateJuliet@aol.com] Singing style and li, li, li.... ["Michael Maloney" ] Fireman's equipment ["Rich Kortz" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 23:02:53 -0700 From: "Jon Greer" Subject: The Rising and Bruce's "Voice" Thank you to both Tom Bernardo and Arlen Schumer for their thoughtful analyses of The Rising. I think Tom is exactly correct in his analysis of the lyrics, that we are hearing the story of a firefighter climbing one of the Twin Towers, losing his life and reaching out spiritually to his wife from the afterlife. But it was Arlen's post, in which he outlined his disappointment with the music of The Rising, that got me thinking about both my historical reactions to new Springsteen music and what sounds to me like the rejuvenation of Bruce's musical "voice." My first reaction to Arlen's unhappiness is to think back to 1978 and 1980, when Darkness and The River were released respectively. Both times, the first time I heard those albums, I hated the musical sound -- though in both cases, it was because they were so different from their predecessors, not because, on first listen, they sounded the same. But the lesson is still applicable -- I've learned not to judge Bruce's new music too quickly. I've also learned not to listen to one track and making generalizations, or to assume I already understood everything Bruce is trying to say before seeing the music performed in concert. Considering that there are 12 more tracks to come that we know almost nothing about, and that both Further On and My City of Ruins are likely to be different from their live versions, AND that Max and others have been quoted saying that the album is "unbelievable," I'm definitely not judging the album The Rising just from the single The Rising. I have to say that I agree with Arlen's main complaint, that the standard construct of the song is somewhat disappointing. I assume that in his 50s, Bruce is less adventurous than he was as a younger songwriter, and that he doesn't feel like re-inventing the wheel when he already has a form that he likes. And it IS certainly a tried-and-true rock construct that lots of artists use. What's unfortunate about focusing on the construct is that there is so much else in the song musically that is either fresh or just plain interesting, like the vibrato opening and its echoes throughout the song, the back-up singers sounding like a choir and the "dream of life" counterpoint vocals at the end. Really, these are just hints of what awaits us on the other 14 tracks. As this album and tour unfold, what I'm most interested in hearing, in both the lyrics and music, is Bruce's "voice." I think the reason that we didn't get much rock music from Bruce in the 90s is that he had lost his musical voice. From the 60s through the 75-85 Live Album, Bruce's music was driven by a thirst to make a better life for himself than the one he was born into (hence, why he was "born to run") and to understand both his relationships with his parents (mostly his father) and why they behaved the way they did. Then he got married, hoped to form a new family and put those family-of-origin issues behind him, but he found himself in the wrong relationship. So Tunnel of Love was driven by his need to understand his intimate relationship with Julianne Phillips and why it wasn't working out. I've always wished Bruce had felt comfortable releasing music written about what was going on in his head in the late 1980s, when he broke up with Julianne and started his relationship with Patti, but for some reason, he chose not to make an album about that era. I'm guessing it was just too raw and painful for him. For Bruce, finding happiness and stability with Patti has obviously been a very positive development in his life, but I think it sapped a lot of his musical strength and as a result, in the early 90s we got his most tepid rock release in Human Touch and a good but not fully realized album in Lucky Town. By the early 90s, Bruce had made himself a rich man, so the drive to succeed was diminished, and his newfound emotional stability, while good for him, was, I think, bad for his music, at least when it came to voicing a coherent and compelling sound (both music and lyrics) that stood up to his earlier work. Bruce has always said that being a musician is his life's work, so it must have been difficult for him to accept that he no longer had the natural inspiration that would allow him to match the quality of his earlier output (this, of course, is common in rock music, which so often draws hungry artists from the ranks of the working poor). You have to hand it to Bruce that he didn't just either quit are start releasing second-tier stuff , but instead took a musical detour with the Ghost of Tom Joad, where he made looking at the underside of life the purposes of the album and tour. But after Tom Joad, again, nothing from Bruce's "voice." He may have hoped that he had found a new voice on the acoustic tour and the Tom Joad album, but it was really a one-off. In fact, I recall reading that Bruce began a follow-up record that was said to be Tom Joad II, but that Sony discouraged him. Then we got the great 99-2000 reunion tour, but as we know he performed almost nothing new and certainly nothing that sounded like a strong new voice. Bruce was essentially treading water, searching for inspiration that I think he hoped to find in reuniting the band. But inspiration, and a new voice, apparently came to Bruce following September 11. That day obviously rocked all of us to the core in different ways, but in Bruce, it seems to have awakened something. My guess, so far, is that he is feeling a heightened sense of responsibility for the world, that through his music he can strive to make the world a better place for him (and the rest of us) to raise a family. Now, instead of his voice being that of the Angry Son, I think the voice we will hear is that of a fully mature Determined Father. Look at the character in The Rising: he's a hard-working family man, who, "wearing the cross of (his) calling," plunges into his work and while doing his job, loses his life. My guess is that throughout this record, we will hear many variations on the theme of taking responsibility. Shortly after the Tribute to Heroes telecast, I wrote in Luckytown that I had heard that missing voice in My City of Ruins, imploring the world to "rise up" -- rise up and face its challenges, rise up and search for ways to heal the wounds. And I said I hoped that it wasn't the last we heard of that voice. Now, with the album and tour of The Rising on the way less than a year later, it's clear that Bruce recognized this new and urgent voice in himself, and that he has found a way to express it through 15 songs and a supporting tour. Frankly, during the 90s, I wasn't sure Bruce would ever find his voice again. And of course, we all wish that the events that caused him to find it had not happened. But here we are, on the verge of finding out again what's on Bruce Springsteen's mind. I'm all ears. Jon Greer ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:57:56 -0400 From: "Magnus Lauglo" Subject: Misc thoughts on The Rising Hi all, There have been some great posts on the new song in the last few digests, I especially apprecited Kevin K's alternative reading of the song, as being sung from the perspective of several people. I think the song may be meant to be readable in several different ways, and there is not so much oneright way to interpret it. However, with all respect, I have a hard time swallowing Cheryl McIntosh's notion that it may not be about 9/11 at all: >Granted, the influence is so close to him that it must've affected > his >thinking, but, I think with a little less analysis and a bit > more >imagination "The Rising" can be about more [and possibly even > different >things] than just September 11. I always thought that > "Badlands" was >a state of mind rather than a real place in Dakota. > I'm still not >entirely convinced that it can't be both. ...... >let's not forget that "My City of Ruins" wasn't intended for 9/11 >in the >first place, either. Well The Rising was written after 9/11, and the whole album, in the words of Little Steven is about the post 9/11 world. With so many pretty direct references to the events of 9/11, especially in the first verse, I would be interested to hear what else Cheryl thinks it might be about? I'd agree that Bruce uses the Badlands as a mere symbol of a state of mind, but the song doesn't include any other explicit refernces to the Badlands of Dakota. The Rising is chock full of references to the events of 9/11. Eris Douglas voices similar sentiments: >As for the song, I'm not sure Bruce is making DIRECT references to > 9/11, >as has been suggested. He has said that many of the songs > were >written after that day, and were written in that context. But > that's to >be expected, as many of Bruce's songs exist in a world > larger than >ours. To make specific references, like 41 shots, is > unusual in his >songs. But isn't The Rising full of as specific references to 9/11 as American Skin is to the Diallo shooting? I think that while The Rising does indeed make direct refernce to 9/11, it could be seen to be a song about struggle in general, about "rising" above terrible things, whatever they may be. But it uses countless references to 9/11 and there is no doubt in my mind that it does draw its inspiration from 9/11. Incidently, I assumed from the beginning that the "sixty pound stone", mentioned by Bernie Moynihan, refers to a firemans (oxygen/air) tank that firemen would wear rather than any actual stone. Granted I have no idea how much those things weigh, but they look pretty heavy. It certainly fits with the "over my shoulder a half mile of line" line. Just some thoughts Magnus _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 14:48:38 +0000 From: "Gregg Wiggins" Subject: "Cross of my calling" in The Rising There are many possible meanings to "cross of my calling" -- and that ambiguity is, I think, a deliberate part of the art. But it could be a firefighter reference, since for centuries the traditional symbol of firefighters (including the FDNY's emblems if I remember correctly) has been the Maltese Cross. Gregg Wiggins "Who actually has, but rarely admits it, relatives in Darlington County, SC" _________________________________________________________________ Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 19:23:05 EDT From: OBRI6133@aol.com Subject: The Rising Photo Essay One possible take on the Rising... http://candysroom.freeservers.com/bruceweb58.html Joe & Colleen [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 22:41:07 -0500 From: Rebecca O'Hara[mailto:joculatrix@msn.com] Subject: Resurrection and the joy of The Rising I guess there have been some 'deaths' in the family. As I read over the last few digests, I find many are disgruntled, disappointed, and disenchanted with 'The Rising'. I don't think you need to be a Christian to understand the imagery of resurrection. But I do think it's worthy to note that many western religions regard resurrection as 'rapture'. Rapture, as it appears in The American Collegiate Dictionary is defined as: 1) ecstatic joy or delight; joyful ecstasy, 2) an utterance or expression of ecstatic delight, 3) the carrying of a person from one sphere of existence to another. It's certain there will be those who vehemently disagree, but I believe all three are applicable in the context of this 4+ - minute work of art. As much as the soul's who departed this earth have risen, I believe we are challenged to do the same thing: to rise above the situation we find ourselves in as a nation and, perhaps, individually As survivors of daily life we are charged with the responsibility to clean up and carry on. This song rings like an anthem to that very responsibility. Death and rebirth are constant themes for this most thematic artist. I constantly feel reborn. Like a snake, I'm always shedding my skin, leaving me open and vulnerable to the world around me. It's painful sometimes, but the epiphanies that are a product of such vulnerablity are priceless. So all my sympathies to those who are disappointed by this most recent release. Music is organic and mercurial and and completely in the moment. If this song doesn't speak to you now, perhaps it will one day. I hope so as we have much to learn from this man Rebecca...just trying to rise above it everyday _____ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: Click Here [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 00:55:39 -0500 From: "Bill King II" Subject: Red Sky At Night Red sky in the morning - sailor's warning. Red sky at night - sailor's delight. As I headed west tonight about an hour before dusk, I experienced an Epiphany. It was in my mind's eye and in my soul as a majestic red sky left me in awe. Rising was playing for the umpteenth time but yet for the first time. It was at that point I truly connected with the words and the music. I recalled a kid I taught how to surf years ago told me of bodies hitting the pavement a few hundred feet from where he was escaping the World Trade Center. I privately cursed him for providing too much detail. I recalled the first night at the Count Basie last October when I welled up. And then I did it again. My own spirit rose with the music that most certainly takes you to a better place. Faith and hope. Faith and hope. Bruce, just keep delivering that message. "I believe that faith and hope are our salvation, and that they are found in the smallest actions of good people. I believe that salvation is not an individual thing, but a collective one, and that each of us is responsible for all others. Our mission is a search for beauty, and in beauty there is hope, and in hope there is some sense of divine love, of faith, of community and possibility, of things that would combat the brutality and the violence and the suffering. That's what I'm trying to lay out there. It's a survival guide." Bruce - long before 9/11 - -- King (from) Neptune ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 20:21:09 -0700 From: Jennifer Brindle Subject: [none] Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 18:31:07 +0100 (BST) From: bernie moynihan Subject: 'the rising' 1) does amybody think the line 'On my back's a sixty pound stone' has any significance? to me this might indicate that the narrator is dying crushed under the 60 Lb stone. The rest of the song is abount him clinging to life and the thoughts going through his head. to me, the song is about a firefighter, and the 60 pound stone is all that equipment he must carry. One can get more specific and say it's about the firefighters who climbed futilely up the WTC carrying all their load only to be crushed when the building fell. Remember, this is Bruce... and he never (well, almost never) writes literally. Jennifer ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 16:18:23 -0400 From: "Kusinski, John" Subject: Tickets for Cleveland Listening Party 7/2/02 (Extra tickets avail able) How's this for helping a lousy Monday? I just got a call from my wife telling me that I received TWO sets of tickets for the Cleveland Listening party tomorrow (Tuesday 7/2/02) at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That sure brightened up my day!!!!! I can't wait to hear songs from The Rising -- and at the Rock Hall to boot!! As stated, somehow I received TWO sets -- if anyone out there can get a hold of me in time, I have extra tickets, and if you can get them (or meet us at the Rock Hall) they are yours for the asking. Reply by email, or call my work number listed below (I'm in by 6:30 am, but will be leaving by 4:30 on Tuesday). John Kusinski, Cleveland, Ohio -- (330)668-5033 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 22:49:01 -0600 From: Angela G Morgan Subject: Re: The Voice of The Rising Phyllis, TicCR@aol.com, writes: "The way I hear it is Bruce's gentler voice as a comforting thing. We've been put through a lot and we can all need a little comfort right now." "Btw, I LOVE the voice Bruce is singing in. You don't always have to scream to be intense." Indeed, Bruce doesn't need to scream to be intense. What was Nebraska, if not intense? I also agree that his voice on this song is meant to be comforting, but for me it goes a little farther than that. After listening to the song several times, I remembered back to his evangelical spiel of the last tour, the part about where he stated his mission. And part of that mission was to 'perform a rock'n'roll exorcism'. I feel like that's what he's trying to do with this song, exorcise the demons of that fateful day and offer some comfort to those still trying to sort it out. A funeral of sorts, maybe, but the song's definitely not funereal. In a perhaps bizarre way, this song seems almost a much more mature and sedate coverage of some of the ground covered by the Cadillac Ranch! Another thing that I find striking about the song is how Bruce has broken new ground with it. He's laid some of his own religious beliefs out there in the song, not just some images from his Catholic upbringing. The song seems to be straddling this world and the one to come, which is quite a thing to take on in a rock song. My take on the song is very similiar to Mr Bernardo's, although I am not a 'practicing' Catholic. I admire how Bruce used the religious imagery in the song, but did it with a somewhat light touch so that people of all religions could feel a part of it. Of course, the question remains from early commentaries on the song whether people of *no* religion can feel a part of it. I know that I'm liking the song very much, and as each day goes by, it triggers a new thought about a great many things, not just 9/11. And I'm very appreciative to have something out in the public domain after that fateful day that comes from some place other than fear and anger and rejection. This songs seems to be coming from a very different place, and it's very much life-affirming and forward-looking. Some people may not be ready for that, but I think one of the things that Bruce is saying with this song is 'it aint no sin to be glad you're alive'. There's definitely a celebratory tone to the song, but with a twist, since perhaps it's largely a celebration of a life to come further on up the road. Angela ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 10:01:03 -0400 From: JohnnyBilo@aol.com Subject: Sixty pound stone I'm surprised at the number of questions I've seen here and at RMAS about that line.I thought it the most obvious. Although I'm not completely certain, I'm mostly certain that it refers to the weight of the equipment a fireman carries into a fire. David in NYC ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 15:58:15 EDT From: ALateJuliet@aol.com Subject: Bruce on A&E Greetings Luckytowners, I heard a rumor that Bruce was approached to be on the A&E TV show, Live By Request. Wouldn't it be great if this was true! Perhaps if we bug A&E enough, maybe it could work. With all the marketing and publicity for the new CD, it's worth a shot. Go to AandE.com. In the middle of their homepage where it says Find Your Favorite Show, click the box to the left that says Choose One, then scroll to Live By Request. Once on the Live By Request page, scroll to the bottom (David Bowie is on the page now), and there's a message board where we can voice our opinion. GO FOR IT. Linda [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 08:32:43 -0400 From: "Michael Maloney" Subject: Singing style and li, li, li.... The above two topics have been of some discussion on this list lately with respect to the new song. I find the singing style very comfortable Bruce, but deeper than that there is a supressed urgency and determination, something seething almost boiling over. I sense this same effect in the chorus of li li li where Bruce is using the "sound" of instruments and voices in unison to build an atmosphere that seems to be voicing a communal aspect. Perhaps he is nudging us to think of our own communal spirit on a larger level than any specific event, such as 9/11. On a side note, the imagery in the song seems so refreshing from some of his more recent work. Just thought I would share that. Mike. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 19:27:53 -0400 From: "Zach Everson" Subject: Potential Setlists A friend of mine asked what songs I thought would appear regularly on the setlist. While not having heard the new album (save "The Rising") makes it kinda hard, I spent thought too much about my answer to have it just seen by him. Some bold assertions? Yes, but I think they make sense in light of what we know about the album, what Bruce et al have said recently, and the end of the last tour. Hence: "The Rising" will open most shows. "Murder/Badlands/Youngstown" will all see regular play, but not in the heart of the set - new songs will be played there. I'm going out on a limb with this one, but watch for a reworked "Galveston Bay" (although "Across the Border" is a more likely bet) for the slower song toward the end of the main set. "GB" is really appropriate given some of the negative attitudes towards Arab-Americans. Somewhere (LTD, RMAS?) someone mentioned "Incident" and "Lost in the Flood" alternating in the "Jungleland/Backstreets" spot. I think that will be the case for "LITF," but not for "Incident." I think "Racing" will split time in that spot (the 6.26.00 performance was fantastic). "LOHAD" will close the regular set. I bet "My City of Ruins" opens the encores. A new song will close them As for all-time greats, "BTR" and "Thunder Road" will be played. I don't expect to see much material from "ToL," "HT," or "LT" as I don't see them fitting in too well with what I know of the new stuff. I expect/hope "Promised Land" to get a lot of play. Zach ZachEverson.com - seriousness, hilariousity, and the true stories that combine a bit of both. Updated daily - check it out now. [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 15:20:03 -0400 From: "Rich Kortz" Subject: Fireman's equipment My guess is that the 60 lb. stone is the fireman's tank on his back, and the half-mile of line on his shoulder is, well, the half-mile of rescue line he's carrying up the steps into the smoke, which is so thick he can't see ahead or behind. Bruce has dumped us cinematically right into this guy's skin... just like he did with one Joe Roberts. Rich Kortz ------------------------------ End of LuckyTown Digest V9 #26 ****************************** ********************************************************************* ** LuckyTown WWW URL ** The LuckyTown FAQ, back issues, web-based subscription/unsubscription, and many other things can be found on the LuckyTown WWW Page: http://www.luckytown.org ** LuckyTown mailing list addresses ** You can send email to go into the next LuckyTown Digest to: luckytown@luckytown.org You can send email to go into the next LuckyTown-Ads Digest to: luckytown-ads@luckytown.org Any questions for the list admin should be emailed to: owner-luckytown@luckytown.org To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@luckytown.org with message body: unsubscribe luckytown-digest To get further information on how to subscribe/unsubscribe/change your subscription address, as well as the other available commands, send email to majordomo@luckytown.org with message body: help ********************************************************************* The contents of this digest are not necessarily approved by the list admin.