Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska

“They wanted to know why I did what I did. Well sir, I guess there’s just a meanness in this world.”

Now, I know I haven’t posted about him (heck, they’re a lot of people I haven’t posted about) but I love Bruce Springsteen’s music. Yes, I even like his newer stuff because quite frankly, there is no denying that he is one of the best songwriters of all time. And I still remember seeing him perform the half time show at the Super Bowl and being blown away; if I ever get to see him live, believe me that I will jump at that opportunity.

The thing about Springsteen’s music is that his stories are filled with great images of what America is all about. Sure, his other albums like Born to Run and especially, Born in the U.S.A., carry that certain weight of significance but Nebraska is unlike his other stuff for many reasons. The obvious aspect being that it’s mostly an acoustic folk album that chronicles various stories dealing with life’s struggles and how each story is filled with nuances, subtleties and personal feelings. He details troubled souls, whether it be a poor family buying a used car, getting dressed up and ready for at least one good night out, looking back at our childhood and so much more. Here is one titled “Johnny 99” that is about a young man who takes the life of a store clerk and is sentenced to 99 years in jail. Everyone shouts in uproar and he’s certainly down but defiantly proud, when the judge asks him what he has to say, Johnny responds with, “Well your honor, I do believe I’d be better off dead.”


His imagery, his metaphors, his foreshadowing, his style and flow, it’s as if you are reading a book before you. And that’s what his albums all had – every single one from 73’s Greetings from Ashbury Park, N.J. to 87’s Tunnel of Love are essential – a true magic that prevailed through his characters. Not to mention that these were stone-cold classics being released every three, most of the time two, years. Even the one where he is begging the state troopers that are roaming the streets to “please don’t stop me” because of all the crazy things he did that night and how, even though he doesn’t have much to go home to, he just wants to get home. Here is a great, newer version of “Open All Night,” where everything is about working the hard schedule to get your car fixed up, to get your woman and to get your money; you can’t get more American-bred than that. – Bryan