Treehouse Park
14 years ago
Friday, February 13, 2009
Becoming Real
I never really understood "The Velveteen Rabit" until I had children. I am so grateful for the lessons in patience, perseverance and love that they continue to teach me everyday. I'm so humbled that everyday my love for them teaches me how to be a better person. It makes me real. I wish that I could go back in time and see everything through these Mommy glasses that I wear now.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Boss: The Poet And The Half-Time Show
When Bruce Springteen hit it big I was about ten years old. I didn't really care for him that much then. I thought he was just O.K. I was more into Madonna and Michael Jackson. It would be another ten years before I realized his true genius and still another 10+ before I grasped the irony of his music and performance.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the performance last night at the Super Bowl. I figured he would play "Glory Days" and "Born to Run" and really really hopeful that he would NOT play "Born in The USA". It is interesting that his big hits have very up-beat scores which very much belie their true meaning. "Born in the USA" is played at every patriotic event and political campaign. It is always amazing to me. Do people not listen to the lyrics of these songs?? It is the most anti-establishment song that there ever was. It is basically a protest of "the system". Bruce must just laugh everytime he hears that song played...all the way to the bank.
"Glory Days" although seemingly perfect on the surface for a sporting event, is also a perfect example of his cynical nature. It is a SAD song. It is about people who think that their best is behind them and have lost hope and a purpose. "But it's got a good beat and I can dance to it."
And finally "Born to Run" which along with "Thunder Road" are my favorites. My favorite lyrics:
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
Its a death trap, its a suicide rap
We gotta get out while were young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
This song is so beautiful and can be interpreted in so many different ways but basically to me it is about someone yearning to break with tradition and familiarity whose dream takes a detour. I won't patronize the Boss by trying to pick this apart anymore and I won't even attempt "Thunder Road" since this song is so painfully exquisite.
I can't help thinking that Bruce Springsteen is a genius in more ways than one. I would like to do a study to find out how many people at the Super Bowl last night could actually recite any of the lyrics to these songs besides the choruses. Maybe everyone is aware of this man's dual nature or maybe they were just like me at ten years old and saw a very macho looking guy mumbling lyrics and putting on a very high energy show. I honestly don't know. But what I do know is that he is one of the few artists who has managed to make millions off of pure poetry and then make it look like fluff. Maybe that is why he mumbles.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the performance last night at the Super Bowl. I figured he would play "Glory Days" and "Born to Run" and really really hopeful that he would NOT play "Born in The USA". It is interesting that his big hits have very up-beat scores which very much belie their true meaning. "Born in the USA" is played at every patriotic event and political campaign. It is always amazing to me. Do people not listen to the lyrics of these songs?? It is the most anti-establishment song that there ever was. It is basically a protest of "the system". Bruce must just laugh everytime he hears that song played...all the way to the bank.
"Glory Days" although seemingly perfect on the surface for a sporting event, is also a perfect example of his cynical nature. It is a SAD song. It is about people who think that their best is behind them and have lost hope and a purpose. "But it's got a good beat and I can dance to it."
And finally "Born to Run" which along with "Thunder Road" are my favorites. My favorite lyrics:
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
Its a death trap, its a suicide rap
We gotta get out while were young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
This song is so beautiful and can be interpreted in so many different ways but basically to me it is about someone yearning to break with tradition and familiarity whose dream takes a detour. I won't patronize the Boss by trying to pick this apart anymore and I won't even attempt "Thunder Road" since this song is so painfully exquisite.
I can't help thinking that Bruce Springsteen is a genius in more ways than one. I would like to do a study to find out how many people at the Super Bowl last night could actually recite any of the lyrics to these songs besides the choruses. Maybe everyone is aware of this man's dual nature or maybe they were just like me at ten years old and saw a very macho looking guy mumbling lyrics and putting on a very high energy show. I honestly don't know. But what I do know is that he is one of the few artists who has managed to make millions off of pure poetry and then make it look like fluff. Maybe that is why he mumbles.
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