Springsteen Can Save Your Soul

I discovered Bruce Springsteen when I was just 16. You know what I mean...

Wait. That's the Beatles. Anyway, I came to Bruce the way many come to other faiths, via a high school Algerbra teacher who converted me by lending me some CDs. At the time, my family lived on the edge of a four-lane highway on the edge of town with a view of a steel mill from my backyard. Seriously. So how could I not connect to the working man's hero, right? Every song rocked my world (except, of course, for "Born in the USA") and promised a fresh new world where'd I'd make it out of town, get the girl, and save my soul. My love of Springsteen also got me benched for most of my junior season from my starting position on the football team, as I chose to skip practice to see Springsteen on an acoustical tour at the Guthrie theater. Our rebellions may seem small in perspective, but at the time they appear enormous.

From "Badlands":


For the ones who had a notion,
a notion deep inside
That it ain't no sin
to be glad you're alive
I wanna find one face
That ain't looking through me
I wanna find one place,
I wanna spit in the face of these badlands

Hell yeah, baby! Have a good Irish weekend!