By Caleb Cohen
The steel bleachers shook as the anticipation grew. The spotlight poked center stage and everyone stood with the anticipation of something great. Bruce Springsteen walked out with the force of a giant. The hard strum on his worn-down, mustard-colored guitar hit the strings with a fist full of power, and the crowd roared. Springsteen’s concerts are a marathon of music and story-telling, spanning almost four hours. There are not many moments I can point to and say changed my life. Bruce Springsteen’s 40th anniversary tour of “The River” was one of those moments.
The show was equal parts religious experience and political campaign rally. Springsteen asks his audience to take stock of their lives and the American dream as a whole. While Springsteen has lent his support to Democratic candidates over the years, he imbues his performance with themes that are small-d democrat – hard work, neighbors helping neighbors, and communities that leave no parts behind. He is the last of a generation of musicians that include Dylan, Lennon, and Cash to use the stage as a bully pulpit for political ideals.
Springsteen’s enduring appeal is that he is able to attract both sides of the political aisle – sometimes in the very same song. In arguably his most famous album, “Born in the USA,” conservatives embrace the anthemic superficial title and wrap themselves in the flag that is showcased on the album’s cover. Whereas, liberals appreciate the lyrics of the song as n indictment of the Vietnam War. Springsteen has built a career honoring the hard work of the underpaid and under-appreciated, but is unafraid to hold people accountable, as he does to police officers on the song “American Skin.” That song was inspired by the 1999 shooting death of Amadou Diallo by New York City police officers. At the time, some police associations called for the boycott of Springsteen’s shows. Where other artists may have caused more controversy with such a political song, Springsteen’s life-long commitment to writing about the promise of America gives him the cover to touch on politics and move on.
Springsteen’s albums have staying power because they reach beyond politics and into the daily struggles of the average American. In the 1970s, “Born to Run” explored the idea of freedom and the open road. On the album’s cover, Springsteen subtly touches on racial politics with a picture of him and his black friend and saxophonist Clarence Clemmons standing by his side. It was not insignificant to have a man of color standing center stage with a white man, Springsteen, during this time. In the 1980s, it was “Born in the USA,” and in 2000, “The Rising,” which was an answer to terrorist attacks on our country. It was a moving exchange of words that brought a country back together. It is filled with both mourning and resilience. It is a powerful look into the strength of America and its people. Like any political figure, people look towards Springsteen for inspiration. He is a steady voice that speaks for the country, and like a successful politician, captures your curiosity and attention through his words.
For me, Springsteen’s powerful tales of sorrow and triumph began with “The River.” On this album, the ideals of youthful freedoms are met with the responsibilities of growing up. It is a double album with 20 songs. About midway through the concert he arrived at the title track. It’s a classic Springsteen song about the story of a life in transition. Here Springsteen substitutes the symbolic freedom of the open road and the westward railway for a winding body of water. Near the end of the song, he asks, “Is a dream a lie if it doesn’t come true?” The question is quintessential Springsteen. Once again, he is testing his audience’s faith in the American dream. In the hands of somebody else, this might be an inherently political question. It is the kind of one-liner or soundbite a politician would use to get the attention of their audience. In the hands of Springsteen, it’s not a question of politics. It’s about the strength of chasing a dream when there are setbacks. It is the premise of most of his music that touches on the idea to never stop believing. Springsteen has the unique ability as an artist to make us think and feel at a concert and to restore for just a few hours the sense of a shared community.
Next year, Springsteen will embark on what will likely be his last tour. At 73 years old, he doesn’t have to tour, he doesn’t need the money, and he doesn’t have anything left to prove. I think it is his way of telling his fans that if you keep going down to the river, one day the dream will come true.