Springsteen Hits the Mark with “Land of Hopes and Dreams”

Before our holiday in the fall of 2012, we managed to download the new Bruce Springsteen album – Wrecking Ball from Freegal Music, on our local library’s website. The songs on this album will always remind me of our time in Southern California.

For Christmas, I got my husband, the latest biography of Bruce Springsteen, aptly entitled – Bruce. He’s reading it now and going through his massive collection of music to play various Springsteen albums as he reads about how they came to be. We’ve listened to Springsteen on vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and mp3 on our iPod. Between these various mediums he has quite an impressive Springsteen collection. He’s been a Springsteen fan since the beginning.

I only became aware of Bruce Springsteen’s music when he released the Born in the USA album. My first exposure to the energy and raw sex appeal of Springsteen was in the Dancing in the Dark music video. Who can forget the electricity of the moment when he pulled that young girl up on the stage to dance with him? I still get a bit quivery thinking about it!

I admire the way Springsteen ages right on through his songs. Bruce’s lyrics just keep getting closer and closer to the bone. Sure, it’s cool to see Mick Jagger perform songs the Stones have done forever and of course he’s still got it. Seeing something like that makes me feel young all over again myself. If Mick still has it, maybe I do, too. But when I see a musician pull out new stuff that reflects his age and experience – well, that is like enjoying a very fine wine. It gives me an appreciation for my own place in life.

I wanted to try to upload a song from Springsteen’s, Wrecking Ball album – Land of Hope and Dreams, but upon further investigation I realized I would need a space upgrade to upload audio. Then I started to worry about copyright infringement. Would I need permission from Springsteen to share his song? It all got too complicated. Instead, I’ll just reflect a bit on the lyrics to this song and give you a link to a great You Tube video of the Boss belting it out. YOU TUBE VIDEO

If you listen to the words of the song, Land of Hope and Dreams, it will break your heart and inspire you. I would choose this song to be played at my funeral because of these lyrics.

Grab your ticket and your suitcase, thunder’s rolling down this track Well, you don’t know where you’re going now, but you know you won’t be back Well, darling, if you’re weary, lay your head upon my chest We’ll take what we can carry, yeah, and we’ll leave the rest

Well, big wheels roll through the fields where sunlight streams Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

I will provide for you and I’ll stand by your side You’ll need a good companion now for this part of the ride Yeah, leave behind your sorrows, let this day be the last Well, tomorrow there’ll be sunshine and all this darkness past

The sunlight is streaming through that field. The darkness will pass, all sorrow will end. Here we have the train journey as an analogy for redemption, solace, going home. Everyone is welcome to come on board. Check your past at the door, people and just get on board.

Yes, this train carries saints and sinners This train carries losers and winners This train carries whores and gamblers This train carries lost souls

I said, this train carries broken-hearted This train, thieves and sweet souls departed This train carries fools and kings thrown This train, all aboard

I said, now this train, dreams will not be thwarted This train, faith will be rewarded This train, the steel wheels singing This train, bells of freedom ringing

Whatever you are at this moment is enough. Whatever you need will be provided – your dreams won’t be thwarted. There’s no one here to stomp you down. You’re finally home free.

Through years of a long and successful career, the Boss continues to entertain with music and lyrics that take the breath away.

Whoa.. a fan of Bruce! I have loved his music and his lyrics since the mid-70’s with Darkness on the Edge of Town being a favorite because of its raw emotion. I remember rushing to the record store to get The River back in late ’81. Just yesterday my 22nd year old son and I were blasting “Human Touch” in his truck! I cannot say enough about my admiration for him as a man and a musician.

Hmm… I left a comment here last night regarding the Boss and I do not see it! I will re-comment (if that is a word!). I have been a fan since about 1976 with Darkness on the Edge of Town being a favorite album of mine. The raw emotion in all the songs is why I like it so much. The River is a favorite as well as I remember purchasing it in October of 1981-it represents a year in my life for sure! And I have decided that Human Touch is in my top 3 of his songs-great story line there and one that I can identify with in my middle age! Bruce is someone I admire as a man and as a musician.

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