After Biden’s speech last night at the convention, we heard Bruce Springsteen’s song, “The Rising.” (note, this is an audio link). At the time, I thought it was a particularly good choice for a campaign song.
The LA Time’s disagrees.
Here are the lyrics:
Can’t see nothin’ in front of me
Can’t see nothin’ coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can’t feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I’ve gone
How far I’ve gone, how high I’ve climbed
On my back’s a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile lineCome on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonightLeft the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin’ the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin’ down hereCome on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonightLi,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin’ bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery lightLi,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There’s holy pictures of our children
Dancin’ in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin’ on the end of the lineSky of blackness and sorrow ( a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness ( a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear ( a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow ( a dream of life)
Your burnin’ wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life ( a dream of life)Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonightLi,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
The times finds that a song about a firefighter who dies while saving others at 9/11 is inappropriate because of how the song ends–at his funeral. Personally, I think that using a song that was inspired by 9/11 and has a message of hope and unity is perfect for this particular ticket.
What do you think, dear reader?
As an aside, I’m probably throwing in some Boss for my own political soundtrack.
I think the LA Times missed the point of the song entirely. If all their blogger can get out of the song is its narrative, he or she isn’t really hearing it at all.
It is about hope.
I’m easily offended by bloggers in general today, but this line really made me want to reach through the tubes and smite someone: “Perhaps an Obama staffer just heard the title and listened to the chorus and thought, ‘Hey, it’s a song about rising, like we want to do in the polls!'”
HEY DUMBASS. You want to call yourself a journalist? If the choice of song “puzzles” you, put in a call to the Obama campaign and ask why they chose it! Don’t speculate, research, you lazy tool.
But, really, why would he do that? Snark is valued so much more highly than facts these days, it seems. The only thing that could make that post any more idiotic would be if the author had added a “LOL” in there somewhere.
It’s a good song, and Springsteen’s a big Obama supporter, so why not? I agree with the guy that it’s a bit of an odd choice, but that’s more tempo-wise than regarding the subject matter.
If Obama wanted to use some roof-raising Boss, he should’ve used “Land of Hope and Dreams” off the E Street Band’s Madison Square Garden concert live album.
Seems to me that this is just a case of a blogging reporter who felt like he had to write something when he didn’t have anything to say.
I thought it was a great choice. Biden’s one theme was, “When you’re down, you get back up. You get back up!” And Lord knows we’re all about as down in this country as we can possibly be. So, I thought the song was appropriate. And I’m sure the whole 9/11 tie-in was a factor, too.
That’s more of a cynical thought on my part. But, hey. I’ve learned that people try to *manipulate* your feelings in that biz.
I’m quick, aren’t I?