Nebraska is a unique little record. It lies chronologically between The River, which spawned the hits ("The River",“Fade Away” and “Hungry Heart”) to the stratospheric smash Born in the USA.
It sat for the longest time, unnoticed in the Springsteen pantheon, sandwiched between those two classic Boss rockers. When he put out The Ghost of Tom Joad in 1994, it began to get attention as it was an easy reference for what he was trying to do with that album. Nebraska is, in one word, stark. From the desolate album cover, to the depressing narratives in the songs, to the sparse instrumentation, the entire work is bleak.
Most of the songs on Nebraska concern people who are down on their luck, who have run afoul of the law, who have nothing left in the world and seek some type of escape or salvation. Many are told in first person, with Springsteen performing only on acoustic guitar and harmonica. In fact, the first version of mega-hit “Born in the USA” was originally a Nebraska cut. Check out this version, and think about how much differently people would have approached this song if it was released like this instead of how it was misinterpreted it as a pro-USA fist-pumping anthem (as, admittedly, I did as a twelve-year-old)
“Reason to Believe” is one of the most interesting songs on the album. It’s no accident that it comes at album’s end, as it is the ONLY song on the entire record which offers some type of hope (despite it’s opening imagery of a bloated, dead dog in a ditch)
The message of ”Reason to Believe”, of course, is easily summed up in its chorus :
Struck me kinda funny seemed kind of funny sir to me
How at the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe
After describing scenes of despair in each of the verses – the dead dog, a man leaving his pregnant girlfriend, the circle of birth, death and marriage, Springsteen lets us know that you have to find some reason to carry on and cling on to the promise of a better future
The protagonists of the songs before this one – Johnny 99, the out-of-work auto worker who robs a store and kills a man, Joe Roberts of “Highway Patrolman” who lets his brother accused of murder escape to Canada, the young boy in “Used Car” who sees his family’s financial struggles and swears he will buy an new car one day - don’t have any hope, but escape is offered us at the end. And, despite the depressing mood of this record, this closing song is a nice contrast to its eponymous opener, a retelling of the real-life cross country murders Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate which ends with the ominous lyric:
They wanted to know why I did what I did. Not to mention, this is probably the only song on the entire album that isn't written as a veritable dirge. It's an upbeat, shuffling toe-tapper, and suprisingly closes the album with a feeling of happiness.
Well sir I guess there's just a meanness in this world”
So we begin with “A meanness in this world” and end with a “reason to believe”. That’s Nebraska, and that’s Bruce’s America. Do yourself a favor and pick this album up is you have a chance.
5 comments:
If you ever been through Nebraska, you know that this album captured in words, sounds and sights...the great blight of life and how there are few shades of gray, just black and white. Springsteen really matured lyrically in this period. When you saw the band perform songs from Nebraska, although the crowd loves them, it takes away the punch in gut impact of NEBRASKA.
I have, indeed, ridden through Nebraska on a cross-country trip from Portland Or to Georgia.. All I remember of Kansas and Nebraska was what that album cover shows.
I do find it interesting that he performes these songs in concert in full "E Steet" mode. Originally, what you have on Nebraska were "skeletons" to be brought before the whole band for fleshing out into proper songs, but he was never happy with the results. That's why it's a "Bruce Springsteen" release and not "BS and the E Street Band" - he could never make the songs work as rock songs.
Here's one boss whose salary the federal pay czar needs to take a good look into. I was just talking about my disdain for Bruce yesterday. Working class rock from someone who never had a job. Bravo sir. I think Dire Straits' money for nothing was written about Bruce. I'm just venting. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy but he really makes me laugh when i watch the We Are the World video. They had to pair him up w/ Stevie Wonder cause if he'd been able to see Bruce he'd have busted out laughing. About 4:50 in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmxT21uFRwM
First off, eponymous is a great word. Reminds me of epoxy glue from a nameless company.
Bruce. Love him and hate him. I dislike the fact that a lot of the bands/musicians I really like are also popular. Floyd, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Maiden, Bowie. I like to think of myself as edgy and unswayed by popular sentiment, but then I look at my musical selections and the gotos I always go back . . . to--the big names.
I'm bothered that I like Bruce, or BS as you said, because he's so popular/well known/critically acclaimed. I'm also bothered that I don't like him more for the same reasons.
I've been listening to the Pete Seeger sessions lately. Tried the live version but was not as impressed.
Have to give Nebraska another try.
Listened to it again. I appreciate it more now that I know it's supposed to be a downer of an album. Like Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society. Serious, man.
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