The Listening Room: Bruce Springsteen — “Radio Nowhere”
In case you hadn’t heard, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band released a new album Tuesday and I’ve spent most of this week listening to it.
I participated in a roundtable discussion of it with Lisa McKay and Mark Saleski. It was fantastic to once again participate in a discussion of Bruce’s music with people who really get him and love him. There are a couple sites – names I won’t mention – that would claim to be filled with people like that but I’ll be damned if I can find any of them. Anyway, that roundtable discussion and continued repeated listens to the album allowed more thoughts to swirl around my head.
I’ve been thinking a lot about “Radio Nowhere.” It’s the opening track on the album and also the first single. Initially, I dismissed it as a good time rock and roll song with disposable lyrics. I still think it’s a real good rocker, but I’m not sure the lyrics are as expendable as I first thought.
The refrain “Is there anybody alive out there?” is a a crucial opening salvo – a call to arms, as 11 phrased it – for the words of protest that are to follow. Much of this album, as I said in the roundtable – chronicles Springsteen’s disappointment and frustration with the state of the world post-9/11. “Is there anybody alive out there?” is a challenge to his audience. It’s a wake-up call.
Filed under: Bruce Springsteen, Listening Room
