Wrecking Ball



I love Bruce Springsteen. I own 8 of his albums and portions of 10 others. I've seen him in concert - it was amazing.

His new album Wrecking Ball could quite well be one of his best. I just bought it on itunes and am listening to it right now. I've heard about half the tracks.

Springsteen ha an uncanny ability to capture the mood of the age. This current album captures the theme of the end of the American empire. Pain and rage are recurring themes as he watches the American Myth finally dissolve right before his eyes.

This is a song called "Rocky Ground" - it is absolutely stunning. I don't think Springsteen has ever professed any kind of faith - but this song is certainly an eloquent Psalm like prayer. Here are the lyrics:

(I'm a soldier!)
We've been traveling over rocky ground, rocky ground

Rise up shepherd, rise up
Your flock has roamed far from the hills
The stars have faded, the sky is still
The angels are shouting "Glory Hallelujah"

Forty days and nights of rain have washed this land
Jesus said the money changers in this temple will not stand
Find your flock, get them to higher ground
Flood waters rising and we're Caanan bound

Tend to your flock or they will stray
We'll be called for our service come Judgment Day
Before we cross that river wide
Blood on our hands will come back on us twice

Rise up shepherd, rise up
Your flock has roamed far from the hills
Stars have faded, the sky is still
Sun's in the heavens and a new day's rising

You use your muscle and your mind and you pray your best
That your best is good enough, the Lord will do the rest
You raise your children and you teach 'them to walk straight and sure
You pray that hard times, hard times, come no more
You try to sleep, you toss and turn, the bottom's dropping out
Where you once had faith now there's only doubt
You pray for guidance, only silence now meets your prayers
The morning breaks, you awake but no one's there

We've been traveling over rocky ground, rocky ground
There's a new day coming
We've been traveling over rocky ground, rocky ground
(I'm a soldier!)

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