Don't let anybody tell you that Bruce Springsteen doesn't write gospel music. I'll take this over the entire Contemporary Christian Music oeuvre. I'm in the midst of writing a long essay on Springsteen for Image Journal. I'm having a blast.
In the meantime, there is this, The Land of Hope and Dreams:
Grab your ticket and your suitcase
Thunder's rolling down the tracks
You don't know where you're goin'
But you know you won't be back
Darlin' if you're weary
Lay your head upon my chest
We'll take what we can carry
And we'll leave the rest
Big Wheels rolling through 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 for
This part of the ride
Leave behind your sorrows
Let this day be the last
Tomorrow there'll be sunshine
And all this darkness past
Big wheels roll through fields
Where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams
This train
Carries saints and sinners
This train
Carries losers and winners
This Train
Carries whores and gamblers
This Train
Carries lost souls
This Train
Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train
Faith will be rewarded
This Train
Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train
Bells of freedom ringin'
This Train
Carries broken-hearted
This Train
Thieves and sweet souls departed
This Train
Carries fools and kings
This Train
All aboard
This Train
Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train
Faith will be rewarded
This Train
Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train
Bells of freedom ringin'
-- Bruce Springsteen, "Land of Hope and Dreams"
11 comments:
Bruce is indeed spiritual as witnessed in some of the stories I read in For You Original Stories and Photographs by Bruce Springteen's Legenday Fans.
Releasing the new album through Wal-Mart only though? What the hell?
andy:
give 'em something about "sinaloa cowboys" and "the line" and "across the border." much overlooked gospel inflected tracks that push the boundaries of "America" in really interesting and important directions....
cjdm
i love this song. i've often wanted to take the chorus (the "this train" part) and combine it with "people get ready" and use it in worship, but so far i never have.
Wow, didn't you know that it's so uncool to be a Springsteen admirer? You're going to drive away the cool kids from your blog!
P.S. I drove away the cool kids a long time ago! Welcome to the club.
mg, i have the same ambitions.
andy, just watched this with my daughter (thank you) and taught her to say 'the boss.' found myself weeping. i think this song is a perfectly good argument for why 'dialing down' is not always and in every circumstance warranted in worship.
-joshua
I hear this song and I want to fall to my knees and weep. Then I want to climb atop the red couch in the family room and jump off, strumming an imaginary power chord at the top of the jump. This is what Bruce does to me.
It's such a remarkable song. Mike, I would love, love, love to hear this song used in a worship service. It totally works. And yes, for those of you who are curious, Mike is the kind of guy who would actually incorporate it into a worship service.
I also think that Bruce Springsteen understands the gospel better than most self-identified Christians. Whores and gamblers, all aboard! We got a special passenger car just for you, and the free dinner is courtesy of the conductor.
thanks andy, i take it as a compliment. i'll see what i can come up with. might be a few months though...
It's meant as a compliment. I look forward to hearing it. And worshiping to it.
I stopped attending and believing in the church years ago but I have found that quite often, it is the people outside of the church that understand the original intent and beliefs that it once stood for. Once again Andy, hats off to your prose. I hope you had a great holiday.
Post a Comment