I should say it\'s a rock n\' roll stomper with some judicious Indian influences, which I really like. Maybe Bruce met Bill Laswell, who is also from Joisey. :D

I like it. Had no idea it was Bruce until he started singing. I like it when he uses musical influences outside of Jersey...

I think this song is amazing. And that drum intro is the rockinest thing I've heard in awhile.

I think this sounds great, what a surprise it is Bruce. I think Bruce is ok....but this impressed me how he is expanding his relm of musical influences. Impressive.

I have no problem with this at all. It\'s a good ol\' rock n\' roll stomper. It\'s also a contrast to the rest of The Rising.

it is sad how some people have such a hard time with things outside the \"standard\" conception of what something \"should\" be. Bill, you have a great \"ear\" for music. Thanks for showcasing this on Radio Paradise. The set of music really flows nicely. Kudos.

Could be time for Bruce to call it a career.

ick

maybe you are a "medium" Bruce fan. ;) :p

never heard this one, different but cool. nice mix of eastern and east new jersey :)

The hard pronunciation of his \"R\'s\" gets on my nerves. His voice sticks out of this otherwise wonderful song like a sore thumb.

Well put, I'm not from "there" and there is much more that I don't "get" than I do. This is an area that produced Seger, Nugent, Iggy, Alice, MC5, Motown in general and to our dismay, Eminem and Kid Rock. We pretty much lay it on the line and as anyone can see, we are very fond of rhythm which may be what is missing in a lot of those tunes we don't get. IMO when Bruce is on, he is excellent - enough said.

I thought exactly the same thing. In my mind, Simon and Springsteen are, along with Dylan, the American singer-songwriters. However, while Simon has been able to expand, adapt and include music from other cultures, Springsteen remains essentially Heartland American, and I'm not sure he has the ability to move beyond that. There's nothing wrong with that; this is not a criticism of Springsteen, just an observation. This song just sounds awkward, like he's trying too hard. The rest of the album is wonderful.

So OK, i\'m a Canadian (a long way from new Jersey), and i loved the \"old\" Springsteen and I don\'t think this is the bet thing he\'s ever done .... but i still think it\'s pretty good and it provokes comment, which is more than you can say for tons of the self-serving instant gratification cr*p out there. Give the music a break. Overblown expectations are not the fault of the artist but of the expecter :)

I think it\'s still(and always will be) a Jersey, East Coast thing with the Boss. I really do belive if your not from here (and I am) there is a part of it you just don\'t get. His songs have always had an attitude that you have to live around to understand. This is a good song, but not the best on the CD.

Take heart. The bashing is not that widespread. The person who favors the "evil" emoticon spreads his ill will and anger (for whatever reason?) across Paradise. I think it took some guts to break the typical "Springsteen" mold that expectations and habit bring to bear. Those who love "classic" Springsteen will find it challenging (maybe too much so) and those who never liked him will certainly rebuke him for breaking out of whatever their preconceived image of cultivated dislike might be. I was lucky to first hear the song on RP without being at the computer screen. It caught my ear and I was surprised and impressed when I finally recognized Bruce and the band. I like this.

I can\'t stand to see the bashing trend - I don\'t follow BP faithfully, but have enjoyed his past work, like Tunnel of Love. There are a few songs I really like on this album as well. I like the rhythm and power on this song. I think he is an American Icon whether you worship his music or not.

couldn't agree more.

La la la... la la. La la la...la la. La la la...la la.......La la Arrrrrrrgh!

wow. so you, despite being an "original disser" really haven't listened to his music.

Seems to me he\'s having a hard time finding the notes.

(hand in air) I'm one of the original dissers of the Bruce. I'm 44 -- not really young. I too acknowledge that many artists, including those cited, have *something* that draws a huge following, but I can't say I have "respect" for them. Bob Dylan yes, Bruce Springsteen no. It depends on the nature of their art. BD did real art, BS has only done testosterone-driven trailer-park rock'n'roll. In this song he attempts something more "intelligent" (and sensitive), so maybe it's OK for RP to play it. I'm mostly sane-minded, and you're right: not much out there on the radio these days (my 17-yr old son's favorite radio station is an 80's station :)). Which is why RADIO PARADISE RULES!!! I've heard some dang good stuff here in RP from today's artists, especially obscure ones. When I want to witness stamina and energy, I watch athletes. When I want some eclectic intelligent rock, I listen to RP. Even though Bill sometimes plays these less-than-intelligent songs. If you're still reading this, sorry for the length.

Just hearing this for the first time. Took a bit before I realized it was Springsteen. Sounds good.

Hey Flying_Donut ... yup, you can certainly not like any song you want. Heck, I personally can't stomach most of the almost-worshipped-around-here Coldplay songs. :) But music and lyrics and art in general aren't created in a vacuum; they're always responses to things going on in the world in general or the world of the artist. Obviously, this song was created post-September 11th and in response to that, and it will likely be politicized because of that.

Interesting choice after Worlds Apart. BP rules!

Jeez, can\'t we just rate and comment on songs without political commentary? I don\'t like this song. Sorry, but I don\'t. I think lyrically it is enh, and the melody is repetitive. What\'s with all the la-la-las? Sounds like too much filler. Oh well. Does that make me less of an American because I don\'t like a Bruce Springsteen song? Please.

Jeez, I thought only Dylan engendered this kind of response on RP. I have the cd, and I think it\'s one of the few responses to 9/11 that challenges the listener to do more than simply salute the flag. That said, this isn\'t one of the strongest tracks on the cd imho. However, there are 7 or 8 tunes that face9/11 in a deep, mournful and compassionate way. To an earlier commenter: this is Born in the USA, 2002 style.

I\'ve been critical of \"the boss\" before in these comments, but I\'m enjoying this song. It has a lighter yet more powerful tone. Still a bit of that tongue nonsense in this one -- what was it: \"lay my tongue on you scars\" ? Guy\'s got a thing for tongues. Yikes! :roll:

I don't get it. Call me crazy, but I expect a little bit more respect from RP listeners. And not just because he's Bruce or because of some ridiculous idea that he represents patriotism or American pride. I just saw Bruce live about a couple of days ago and it was simply phenomonal. The stamina and energy of his show is nothing short of legendary. I sincerely belive that 95% of the Bruce-bashers here at RP would change their minds if they saw one of his shows.

Hey, hey. Please don't talk about younger people like that. Generalizations = bad. I like the Grateful Dead. My ears aren't overly fond of Bob Dylan (though I realize he was an important figure), but my just-turned-fourteen friend likes his stuff a lot. The younger generation really isn't as hopeless as you'd think :) That said, I enjoyed this song.