This is going to be big
I listened to the "The Rising" ten times last night. It's a great song — Springsteen is in a very religious frame of mind here and vivid 11 September imagery is everywhere in the lyrics. Here's an excerpt from the final verse that reminded me very much of the Catholic rosary complete with the repetitions that are intended to bring those praying to a new level of spiritual awareness:
"Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burning wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight"
Amidst the images of destruction, there's transcendence and resurrection here and, interestingly, with its earlier reference to one of the characters "wearing the cross of my calling," it may be that the song is an allusion to Father Mychal Judge, the New York City Fire Department chaplain and Franciscan priest, who was killed at the World Trade Center.
The entire 15-song album, "The Rising", will be released 30 July and marks Springsteen's first full-length effort with the E Street Band in almost 20 years. Given it's 9/11 context, the song — and album — should return Springsteen to the national (global?) consciousness in the way "Born in the USA" did in 1984.
