"I want you to think about the beautiful symphonic sound that came out of one man's saxophone.
I want you to think about Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band of Brothers.
I want you to think of Clarence Clemons.
This man just carried music and music carried him until this day."--Bono, last night in Anaheim.
Clarence Clemons. Photo by Danny Clinch,
© 2011 BruceSpringsteen.Net
I sort of lost track of Bruce when he broke up the E Street Band although I always liked the 'old' stuff and especially his solo albums Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad. For my money, "Highway Patrolman" is the best song he ever wrote.
I saw the rejuvenated, reunited E Street Band live, once, on The Rising tour in Ottawa, ON (in 2003) and I've always loved the way he tells stories through complex imagery and lyrics--much like the post I wrote last week about lieder and its ultimate influence on rock and roll. The Rising was also a very "healing" record for me. I'm a native New Yorker and the whole record is about the tragedy and after-effects of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
That said, this isn't usually a blog about Springsteen (or this great sax player.) But we'll end with something opera-related, the lyrics from the second verse of classic Bruce track "Jungleland."
"The midnight gangs assembled, and picked a rendezvous for the night,
They'll meet `neath that giant EXXON sign that brings this fair city light,
Man there's an opera out on the Turnpike,
There's a ballet being fought out in the alley,
Until the local cops, cherry tops, rips this holy night.
The street's alive, as secret debts are paid,
Contacts made, they vanished unseen.
Kids flash guitars just like switch-blades, hustling for the record machine,
The hungry and the hunted explode into rock 'n' roll bands,
That face off against each other out in the street,
down in Jungleland."
And here's the song, complete with Clarence's magnificent sax solo. Enjoy, and we'll get back to classical music tomorrow.
COMMENTS ( 2 )
posted on 19 April at 21:25
Steve Donziger is a foremost attorney and country-wide expert on misdemeanour system and boy violence. He worked as a journalist owing Amalgamated Television Supranational and freelanced for the treatment of four years, filing more than 150 stories from Key America. He was on the legitimate rig representing the Ecuadorian plaintiffs against Texaco in the 1990s and nowadays serves as right advisor to the Ecuadorian legal team.
posted on 16 February at 09:45
After having a month break, in a few days I must back into work. I've enjoyed a little travel with my family in the past month, and actually, I never thought i could be so happy.
We travelled to Asia, spent 1 week in Japan, 2 weeks in China and few days in Korea and Thailand.
First thing I wish to tell you guys is, keep in mind that, original Chinese food is much delicious than those who served in China Town. They are much much more delicious! I ate a wide variety of food in that week, so awesome!
About Japan, well, the most special thing in my opinion it's their video games, such a big amount of video game stores out there and you can see people play games on their cellphones, psp and Nintendo game box. Besides, I joined 2 cosplay competitions in Tokyo, and I must say it's really an eye opener for me. BTW, who said Japanese girls are easy to bang? Totally bush*t!
Korea, I like it, but I've to say their food is not very good for my family, either too spicy or little, and SO EXPENSIVE!!!
We went to Thailand a week ago, well, it's a mysterious country I've to say, so many amazing things I've never heard, and their spas, I don't know there are so many kinds of different spas in the world, if you go their, don't miss them.
OK, this is my vocation, I just want to share it with you guys before I back to work, and hope someone would share his/her vocation with us. Best wishes!