Bruce Springsteen and The Blues

The genre of music “blues” has been one that’s withstood the test of time. Blues music is unique in the sense that one truly needs to feel “blue”, or down to sing/write a song. That is why this music has withstood the test of time, because no matter what time period or generation is making this music, one is always going to fall on hard times and be able to relate to this type of music. A genre that was born out of the aftermath of slavery is obviously going to carry with it a powerful message. That message is one of struggle and fight to drive forward in the face of adversity. That same message is normally associated with what is considered the “American Dream”. This dream is the thought that anyone can make it in America if they really try and work toward it. As time has changed, so has blues music. Although the times have changed, this dream has stayed the same and it is expressed in modern day blues. When it comes to struggle and this experience, no one person has shown that more in his music then the legendary, Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen lived through this experience and his lyrics convey it when looked at closely. In 1978, Bruce Springsteen released arguably his greatest album, “Darkness on the Edge of Town”. Before this time though he finally hit it big with his album “Born to Run”. He was struggling to maintain his commercial success without losing his artistic values. “The Boss” as he is referred to by many was finally able to channel his frustrations into some of the most beautifully illustrated songs showcasing a man’s frustrations and desires with the world. His song “Badlands” encompasses his frustrations beautifully with the lyric “Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, And a king ain't satisfied, till he rules everything”. This lyric perfectly sums up what can happen to a man once they taste a bit of success. Sometimes they become power hungry and truly are not satisfied until they have everything. This