Chords for Change

The NY Times ^ | 080504 | By Bruce Springsteen

[Archangelsk]

Springsteen has always been a Studs Terkel kind of a guy. Any conservative who whoops and hollers to "Born in the USA" has no concept of what that song is all about.

[GSlob]

Didn't Plato in his "Republic" disapprove of Springsteenoidal artists and recommend driving them out? He might have had a point.

[Vision]

We granted tax cuts to the richest 1 percent (corporate bigwigs, well-to-do guitar players), increasing the division of wealth that threatens to destroy our social contract with one another and render mute the promise of "one nation indivisible."

What a dumbass

[Choose Ye This Day]

Hey, Bruce!

[Choose Ye This Day]

That is why I plan to join with many fellow artists, including the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., the Dixie Chicks, Jurassic 5, James Taylor and Jackson Browne, in touring the country this October. We will be performing under the umbrella of a new group called Vote for Change. Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November.

Did Bruce have to pay to place this political ad in the Ny Slimes? Or did he get free advertising for his concerts?

[Zeppo]

Supposedly Springsteen was on Nightline tonight. I wonder when the 'swift boat veterans' will have a Nightline episode dedicated to them.

[M1911A1]

I've always enjoyed the music, but I wasn't blind to the message. As long as he remained aloof from individual political battles, I could just write off the philosophy as an honest take on the world by an artist who was pushing an outlook on life, but not a specific agenda. That started to change with "Fourtynine Shots" and now has completely changed.

Good musician. Wrong headed politics. Since he has cast his lot this way, I won't be spending another penny on his music, end of story.

[Billthedrill]

Springsteen has never been particularly bright politically. Born In The USA was anything but patriotic - that it became a song of defiance during the renaissance of the American spirit that took place at the accession of Ronald Reagan was a fortuitous accident that lengthened this artist's career and give him a relevance he did not earn.

On sign of lack of originality of thought is this trite little screed - it echoes the same, tired cliches we've yawned to for years now - unnecessary war, cutting social services, tax breaks for the richest - good God, Brucie, all you had to do was intone "damage the environment" or "no blood for oil" and I'd have had a Bingo.

[AlbertWang]

Let's see, 1984 was 20 years ago........

Yeah, Bruce is real important, I'm glad we heard from him. Now I'm just itching to know the opinions of the lads from FogHat, the geopolitical wisdom of Peter Frampton, and a World Overview from Leo Sayer.

[bitt]

'That is why I plan to join with many fellow artists, including the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., the Dixie Chicks, Jurassic 5, James Taylor and Jackson Browne, in touring the country this October. We will be performing under the umbrella of a new group called Vote for Change. Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November.'

and that is why I am going to go rampaging thru the cd and tape collections of all persons in this household and do some assiduous purging of the above-named 'artists'. Then I am going to smash the cases and super glue them to the big W sign on the front lawn.

[Blue Screen of Death]

I too look forward to the day when our artists are free to work in a "progressive" country. I have always admired the freedom of artistic expression enjoyed in Cuba, China and the old Soviet Union.

As long as you wrote about the glorious revolution or painted the strong arms of a working comrade or sang ballads of the collective farmer feeding his nation, everything was fine.

Do these people ever look around and think?

[Archangelsk]

Now I'm just itching to know the opinions of the lads from FogHat, the geopolitical wisdom of Peter Frampton, and a World Overview from Leo Sayer.

Why? So you can take a slow ride feeling like you do as you dance the night away? Gawd, I'm old. :-)

[Choose Ye This Day]

I'm watching Nightline now. Bruce just said the concerts are being organized by...you guessed it: MoveOn.org!

[Archangelsk]

Uh, unless you really enjoy the idea of hearing your teenagers say, "I hate you, Dad," followed by the requisite slamming of their respective bedroom doors (and you following up with the also requisite, "my house, my rules"), I suggest you rethink that option.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

At this point, I think I'll just illegally download his music. As a socialist, Bruce shouldn't mind whatsoever. ;-)

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Uh, unless you really enjoy the idea of hearing your teenagers say, "I hate you, Dad," followed by the requisite slamming of their respective bedroom doors (and you following up with the also requisite, "my house, my rules"), I suggest you rethink that option.

Do any teenagers actually listen to these bands?

Unlikely. I'm 40, and some of the guys in this group of lefties are closer in age to my parents.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Ted Koppel just nailed Bruce. Bruce initially said the concerts were to support Kerry (positive). At the end of the interview, Bruce admitted that the goal was to "beat Bush." There is NO enthusiasm for John Kerry, not even among the Hollywood elites and the far-Left freaks.

[Archangelsk]

REM, yep. Dave Matthews, yep. Pearl (pronounced Purrrrrllll) Jam, yep.

[KingNo155]

Shut up Bruce from one Jersey guy to the other You and your music suck!

[KingNo155]

You call his music good? Whats good about it? I live in New Jersey and people try to ram that local boy crap down my throat what is good about his music?