From the Record Crate: Bruce Springsteen – “The Rising” (2002)
BRI LOCKHART0SHARES
000When it comes to a pop culture icon like Bruce Springsteen, there’s usually a few career-defining moments that stand out. It’s easy to see that the release of his twelfth studio album, The Rising, is one of them. Inspired by the attacks on September 11, 2001, the album marks the end of a seven year music drought and an eighteen-years-long separation from the E Street Band, launching a new era in Springsteen’s career.
According to Rolling Stone, Springsteen was inspired by a stranger who stopped him in the time after the attacks and said, “We need you now.” The album blends a few previously unreleased tracks with songs written in direct response to the post-9/11 world, creating album focuses on grief, hope, and the human connections that define us.
“Lonesome Day,” the first song on The Rising, sets the musical and lyrical tone for the whole album. Opening on a foreboding note, the song ultimately builds up to a brighter sound to argue in favor of our own resilience. “Hell’s brewing, dark sun’s on the rise/This storm will blow through by and by…This too shall pass, darling, yeah I’m gonna pray/Right now, all I got’s this lonesome day,” Springsteen sings, illustrating the importance of hope in a world that seems a little darker than it did before. Country-influenced guitar is joined by a strong violin part, introducing a new bit of sound for Springsteen.
The 9/11-centric album closes on “My City of Ruins,” a song that was actually written a year prior to the attacks. “My City of Ruins” was written about the deterioration of Asbury Park, a place near and dear to Springsteen. The descriptions of the city open to a sweeping repetition of “Come on rise up,” leaving off with an ultimately hopeful message. It’s easy to see why people took hold of this song in the wake of tragic events like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Christchurch Earthquake.
Ultimately, The Rising earned Bruce Springsteen a Grammy for Best Rock Album as well as a debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Considering its musical and greater cultural relevancy, it’s not surprising that The Rising is held up as one of the great Springsteen albums. It’s a little heavy-handed when it comes to the religious imagery and prayers at times, but it’s thoughtful in its handling of the full range of human emotion. The Rising’s deft handling of grief, exploration of hope, and overall message of human resilience make it an album that should often be revisited, especially when times are looking especially dark.
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