High Hopes
The single was already released one month ago. The whaling guitar solo from Tom Morello shows why he wanted to play this song from Tim Scott McConnell during the tour. Percussion and horns are upfront. These three ingredients are the most obvious changes to the 1995 rendition that was recorded during the Greatest Hits studio time.
The importance of 'High Hopes' as a starting point of the whole album is also evident from the fact that Springsteen chose this cover to be the title track of the album. The lyrics of the song fit well with the theme of Wrecking Ball: hard work, good intentions and high hopes alone will not be sufficient anymore in this society. Good intentions change into a cry for help:
It won't take much to kill a loving smile
Every mother with a baby crying in her arms singing
give me help, give me strength
give a soul a night of fearless sleep
Nowadays in America, this support is lacking and the future is uncertain for new parents and their children:
I wanna buy some time and maybe live my life
I wanna have a wife, I wanna have some kids
I wanna look in their eyes and know they'll stand a chance
Video 'High Hopes'.
Harry's Place
This song was written before The Rising and is production wise very typical for Brendan O'Brien's work on the 2002 album. Bruce cited part of the lyrics from his notebook during a tv interview with Ted Koppel in the show Nightline, right before the release of The Rising:
Downtown hipsters drinkin' up the drug line
Down in the kitchen workin' in the coal mine
Got a special sin, mister, you can't quite confess
Messy little problem, maybe baby needs a new dress
Razor-back diamond shines a little too hard
Need a hammer help you handle a little trouble in your backyard
Bring it on down to Harry's Place
This is almost the whole first verse. 'Harry's Place' is a rock song that starts off with Bruce singing through the radio microphone in a distorted voice: "Bring it down to Harry's Place." This character Harry is a mob leader ("He rules") who leaves his whole neighborhood in fear. During the song Bruce uses the explitive "fuck" a lot, which will result in a parental advisory sticker on the US release of the album. "You don't fuck with Harry's money, you don't fuck Harry's girls" is an example.
There are some shady characters with nicknames in the song, such as Seesaw Bobby. The main character wants to work for the organized crime and he gets some obscure assignments: "Voice whispers in my ear: 'We do what we must do'", and "You bring it down to his place". He gets sucked in and cannot leave the organization anymore: "Looking for the key of the box you locked yourself in."
Musically, the song 'Harry's Place' reminisces the atmosphere of 'The Fuse' and 'Further on Up the Road'. At the end of the song, after this Harry character has been descibed as the big 'kingpin' that everyone fears, it seems that nobody has ever seen him: "Nobody's got his number, nobody knows his name. If he doesn't exists, it will all be the same."
American Skin (41 Shots)
This version is very similar to the live rendition of this song from the last part of the Wrecking Ball tour. 'American Skin' is inspired by the death of Amadou Diallo, who died in a vestibule of a New York City building in 1999, after being shot by two police officers who thought Diallo was armed. Diallo was hit by nineteen out of the forty-one shots that the officers took at him. The officers were judged 'not guilty' but the family of Diallo pressed charges. The ruling was eventually settled out of court.
Springsteen debuted the song live in Atlanta at the end of the Reunion tour in 2000. Also during the ten show stand in New York City, this song was put on the setlist. The live renditions were not well-received by all fans in New York. There was booing in Madison Square Garden and police and representatives of the NY police stated in the media they felt insulted . In their opinion, this song was a direct conviction of the police action against Diallo by Bruce.
A live version of 'American Skin' was released in 2001 on Live in New York City. Bruce also recorded a studio version with the E Street Band. That version was released on a very hard-to-find promo single. Springsteen kept playing the song live, although not frequently, during The Rising Tour and the Working on a Dream Tour.
An new incident in Orlando, in February 2012, may have inspired Bruce to start playing this song again. The 17-year old African-American Trayvon Martin was killed by neighborhoodwatch coordinator George Zimmerman. Martin was an innocent student, unarmed, but wearing a hoody and Zimmerman felt threatened by him when he met him at night. Zimmerman was put on trial and faced charges for second-degree murder and manslaughter, but was eventually acquitted. Bruce dedicated 'American Skin' during the Wrecking Ball Tour twice to Trayvon Martin.
The rendition on High Hopes is very similar to the recent live version, but with a different start. Bruce sings four times "41 shots" through the bullet mike. The saxophone solo in the song could be an older recording of Clarence (during the listening session, Be True did not have access to additional recording information).
Live version of 'American Skin' during the Wrecking Ball tour.
Just Like Fire Would
A cover from the Australian band The Saints from 1986. During the first Australian show in Brisbane (March 14, 2013), Springsteen and the E Street Band played this song live. To this day, this remains the only live version of this cover. The studio recording is very similar to the live version, catchy and with full sound, with the horns in a strong supporting role. This song sounds like it would not have been out of place on Little Stevens first solo album Men Without Women. You may wonder why Springsteen decided to put this particular cover on the album, and why now. According to the liner notes of High Hopes that were publised on Springsteens website, the Saints is one of his favorite Australian punk bands.
The one-off live rendition of 'Just Like Fire Would', Brisbane, March 14 2013.
Down in the Hole
This song is musically very similar to 'I'm on Fire'. At the start, a banjo appears, which reminds of the live version of 'I'm on Fire' the way Bruce played it during the Devils & Dust Tour. The drum pattern is almost exactly the same as on 'I'm on Fire' and at the beginning of the song, some high humming (perhaps by Patti) also reminds of 'I'm on Fire'. The song has a lot of organ and violin and Bruce sings the first verse in a nasal voice. Midway during the second verse, the voice changes back to normal.
Probably Bruce considered this song for inclusion on The Rising, as Brendan O'Brien signs for the production again. In the lyrics, it seems that Bruce describes someone's search of a deceased spouse. It fits right in with the theme of 'Countin' on a Miracle', 'Empty Sky' and 'My City of Ruins'. Bruce also uses the imagery of an empty town ("Empty city skyline" and "I wake to find my city's gone to black, I dig until I get you back") to describe death. Other lyrics are "I'm buried to my heart in this hurt" and "The day ripped apart, a dark and bloody arrow pierced my heart".
Heaven's Wall
A powerful gospel song with a lot of references to the Bible. The song reminds of 'Rocky Ground', but more uptempo and without the rap. At the start a choir sings repeatedly: "Raise your hands, raise your hands, raise your hands." Bruce descibes a woman near a well and uses images of the Old Testament: "Men of Gideon, men of Saul" and "Sons of Abraham". The chorus references the land of Canaan, which now is Libanon, Israel, Palestine and part of Egypt:
Outside the walls of Heaven
Raise your hands, raise your hands, raise your hands
Together we walk into Canaan land
Also Bruce refers the story of Jonah and the whale. 'Swallowed Up', a song that is completely about this story, did make it on Wrecking Ball as a bonustrack. Musically 'Heaven's Wall' is comparable to 'High Hopes': energized, a full sound with a lot of percussion and a guitar duel. The inevitable 'lai, lai, lai''s will make 'Heaven's Wall' a successful singalong, if it will be played live at all. Brendan O'Brien is credited for the production, with Ron Aniello as co-producer.
Frankie Fell in Love
A fun song but with very corny lyrics. The first verse:
Good morning, good morning
The church mouse is snorin'
The news is out all over town
Frankie fell in love
and the final verse:
Good evening, good evening
The church mouse is sleepin'
The news is out all over town
Frankie fell in love
are not among Springsteens best writing. Yes, Frankie is in love and that is about all that this song is about: "Somebody tell mama Frankie fell in love". Bruce writes in the liner notes that the song refers to his days in Asbury Park, early seventies, when he was living together with Little Steven. At the first listen, that story is hard to pick up, maybe only in the second verse when Bruce declares to be so happy that his roomy is in love, that they will eat take-out only: "World peace gonna break out, from here on in we're eatin' take-out."
At the end of the song, also Einstein and Shakespeare appear, sipping a beer together at a bar, discussing love: "Shakespare says it all starts with a kiss." Einstein tries to solve difficult calculations on the back of a napkin, but Shakespeare explains: "One and one is three, it's just like poetry, Frankie fell in love."
This is Your Sword
This song and the next, 'Hunter of Invisible Game', left the least impression at the first listen. There are bagpipes and at the end a mandoline. This is an atmospheric song in which Bruce recalls images of knights or vikings:
This is your sword, this is your shield
This is the power of love revealed
and:
Brothers and sisters, listen to me
Give all the love that you have in your soul
Days of miracles will come along
"The sword of your fathers" is being handed down to the next generation or the next descendant. "Don't despair, our love is real" is a line that reminds of 'Born to Run', but also to the big Italian sign on the stands of San Siro stadium in Milan this year (which read: Our Love Is Real - NYCS).
Hunter of Invisible Game
A production by Brendan O'Brien. It is a quiet song, with vague imagery. Someone is building an ark and waits for rain. The story appears to be about the end of times. Also in this song empty cities recall death:
Empty cities and burning plaines
The hour of deliverance comes to us all
There's a kingdom of love waiting to be reclaimed
Bruce writes in the liner notes that the song is about travelers in a wasteland. This song needs more listening to be understood, and appreciated. The end of the song fades out like a vinyl record, complete with crackling sound.
The Ghost of Tom Joad
The guitar art by Tom Morello on this song is well-known. Just as on the live rendition, Bruce sings 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' on the record as a duet with Tom. A strong rendition, that is a bit more styled than the live version. The first guitar solo from Morello is fierceful, but the second one is the first one squared. Very powerful. Hearing this makes you realize why Bruce was inspired by Morello. There are heavy drums in this song and also accordeon, similar to the live version.
Live rendition of 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' with Tom Morello, recorded during the Magic tour.
The Wall
The subdued song 'The Wall' is a potential award winner on the album. Bruce wrote it a while ago together with Joe Grushecky, and played it live already four times: twice in 2003 at the benefit shows for Doubletake Magazine in Somerville, MA and twice during the Devils & Dust Tour. 'The Wall' refers to the monument for Vietnam Veterans in Washington, D.C. Thousands of names are written on a long black wall, names of soldiers that died or went missing during the Vietnam war.
Photo: Paulus 2 - Creative Commons
The war in Vietnam is a recurrent theme in Springsteens catalogue. Many songs refer directly or indirectly to this war that took place during the time that a young Bruce could have been a soldier himself. Maybe that is why this war made such an impression on him. When he received his draft notice, Bruce managed to stay out of the military service and which saved him most probably from going to Vietnam himself. Bruce knew two young musicians personally, who were sent to Vietnam and died there: Bart Haynes, drummer in The Castiles where Bruce played guitar, and Walter Cichon, singer of The Motifs, a popular band in Freehold in 1965.
In the liner notes Bruce writes about Cichon: "Walter was one of the great early Jersey Shore rockers, who along with his brother Ray (one of my early guitar mentors) led the Motifs. The Motifs were a local rock band who were always a head above everybody else. Raw, sexy and rebellious, they were the heroes you aspired to be. But these were heroes you could touch, speak to, and go to with your musical inquiries. Cool, but always accessible, they were an inspiration to me, and many young working musicians in 1960's central New Jersey. Though my character in 'The Wall' is a Marine, Walter was actually in the Army, A Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry. He was the first person I ever stood in the presence of who was filled with the mystique of the true rock star. Walter went missing in action in Vietnam in March 1968. He still performs somewhat regularly in my mind, the way he stood, dressed, held the tambourine, the casual cool, the freeness. The man who by his attitude, his walk said "you can defy all this, all of what's here, all of what you’ve been taught, taught to fear, to love and you'll still be alright." His was a terrible loss to us, his loved ones and the local music scene. I still miss him."
Cichon was 22 years old when he died in Vietnam. Bart Haynes, drummer in Springsteens second band The Castiles, was only 19 years old.
Springsteens solo rendition of 'The Wall' during the Devils & Dust tour, with a nice introduction by Bruce on Walter Cichon.
In December 1997 Bruce and Patti Scialfa visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. Bruce was invited that evening to attend the Kennedy Center Honors gala diner, where Bob Dylan was being honored. Standing in front of the wall, Bruce and Patti looked up the names of Chicon and Haynes. Later that evening, they sat at dinner together with Robert McNamara, the man who became Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam war and was responsible for keeping the war going, even when most of the American people were against it. Only in the mid nineties, McNamara admitted his judgement was wrong at that time and he expressed his regret for the terrible consequences.
In the lyrics of the song, which Bruce wrote after visiting the monument, the main character is standing in front of the wall with names, and starts talking to a deceased friend that lost his life in Vietnam:
This black stone and these hard tears are all I've got left now of you
I remember you in your Marine uniform laughing, laughing at your shipping out party
I read Robert McNamara says he's sorry
This deceased friend played just like Cichon in the beste rock band in town:
You and your boots and black T-shirt, ah Billy you looked so bad
Yeah you and your rock 'n' roll band was the best thing this shit town ever had
Now the men that put you here eat with their families in rich dining halls
And apology and forgiveness got no place here at all at the wall
The music is subdued, Bruce plays on an acoustic guitar and later during the song, piano is added. More instruments are added later on: there is an organ solo, accordeon appears in the last verse and at the end, a beautiful trumpet solo plays over a snare drum.
Dream Baby Dream
'Dream Baby Dream', the Suicide cover from 1979, is best known as the closer of the Devils & Dust shows. It is also the final song on High Hopes. During the live version in 2005, Bruce started this song seated behind the harmonium, and then stood up, walked over to the edge of the stage en kept singing the extended ending, while the music was sampled and played over and over. A hypnotic mantra at the end of intense shows. 'Dream Baby Dream' on record is not as strong as it was at these shows. The ending is shortened significantly and more sounds and instruments are added. This distracts the listener and the song loses it's power. 'The Wall' was probably a better ending for High Hopes.
'Dream Baby Dream' as closed during the Devils & Dust show in Royal Albert Hall in Londen, May 28 2005
(Photos: Jos Westenberg).
A live version of 'Dream Baby Dream' appeared in 2005 on an obscure 10 inch EP. The studio version of the song that appears on High Hopes is the soundtrack of the video that Bruce released at the end of the Wrecking Ball tour as a thank you to his fans.