[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_h5VHbu-wQ"]YouTube- The Meaning of American Pie[/ame]
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American Pie- The Meaning
- Thread starter pirate_girl
- Start date
Thanks Bill, glad someone appreciated it
California
Charter Member
Hell that's the sound track to my childhood!
PG, thank you for posting this.
I still remember the day in Jr High when word went around about Buddy Holly's plane crash.
Its ironic, but a truly American story, that the kid who first told me "'you gotta listen to the Crickets!" was born in one of the WWII Retention Centers for West Coast Japanese Americans. I think his uncle was a top-40 DJ so this kid grew up hearing everything first. He recognized an earth shaking hit as soon as he heard it.
And a million years later I was at Altamont when the Hells Angels killed the kid who climbed up on stage with Mick Jagger. Still later I lived next door to a black family who played 'Killing me Softly' all summer long the year it came out. I learned here that Roberta Flack wrote that for McLean. As this vid points out, these and many other events were the landmarks in American culture for an era.
Folks, there was more hope then.
I can't comprehend how America has evolved to this crap:
PG, thank you for posting this.
I still remember the day in Jr High when word went around about Buddy Holly's plane crash.
Its ironic, but a truly American story, that the kid who first told me "'you gotta listen to the Crickets!" was born in one of the WWII Retention Centers for West Coast Japanese Americans. I think his uncle was a top-40 DJ so this kid grew up hearing everything first. He recognized an earth shaking hit as soon as he heard it.
And a million years later I was at Altamont when the Hells Angels killed the kid who climbed up on stage with Mick Jagger. Still later I lived next door to a black family who played 'Killing me Softly' all summer long the year it came out. I learned here that Roberta Flack wrote that for McLean. As this vid points out, these and many other events were the landmarks in American culture for an era.
Folks, there was more hope then.
I can't comprehend how America has evolved to this crap:
Beck: Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ is ‘anti-American,’ ‘propaganda’
By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, March 11th, 2010 -- 8:32 pm
A song that's been played over speakers at hundreds of campaign rallies, vibrated in the space between drinks at everyone's favorite bar and set millions of heads nodding from radio stations coast to coast -- a piece of music that is literally stitched into the fabric of American blue-collar culture,
Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" -- is, according to right-wing pundit Glenn Beck, "anti-American" and "propaganda" that people must "wake up" from.
If you're unfamiliar, need a refresher or simply like good music, give it give it a listen:
The lyrics are available here.
"Born down in a dead man's town," the Fox News personality said during his Thursday radio broadcast, quoting Springsteen's lyrics. "The first kick I took was when I hit the ground. You end up like a dog that's been beat too much. 'Til you spend half your life just covering up.
"Born, in the USA."
Beck continued like that, dryly reading Springsteen's words, almost as if he were imitating William Shatner.
"Born in the USA" is, of course, about a working class guy with a factory job who ends up in Vietnam, to "kill the yellow man." One of his friends dies in the war, leaving behind a baby in Saigon. When he comes home he works hard for 10 years in the "shadow of the penitentiary," but still has "nowhere to run." "I'm a cool rocking daddy in the USA," Springsteen wails. "Born in the USA."
Naturally, no summary could equate the emotion this tale conveys. It is the quintessential American script, an experience millions of poor and working-class people can relate to.
"That's what it's all about," Beck said. "That's what America's all about, according to Springsteen. ... It's time for us to wake, wake up, out of our, um, dreamstate. Wake up out of the propaganda. The, you know, this is the thing that, people who come from the Soviet-bloc or Cuba, they're all saying, 'How do you guys not hear this? How do you not see this?' Well, that's 'cause we don't ever expect it."
The likely reason Beck is attacking someone far more talented than himself is because Springsteen has endorsed a number of Democrats, including President Obama. Springsteen even put on a show at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He did the same for Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) near the end of the 2004 presidential campaign.
Springsteen explained to Rolling Stone publisher Jann S. Wenner in an exclusive interview that he kept out of partisan politics for a long time because he wanted to remain "credible" and "independent." It was the Iraq war that brought Springsteen back into the political foray, as it did for many other Americans.
"I knew after we invaded Iraq that I was going to be involved in the election," he said. "It made me angry. We started to talk about it onstage. I take my three minutes a night for what I call my public-service announcement. We talked about it almost every night on our summer tour.
"I felt we had been misled. I felt they had been fundamentally dishonest and had frightened and manipulated the American people into war. And as the saying goes, 'The first casualty of war is truth.' I felt that the Bush doctrine of pre-emption was dangerous foreign policy. I don't think it has made America safer." [...] "Sitting on the sidelines would be a betrayal of the ideas I'd written about for a long time."
Springsteen added:
The comments on that link are great:By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, March 11th, 2010 -- 8:32 pm
A song that's been played over speakers at hundreds of campaign rallies, vibrated in the space between drinks at everyone's favorite bar and set millions of heads nodding from radio stations coast to coast -- a piece of music that is literally stitched into the fabric of American blue-collar culture,
Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" -- is, according to right-wing pundit Glenn Beck, "anti-American" and "propaganda" that people must "wake up" from.
If you're unfamiliar, need a refresher or simply like good music, give it give it a listen:
The lyrics are available here.
"Born down in a dead man's town," the Fox News personality said during his Thursday radio broadcast, quoting Springsteen's lyrics. "The first kick I took was when I hit the ground. You end up like a dog that's been beat too much. 'Til you spend half your life just covering up.
"Born, in the USA."
Beck continued like that, dryly reading Springsteen's words, almost as if he were imitating William Shatner.
"Born in the USA" is, of course, about a working class guy with a factory job who ends up in Vietnam, to "kill the yellow man." One of his friends dies in the war, leaving behind a baby in Saigon. When he comes home he works hard for 10 years in the "shadow of the penitentiary," but still has "nowhere to run." "I'm a cool rocking daddy in the USA," Springsteen wails. "Born in the USA."
Naturally, no summary could equate the emotion this tale conveys. It is the quintessential American script, an experience millions of poor and working-class people can relate to.
"That's what it's all about," Beck said. "That's what America's all about, according to Springsteen. ... It's time for us to wake, wake up, out of our, um, dreamstate. Wake up out of the propaganda. The, you know, this is the thing that, people who come from the Soviet-bloc or Cuba, they're all saying, 'How do you guys not hear this? How do you not see this?' Well, that's 'cause we don't ever expect it."
The likely reason Beck is attacking someone far more talented than himself is because Springsteen has endorsed a number of Democrats, including President Obama. Springsteen even put on a show at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He did the same for Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) near the end of the 2004 presidential campaign.
Springsteen explained to Rolling Stone publisher Jann S. Wenner in an exclusive interview that he kept out of partisan politics for a long time because he wanted to remain "credible" and "independent." It was the Iraq war that brought Springsteen back into the political foray, as it did for many other Americans.
"I knew after we invaded Iraq that I was going to be involved in the election," he said. "It made me angry. We started to talk about it onstage. I take my three minutes a night for what I call my public-service announcement. We talked about it almost every night on our summer tour.
"I felt we had been misled. I felt they had been fundamentally dishonest and had frightened and manipulated the American people into war. And as the saying goes, 'The first casualty of war is truth.' I felt that the Bush doctrine of pre-emption was dangerous foreign policy. I don't think it has made America safer." [...] "Sitting on the sidelines would be a betrayal of the ideas I'd written about for a long time."
Springsteen added:
I didn't grow up in a very political household. The only politics I heard was from my mother. I came home from grade school, where someone asked me if I was Republican or Democrat, and I asked my mom, "Well, what are we?" She said, "We're Democrats, 'cause Democrats are for the working people." I was politicized by the Sixties, like most of the other people of that generation at that time. I can remember doing a concert when I was probably in my very late teens, helping to bus people down to Washington for an anti-war demonstration.
But still, basically, I wanted to remain an independent voice for the audience that came to my shows. We've tried to build up a lot of credibility over the years, so that if we took a stand on something, people would receive it with an open mind. Part of not being particularly partisan was just an effort to remain a very thoughtful voice in my fans' lives.
I always liked being involved actively more at a grass-roots level, to act as a partisan for a set of ideals: civil rights, economic justice, a sane foreign policy, democracy. That was the position I felt comfortable coming from.
But still, basically, I wanted to remain an independent voice for the audience that came to my shows. We've tried to build up a lot of credibility over the years, so that if we took a stand on something, people would receive it with an open mind. Part of not being particularly partisan was just an effort to remain a very thoughtful voice in my fans' lives.
I always liked being involved actively more at a grass-roots level, to act as a partisan for a set of ideals: civil rights, economic justice, a sane foreign policy, democracy. That was the position I felt comfortable coming from.
- "It is about ideology and not economics because many poor people are undereducated and cannot discern the difference between propoganda and fact."
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It IS about economics because it is the artificially created and maintained economic situation that keeps poor people poor and uneducated.
Idealogy is nothing more than a tool, used to leverage the economic situation.
And it's Springsteen who's right. Poor people are cannon fodder.
Whether its about economic or ideology, it's the poor who are being tricked and exploited. Unfortunately, the middle class, including me, are heading in that direction of the economic sprectrum. However, you can take away my money, but you can't take away my education.
I am the child of working class poor parents. As a young woman (before Reagan, then Clinton gutted the social safety net) I went back to school as a "returning woman student." I was divorced with 3 young children, got my undergraduate and then my law degree. I had Pell grants, guaranteed, low interest student loans and food stamps. Once I received a liberal arts education I could see the trees AND the forest.
My siblings believe I was brainwashed by liberal/socialist/commie anti-American college professors which is why I am no longer a trusted family member. They continue to live in the dark ages and believe in the world according to Fox "news", Rush. Glenn Beck and Republican talking points.
Republicans (and conservative Democrats) have nearly destroyed the system I was able to take advantage of.
Thus, the ignorant remain so and live in fear of their own potential awakening.- And what the hell is up with his little Bavarian outfit? Is that to show his loyalty to the Nazi Party or something?
- Methinks his lederhosen's a tad too tight...
- finally, beck has said something so stupid even stupid people will recognize its stupidity
- Rock on Bruce. If this guy hates you, you must be doing something right.
- You want to know what's un-american? Telling others that they are un-american. That's what is un-american. Has Beck ever heard of Freedom of Speech?
- As a muslim nowadays i cannot recall why i use to look up to america....sometimes just sometimes i hear or see something that reminds me of what America use to be.....like Bruce Springsteen, Raybans, CocaCola and long dusty roads like Route 66. Just dont let rats like Glen Beck ruin whats left. They are trying to rob america of its history and identity
- wonder if the reaganites will jump down beck's throat as their god used this tune during his reelection campaign (still dont know why bruce never asked him to cease and desist)
- the song is a cry from a vietnam vet....but it is not anti american
- "Born In The USA" has been widely misinterpreted and misused – the strident, anthemic chorus overwhelms the verses, which contain the poignant story of a worn-out Vietnam veteran who can't get a break, despite living in the land of opportunity. Ex-US president Ronald Reagan attempted to co-opt the song – and Springsteen's support – for his '84 re-election campaign, an act that Springsteen was at pains to distance himself from. And when Republican White House contender Bob Dole used "Born In The USA" on his campaign trail in 1996, Springsteen wrote to his local newspaper to make clear that he was not backing the Republican ticket.
- Springsteen once compared "Born In The USA" to Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land". According to Springsteen, Guthrie's song was "what America could have been about" rather than what it actually turned out to be.
You're welcome Chris.
You were at Altamont? Damn!
I was around *12 or 13 (I think) when "Killing Me Softly" hit the air, fell in love with the song the first time I heard it.
Hrmm, if Glenn Beck dissed Springsteen's song, wellllllllllll......
Nice post big brutha!
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Thanks for that, PG. Very timely - it just happens that my wife and I are going to see "The Buddy Holly Story" musical play ( http://www.buddythemusical.com/ )at the Wayside Theater in Middletown, VA tomorrow afternoon.
Those are the tunes from my youth! Love it!
Those are the tunes from my youth! Love it!
Sounds like a good time Bill.
Have fun
Have fun
