Springsteen Ready For Criticism: "It's unpatriotic to sit back and let things pass."

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters: Springsteen Ready For Criticism Over "Magic" Words
By REUTERS
Published: October 7, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bruce Springsteen's new album "Magic" marks his return to the pop sound that propelled him to mega-stardom in the 1980s, but the hook-laden melodies mask lyrics portraying an America of despair and hopelessness.

Springsteen says he is prepared for criticism from those who may take the lyrics on his latest album "Magic" as unpatriotic for speaking out against the Iraq war and President George W. Bush in war time. "I believe every citizen has a stake in the course, direction of their country. That's why we vote. It's unpatriotic at any given moment to sit back and let things pass that are damaging to some place that you love so dearly and that has given me so much," Springsteen says in an interview on the CBS news show "60 Minutes" to air on Sunday night.

One of the starkest examples of those lyrics some may take as unpatriotic are in the song "Livin' in the Future." The song's sound is evocative of earlier Springsteen tunes for lovers dancing on a beach on a sunny summer day. But its lyrics paint a bleak picture of estrangement and loss. While the Iraq war is not mentioned, the symbolism is clear. "My ship Liberty sailed away on a bloody red horizon, the groundskeeper opened the gates and let the wild dogs run," Springsteen sings. "My faith's been torn asunder, tell me, is that rolling thunder or just the sinkin' sound of somethin' righteous goin' under?"

Rolling Stone Executive Editor Joe Levy....said Springsteen will likely be grist for the mill among conservative radio and talk show hosts who will likely rail against the record and its message. "You're talking about a right-wing media machine that can manage to make a war hero like John Kerry look like a faker. These people are not burdened by reality," he said....

Springsteen and his E Street Band are on the road promoting "Magic" and the 58-year-old's comments before playing "Livin' in the Future" are far from ambiguous. "In the past six years we've had to add to the American picture rendition, illegal wiretapping, voter suppression, no habeas corpus, the neglect of our great city of New Orleans and her people, an attack on the Constitution and the loss of our best young men and women in a tragic war," he said before performing the song on NBC's "Today" show. "This is a song about things that shouldn't happen here happening here."

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-springsteen.html