NPR interviewed Bruce Springsteen last year by Renee Montagne while he was touring for his recent Album “Devils & Dust”. He actually did a few songs for the them, including “Jesus Was an Only Son” (see the lyrics a few posts down). It is a pretty interesting chat where he talks about songwriting, politics, religion, and music. Worth a listen; it’s in 2 parts about 45 minutes total. Here’s a summary:

On his latest album, Devils & Dust, rocker Bruce Springsteen strips down, musically and spiritually: The singer uses his lone voice against a spare acoustic backdrop to explore themes of spirituality, moral uncertainty and loss.

“At this point, a lot of [my music] traces back to gospel roots… I was drawn to music that addressed the spirit, probably because my own needed to be addressed,” Springsteen told Renee Montagne during a recent interview in Asbury Park, N.J.

Springsteen broke through with his 1975 album Born to Run, which established him as a writer of characters. “You’re always writing about yourself… you hide it in a variety of ways, and you meld your voice with other lives,” Springsteen said.

Among the characters on his latest release is a young soldier at a checkpoint in Iraq, whose story is explored in the title track. It begins: “I got my finger on the trigger, but I don’t know who to trust … I feel a dirty wind blowing devils and dust.”"What moved me the most was the idea of a young kid stationed at a checkpoint,” Springsteen said. “You’ve got a very, very short period of time where you have to decide about the car that’s driving toward you, whether it’s an innocent family, or whether it’s your death coming at you… And you have to decide right, right now. There’s so little room for error, and the error that you make is so very final.”

Jesus was an only son
As he walked up Calvary Hill
His mother Mary walking beside him
In the path where his blood spilled
Jesus was an only son
In the hills of Nazareth
As he lay reading the Psalms of David
At his mother’s feet

A mother prays, “Sleep tight, my child, sleep well
For I’ll be at your side
That no shadow, no darkness, no tolling bell,
Shall pierce your dreams this night.”

In the garden at Gethsemane
He prayed for the life he’d never live,
He beseeched his Heavenly Father to remove
The cup of death from his lips

Now there’s a loss that can never be replaced,
A destination that can never be reached,
A light you’ll never find in another’s face,
A sea whose distance cannot be breached

Well Jesus kissed his mother’s hands
Whispered, “Mother, still your tears,
For remember the soul of the universe
Willed a world and it appeared.”

This is a beautiful song by Bruce Springsteen, who is one of the most underrated songwriters of all time. Just purchased “Devils & Dust” from Legalsounds.com and am thoroughly enjoying it. Legalsounds reduced their prices recently from $.14 a song to $.9 a song, a true steal (even though it’s legal)! Other recent acquisitions:

Gwen Stefani
Enya
Best of Bob Dylan
Best of John Lenon
Best of Simon and Garfunkal
R.E.M.
Bjork
P.J. Harvey
Bush
The White Stripes
Arcade Fire

Some days are dry, some days are leaky
Some days come clean, other days are sneaky
Some days take less, but most days take more
Some slip through your fingers and onto the floor
Some days you’re quick, but most days you’re speedy
Some days you use more force than is necessary
Some days just drop in on us
Some days are better than others

Some days it all adds up
And what you got is not enough
Some days are better than others

Some days are slippy, other days sloppy
Some days you can’t stand the sight of a puppy
Your skin is white but you think you’re a brother
Some days are better than others

Some days you wake up with her complaining
Some sunny days you wish it was raining
Some days are sulky, some days have a grin
And some days have bouncers and won’t let you in

Some days you hear a voice
Taking you to another place
Some days are better than others

Some days are honest, some days are not
Some days you’re thankful for what you’ve got
Some days you wake up in the army
And some days it’s the enemy

Some days are work, most days you’re lazy
Some days you feel like a bit of a baby
Lookin’ for Jesus and His mother
Some days are better than others

Some days you feel ahead
You’re making sense of what she said
Some days are better than others

Some days you hear a voice
Taking you to another place

Lyrics to song by U2

As of Monday, I have been blogging for a year now. That’s very cool. In light of this, I’ve included a Bono anecdote below with regards to Johnny Cash from U2 Sermons:

Bono: When I visited him at home one time, he said the most beautiful, poetic grace. He said, “Shall we bow our heads?” We all bowed our heads. Then, when he was done, he looked at me and Adam Clayton and said, “Sure miss the drugs, though.”

I busted out laughing pretty hard when I read that. I suppose I understand.