Bruce Springsteen - Fighting for the Promised Land: Political and Social Implications in Springsteen's Words and Actions

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,3, University of Bamberg, language: English, abstract: 'If you're going to stand up and say, 'I'm an American', that means you've got some responsibility to America,'1 Bruce Springsteen said in 1975. He was 26 years old at the time and at the beginning of his life-long career as a singer, songwriter and musician. In fact, this statement is quite surprising when one takes into consideration the progress Springsteen underwent since the 1970s. After all, he started out as a somewhat timid young man who was reluctant to voice his opinions on political matters and has turned into a man who actually endorsed a political candidate in 2004. Of course, Springsteen is also known and liked for many of his fun and lighter songs. Sometimes he is even smiled upon because many of his lyrics deal with girls and cars. This image does not do Springsteen's significance justice. However, he is aware of the fact that he is sometimes not taken seriously and that he has been widely misunderstood at times, but he has always followed his ideals. In this paper, however, I will focus on his songs with deeper (socio-) political meaning.