Springsteen has a reputation for being humble and approachable, often connecting with fans during concerts and sharing personal anecdotes. Despite his huge fame, he will make appearances in local bars and clubs in his home state of New Jersey. He also attends local events in New Jersey such as basketball games and high school reunions.
In 1981, during his concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a fan handed Springsteen a note requesting help to avoid eviction from her apartment. Moved by her plight, Springsteen collected donations and personally handed her over $2,000 after the show, ensuring she would not be evicted.
Many of Springsteen's songs revolve around themes of security, stability, and searching for a sense of belonging. For example, his song "My Hometown," from the "Born in the U.S.A." album, reflects his connection and loyalty to his home state of New Jersey. The track speaks of the struggles faced by an average working-class family and their search for stability in a town that's changing around them. His song, "The River," depicts the life of a working-class couple who get unexpectedly pregnant and married. The protagonist's commitment to providing for his family and the desire to maintain stability in their lives highlights the theme of security.
Springsteen's lyrics sometimes express skepticism about authority figures and the establishment. For example, in "Badlands," Springsteen uses metaphoric language to depict the economic and social struggles faced by ordinary citizens, highlighting how authority figures and the establishment ignore or fail to address these issues.
In his autobiography, "Born to Run," Springsteen mentions periods in his life when he experienced intense paranoia, leading to isolation and mistrust of others. In the late 1980s, after the success of "Born in the U.S.A." and following the separation from the E Street Band, Springsteen became paranoid about his own friends spying on him, believing that they were gathering evidence for a potential lawsuit.
In Their Own Words
"Insecure, self-centered, paranoid, anxious... Ya know, all those things that my music is about - a lot of those things stem from periods in my life where I didn't have much control. I felt somehow powerless."
"If you're good, you're always looking over your shoulder. That's the life of the constantly worried."
"I've had success, but I felt like I should have had more success. I didn't feel fulfilled completely, because there's a lot of anxiety that goes with this job, and it's a very double-edged sword."
"The past is never the past. It is always present."
"The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with."
Photo: Bill Ebbesen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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