Analysis of Bruce Springsteen's Song "Devils & Dust"
In times of war it is quite common for people to start questioning their values and their actions and be unsure of the path they are taking. This is common because to protect our values we often are told that we have to take actions that conflict with those values. One example would be how to protect our liberties we must sometimes restrain those liberties during treacherous times. However, the ultimate question is whether or not going against the very values we stand for is a hypocritical and wrongful action plan. Bruce Springsteen approaches this very issue in his song “Devils & Dust”, from the CD with the same title, and he subtly criticizes how the United States is betraying its values.
Springsteen wrote “Devils & Dust” during the Iraq War. He has been openly against the war and has been quoted saying to Rolling Stone, “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.” The song itself could be interpreted as a soldier’s point of view about the war but overall it stands as a critique on our society betraying its own principles. The first couple of verses in the song already evoke the image of a soldier stuck in a war. “I got my finger on the trigger / But I don’t know who to trust” could be understood as a soldier’s experience in war but it could also have a deeper meaning. It could also signify that our society has to make these important choices that will end up affecting people’s lives but it is all too ambiguous, there just isn’t any certainty. We are left with the desperate feeling of not knowing what to do, not knowing wh...
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...ty and privacy are essential for it. Also, I am a dual citizen and in my other country, which is Brazil, we are still somewhat haunted by the shadow of a dictatorship that just ended in 1987. So I know people who have suffered the consequences of lack of liberty. Even so sometimes I am doubtful of my opinion, even though I try not to express it often and defend liberty as much as I can. Whenever I see some terrible act, whether terrorist or governments do it, I think if there would be a way to stop that with restrictions on certain liberties and more surveillance. However, if we do that, if we overreact, we destroy our values, destroy a part of ourselves and fill our soul with devils and dust.
Works Cited
Springsteen, Bruce. “Devils & Dust.” Devils & Dust. Columbia Records, 2005.
Springsteen, Bruce. “We’ve Been Misled.” Rolling Stone 22 Sep. 2005
...ot, it allows us to express ourselves freely and to share with others our uniqueness. It is this right and this freedom that allows us to be free in our daily speech and happenings. So, ask yourself, if this right was restricted would this be the "land of the free and the home of the brave?"
We only have one life to live on this earth, and it should be our lives to live privately and freely. With so much surveillance, can we actually say that there is not a cost of freedom? Clearly, people need open their eyes and see mass surveillance is hindering out ability to see threats, and by the time we do it is too late. Something needs to be done, because innocent Americans should not be monitored everyday when the people who are a threat seem to be over looked. That is the most dangerous thing of all, not being able shift through the muck of useless information, while enemies could be planning something big. We Americans, have the right to be protected and not to be treated like a threat by our own government.
The first verse of the song begins by comparing the generals of the United States Army to a group of witches who have "evil minds that plot destruction" and act as a "sorcerer of Death's construction." The songwriters are saying that the generals and politicians meet with each other and think of new ways to cause destruction and chaos for nothing but their own amusement. The last part of the first verse says that they only have hatred for mankind and are trying to brainwash citizens of the United States to think that the war is a good cause so there will not be much protesting and opposition.
While the songs written for the American Revolutionary war were somewhat speculative, and depending on the song, poked fun at their enemies. The songs written and sung about the war in Iraq were anything but. They outlined the issues and say everything that they feel is true regarding the situation the United States is in. For example in the song written by Neil Young "Lets Impeach the President." The lyrics in this song are deep and correlate directly with the feelings of many American citizens. For example “Let 's impeach the President for lying and misleading our country into war” (YouTube) these lyrics as well as the video depict a propaganda style. Following life changing events, such as a new life experience or a national crisis, songs are written to show and demonstrate its impact. Whether it is in the 18th century or the 21st century the premise is still the same and can be seen throughout the
“The withering of the economic dimensions of class, the destruction and demoralization of the politics of place, the betrayal of institutions designed to protect workers, and the amplification and mobilization of cultural nationalism…” and when comparing the electric version to the acoustic, “the artistic decision to juxtapose the song’s two contrasting dimensions ought to be central to any approach to understanding the essence of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ The heart of the song rests at the intersection, not the selection, of its internal oppositions.” (Cowie & Boehm, 2011)
...vil rights and losing protection. Protection is more important but unnecessary spying should not be tolerated. “The sad truth is that most Americans have already lost the battle when it comes to keeping personal information absolutely private.”( Lee, M.Dilascio, Tracey M.4).
The song “Strangers in the Night” was composed by Bert Kaempfert and lyrics by Charles
The Vietnam War is one of the most controversial issues in American history. It is no secret that the American public was not in favor of this war, which is why the government’s decision to keep the US involved for over ten years created such a disconnect between America’s people and their government. In the third verse the Temptations sing, “People all over the world are shouting 'End the war.'” The Temptations bravely attack the government, addressing their continuation of a war no one wants. Although The Temptations avoid explicitly naming the war, or the government as the guilty party, it is evident that this is a criticism, or at least an acknowledgement of a predicament America found itself in.
The Bill of Rights laid out the liberties and rights of its citizens. We are allowed to speak badly about our government. We are able to protest when we feel we have been wronged or we want something changed. We can bear firearms freely. We have the right against being detained without a speedy trial. We have the right not to self-incriminate ourselves. We have the to right to vote for our government leaders. Most or all of these rights we often take for granted. I would not know a life where I could not speak freely. I might not be able to write this article if there was not free speech. Many countries have a shortage of these liberties. They are forbidden to do certain things. They aren't given the basic liberties that we feel are second nature to us. They aren't allowed to follow their dreams or pursue the happiness that every one of us seeks throughout our lives. We reach for it, live for it, and even die for it. Television has illustrated that many countries are striving to procure that freedom.
There are a number of reasons why this freedom needs to be protected. The number one and most important is to keep the individuality of the American people from becoming controlled by the Government.
The war polarized the country and music reflected that polarization. “Rock music was forever linked to the ferment of social change and widespread dissent against American actions and social conditions that violated the nation’s professed beliefs” (McGovern, n.d.). Protest songs such as “Ohio”, by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and “Fortunate Son”, by Creedence Clearwater Revival, said what protesters felt. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were vocal in their opposition to war and various social issues. Bob Dylan’s influence as a writer of social commentary became very clear with his Blowin in the Wind” and “The Times They are a Changin”. He wrote, “Don’t criticize/what you can’t understand/Your sons and daughters are beyond your command/Your old road is/Rapidly aging/Please get out of the new one/If you can’t lend a hand” (Dylan, 1963). Songs such as these became anthems and rallying points for a group who was weary of war, and would no longer be ignored (Gilmore, 1990). Rock had become the voice of the discontented. “An LSD crazed Jimi Hendrix played “The Star Spangled Banner” on a screaming guitar, war policies were denounced, hatred of various US officials was voiced, the war and the draft were mocked” (Repellent, 2010). All of these statements were decidedly against everything that previous generations believed. In a very strong, very loud, very public voice, music of the period questioned evil,injustice, violence, and
As stated earlier privacy provides citizens with freedom of expression and assurance in their nation. Therefore, “[ Monitoring citizens without their knowledge] is a major threat to democracies all around the world.” ( William Binney…) This is a logical opinion because without freedom of expression and privacy because every dictatorship in history has implemented some form of surveillance upon its citizens as a method of control. Therefore, If a democratic society like the united states were to follow actions like extreme methods of surveillance there is no telling how far it will go. An extreme example of this would be Stalin, he began by monitoring citizens in russia without their knowledge and because he was not stopped he expanded his method of monitoring through children. Stalin began encouraging children to monitor people around them and report actions not accepted so that the person in question may be punished. While the United States will hopefully never act as extreme as Stalin and copy his methods of control, the threat to a democratic society very real if this behavior
The 1960’s was a time of war and fear for the United States and many people were turning their accusations towards the government. “Masters of War” was written by Bob Dylan in late 1962 and early 1963. The focus of this song is a protest against the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis that was happening during the early 1960’s. The song is protesting on the American government having its citizens live in fear of a constant attack and hiding behind their shroud, unaffected by anything that would happen to the people. It shook the nation with its fierce and angry tone against the “military industrial complex.” Dylan’s lyrics stated that it was not contained by declaring a pointless war and not taking responsibility for the problems it was causing. “Masters of War” is a powerful song against the government and the military. The protest song “Masters of War” by Bob Dylan highlights how the looming aspect of the Cold War affected the people of the United States and demonstrates Dylan’s view on the governments involved.
Government Surveillance today has changed from what it used to be. Technology has expanded through the past several decades and the government’s monitoring abilities have also expanded tremendously. Since the September 11, 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks, government surveillance has become more a part of everyday life. Government surveillance is said to help in efforts of capturing terrorists and stopping terrorist attacks before they even happen. But how much of our civil liberties are we giving up in order to maybe help capture some terrorists. The rapidly advancing technology of today and a more globalizing culture has made privacy and civil liberties come more into the forefront of our views. After about nine years of unprecedented spending and growth, the result is that the government surveillance system put into place to keep the United States safe, is so massive that its effectiveness is becoming questionable.
The privacy of the individual is the most important right. Without privacy, the democratic system that we know would not exist. Privacy is one of the fundamental values on which our country was founded. There are exceptions to privacy rights that are created by the need for defense and security.