Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

On June 1, 1978 Bruce Springsteen released Darkness On The Edge Of Town. It was the follow up to his masterpiece, Born To Run & the second album with his new manager Jon Landau. For those of you who may not know, he was a rock critic who saw The Boss live in 1974 prompting Landau to write the now famous quote: “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen”.

Life would change exponentially for both men after the release of Born In The U.S.A. on June 4, 1984. It was an enormous smash, yielding seven Top Ten hits & catapulted Springsteen to a level of stardom few had ever seen. But the seriousness of the songs was overshadowed by the videos, a catch 22 common in the early days of the MTV era.

The lead off single, “Dancing In The Dark”, was a tale of self-loathing & internal angst. But that message was lost by both the song’s upbeat tempo and the glitzy performance video as well. And the title track, a commentary on the plight of Vietnam veterans who struggled to find their way back, became an anthem of patriotism & national pride. The clips in the video showing Springsteen dressed in red, white & blue punching his fist in the air during the chorus only aided that misconception.

But ultimately that album was like every Springsteen record before & after. It was about struggling, disappointed disenfranchised people looking for a way to escape their sad reality. And for those chasing the promise of the American dream, only to discover it is just the pursuit of happiness that is guaranteed in our country’s declaration, not the actual achievement of it. And as Springsteen sang in an outtake song from the Darkness album sessions, “When the promise is broken you go on living, but it steals something from down in your soul”. His words are heartbreaking. raw & sublime, just like life.

Today’s song is in that tradition, albeit at a faster tempo. It’s all about wanting to shut the door & hide from the outside world & let love keep you safe. Who has not felt like that more than once in their lives, especially in the last 12 months? And the fact that the singer is asking his partner for help & not expecting her to read his mind? Well, swoon.

I loved this song so much I got not one but two sets of special license plates in tribute to it. However once road rage became part of the vernacular, I reluctantly gave them up. But I still have one……..framed. Yes, I am that girl. A Boss fan.

“Now promise me baby
You won’t let them find us
Hold me in your arms
Let’s let our love blind us“.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bruce Springsteen: “Cover Me” (1984, written by Bruce Springsteen).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.