Wasn't sure where to post what follows, but after digging through old threads I decided this one is perfect. But geeez, I'd totally forgotten so many of these threads, it was kind of like an archaeological dig! Anyway...
I may have mentioned over the years Gregg Eaterbrook, the Brookings fellow and author who moonlights with a tongue mostly in cheek columnn for ESPN's Page 2 called Tuesday Morning Quarterback (TMQ). He sometimes has reader challenges, and this week, in anticipation of the Super Bowl halftime show featuring The Boss, he writes:
As a fading Baby Boomer, I sure am looking forward to seeing Bruce Springsteen at the Super Bowl. This year I'm taking my 13-year-old, Spenser, to the game, and even he is excited to see Springsteen, though Spenser does seem to be of the impression that Springsteen first toured with Felix Mendelssohn as his sideman. That said, some Springsteen lyrics are puzzling. "I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book." What book? Or, "The hungry and the haunted/explode into rock-and-roll bands." Or, "They scream your name at night on the street/Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet." Lots if not most of rock lyrics make little sense, and this isn't an issue with artists such as, say, T. Rex. But Springsteen's claim to fame is that he is a rock intellectual. His lyrics are supposed to be, like, you know, deep.
Thus the Super Bowl Buildup Challenge: Name your favorite bewildering Springsteen lyric and append a short comment. Submit to TMQ_ESPN@yahoo.com, giving your name and hometown for mention in the column.
I figured this was too good not to pass along. I also love that as "a fading Baby Boomer", the artist he gives as an example of one whose lyrics aren't necessarily expected to be deep is...T. Rex. LOL! It's also interesting that he chose no examples from "Blinded By The Light". I imagine he will get every word of those lyrics submitted to him when all is said and done.
