By Bruce Springsteen

By Bruce Springsteen

Mrs. Greer

May 30, 2006

Period 1

Preface

Thunder Road is a classic song written by the gifted singer-songwriter, Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen wrote Thunder Road in the early 1970s, and it was later produced in 1975. The song is a favorite among Springsteen’s audience and fans because it is a coming-of-age tale of young people trying to get out from their town, from those things oppressing them. It reaches out to everyone because it is about the common man. I too am a fan of this song for its theme and “everyman” approach. I also selected this song because Springsteen and the E Street Band are ingenious musicians who care about the details of their music. Each instrument voices the emotional ups and downs of going down that Road.

What I found to be interesting in analyzing this song is that the song is about getting to the other side. The reminded me of Coraline thinking that the “grass is greener on the other side”. This seems to be something that humans really desire—the need for more or things to always be better than what we have. I also like having to read the song over and over because I found more images and symbolism in than when I would just sing the song in the car or at home.

What I found to be difficult is determining what the writer intended for the song to mean. I have my opinions though. I also thought it was a bit difficult to map out the story of the song and put it in a graphic organizer.

Like Bruce Springsteen states in the song, thunder Road, at least you don’t have to be perfect to win; although this analysis may not be exact, I know I have put forth my best effort to succeed.

Table of Contents

Poem Structure………………………………………………………………………...4

Ballad……………………………………………………………………….....4

Rhyme…………………………………………………………………………5

Meter…………………………………………………………………………..7

Content………………………………………………………………………………...9

Title…………………………………………………………………….……...9

Speaker & Audience…………………………………………………………..9

Paraphrase……………………………………………………………………10

Story Elements……………………………………………………………….12

Style………………………………………………………………………………….13

Figurative Language………………………………………………………....13

Word Choice…………………………………………………………………15

Written Summary…………………………………………………………………….16

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….18

I. Poem Structure

Ballad

The song, Thunder Road, is considered a Ballad. A ballad is a poem that tells a story and is often put to music. In Thunder Road, all the story elements are present. The setting of the story is any town in the USA. It is a typical town of middle class workers. The main characters are a Mary and the narrator—you could assume it is Brice Springsteen. The conflict in the story is that he wants out of the town and Mary is still hanging on to the past. The climax is that he is leaving without out her, but he wants to wait. The song does not have much of a resolution, but it seems like he has left by then end of the song.

Rhyme

See the attached song lyrics with its rhyme scheme

Meter

See the attached song lyrics with its meter indicated on it.

Rhyme Scheme

Thunder Road

Bruce Springsteen

The screen door slams A
Mary' dress waves B
Like a vision she dances across the porch C
As the radio plays B
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely D
Hey that's me and I want you only D
Don't turn me home again E
I just can't face myself alone again E
Don't run back inside F
Darling you know just what I'm here for G
So you're scared and you're thinking H
That maybe we ain't that young anymore G
Show a little faith there's magic in the night I
You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright I
Oh and that's alright with me J
You can hide 'neath your covers A
And study your pain B
Make crosses from your lovers A
Throw roses in the rain B
Waste your summer praying in vain B
For a saviour to rise from these streets C
Well now I'm no hero D
That's understood E
All the redemption I can offer girl F
Is beneath this dirty hood E
With a chance to make it good somehow G
Hey what else can we do now ? G
Except roll down the window H
And let the wind blow H
Back your hair I
Well the night's busting open J
These two lanes will take us anywhere I
We got one last chance to make it real K
To trade in these wings on some wheels K
Climb in back L
Heaven's waiting on down the tracks L
Oh-oh come take my hand M
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land M
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road N
Lying out there like a killer in the sun O
Hey I know it's late we can make it if we run O
Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold P
Thunder Road N
Well I got this guitar A
And I learned how to make it talk B
And my car's out back C
If you're ready to take that long walk B
From your front porch to my front seat D
The door's open but the ride it ain't free E
And I know you're lonely F
For words that I ain't spoken G
But tonight we'll be free E
All the promises'll be broken G
There were ghosts in the eyes H
Of all the boys you sent away I
They haunt this dusty beach road J
In the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets I
They scream your name at night in the street D
And in the lonely cool before dawn K
You hear their engines roaring on K
But when you get to the porch they're gone K
On the wind so Mary climb in L
It's town full of losers M
And I'm pulling out of here to win L

Meter

Thunder Road

Bruce Springsteen

The screen door slams
Mary' dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch

As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
Darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me
You can hide 'neath your covers
And study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers
Throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a saviour to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero
That's understood
All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now ?
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow
Back your hair
Well the night's busting open

These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back

Heaven's waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh come take my hand
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late we can make it if we run
Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold
Thunder Road
Well I got this guitar
And I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back
If you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely
For words that I ain't spoken
But tonight we'll be free
All the promises'll be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes
Of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road
In the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they're gone
On the wind so Mary climb in
It's town full of losers
And I'm pulling out of here to win

II. Content

Title

The title of the song I have selected in Thunder Road. Whenever I read poetry and see the word “road” in it, I know that it will be a metaphor for life, life’s path for us, or even the journey one must take by making choices for themselves. I think it is interesting that Bruce Springsteen adds Thunder before it. When I think about thunder, it symbolizes something treacherous, scary, difficult, or perhaps even something that is fast. Knowing this artist, I think the Thunder signifies getting out fast and not looking back. In putting all of this together, the title Thunder Road could mean leaving town without thinking or without regrets; the journey is all that matters.

Speaker & Audience

The speaker in the poem is Bruce Springsteen, or any common man. I know that he is the speaker because he uses a lot of pronouns which refer to him For example, he sings the line, “Hey that’s me and I want you only.” He also says, “Well now I’m no hero/That’s understood/All the redemption I can offer, girl”. And the last line of the song he states, “And I’m pulling out of here to win”.

The overall tone of the song is urgency. He spends a lot of time trying to convince Mary that this is their last chance to be together, to get out of town, and to move on with life—a life that can be great together. Although he uses urgent words, there is also hope. He tells Mary to “Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night”, or later he writes, “Riding out tonight to case the promised land.”

Springsteen is writing to Mary. You can tell the song is just between the two of them even though this song could be a situation everyone might find themselves in at some point.

Paraphrase

Thunder Road

Bruce Springsteen

The screen door slams
Mary' dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch

These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back

Story Elements

III. Style

Figurative Language

Thunder Road

Bruce Springsteen

The screen door slams
Mary' dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch

These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back