A Promise, A Guest, And A Winner (So To Speak)

Today marks the fulfillment of a promise. In all deference to my own words, I publish blogger extraordinaire EMAW_KC's defense (which could not be better) of his choice of "Born To Run", by Bruce Springsteen, as the greatest rock song of all time. Those of you who have read through all the comment threads which followed my initial post, On The Turntable, are familiar with EMAW_KC's position. But it deserves further consideration. I hope those who have not read it will enjoy it.

As an aside, EMAW_KC had very convincing words posted at his site regarding my choice for best rock song of all time. I am of course too willing to concede; for we all know there is no right answer (except mine). Besides, I am all too amenable to caving in to the pressure of forceful polemics. Read my exchange with EMAW_KC; witness a strong mind make me second guess myself. But I would also point out that tonight, as I began my nightly skim through the TV channels beginning at PBS's Channel 2, I instantly landed on "The Australian Pink Floyd Show," a concert performed by a head-shakingly good cover band touring in tribute to Pink Floyd; this band sounds more like Pink Floyd than Floyd itself. Anyway, what was interesting was that at the end of the show the lead singer shouted to the packed house in Liverpool, England, "Should we play one more?" and, as the crowd screamed for another, the band launched into "Comfortably Numb". It was amazing to hear how loudly the audience sang along with the band. Here, at least, is evidence that a tribute band and its audience believe that "Comfortably Numb" is Pink Floyd's greatest song. But enough of me. Here's the man of the day, EMAW_KC.

***

Asking what is the single best Rock and Roll song is like asking for the single best poem. It’s probably an impossible task with no correct answer. But in this case it’s the journey that counts, not the destination.

So my nomination is Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. I think this song embodies several elements inherent to the Rock and Roll genre.

It is high energy. I defy anyone to keep their foot off the accelerator as they drive down the highway listening to this song. Musically, it builds from a fast low rumble in the beginning to a furious crescendo at the end. It has a driving base line backed by rapid fire drums.

And yet it’s simple. I think there are about 4 chords in the entire song. It's lyrically simple as well, which is not to say that it's unsophisticated. It includes the requisite subtle (by today's hiphop/Top40 standards) sexual references ("Just wrap your legs round these velvet rims/And strap your hands across my engines")

It embodies the rock and roll ideals of youth culture using the automobile as metaphore. Rock and roll is about rebellion and youth, and this song has it in spades.

"Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run"

And yet it has a sense of hope:

"Together Wendy we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us baby we were born to run"

Finally, and most importantly, it totally kicks ass.

In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line

Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs round these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
`cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta find out how it feels
I want to know if love is wild, girl I want to know if love is real

Beyond the palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I dont know when we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us baby we were born to run

***

Let EMAW_KC know what you think. After all, shouldn't someone show him who really is the boss?

Peace,

BG

Technorati tags: Best Rock Song Of All Time, Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb, David Gilmour, Roger Waters, The Wall, Greatest Guitar Solos, Alienation, Estrangement, Despair, Hope, Christianity, Jesus, Rock and Roll, Innocence Lost, The abyss, Death, Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll, Bruce Springsteen, The Boss, Born To Run