Bruce Springsteen has often captured the dignity of the common working man.  For example, Springsteen wrote the song Factory for his father, a New Jersey factory worker, and many of Springsteen's songs chronicle the way his father and other working class men struggle to support their families. In Factory, Springsteen wrote:

Early in the morning factory whistle blows,
Man rises from bed and puts on his clothes,
Man takes his lunch, walks out in the morning light,
It's the working, the working, just the working life.

Through the mansions of fear, through the mansions of pain,
I see my daddy walking through them factory gates in the rain,
Factory takes his hearing, factory gives him life,
The working, the working, just the working life.

Although the context is different, Springsteen's "Nothing Man" -- about the firemen who rushed into the burning World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 -- echoes a similar theme.  Working-class men sacrificing for their wives, their kids, or to save others, not talking about it, not very articulate, but thoroughly honorable. Springsteen wrote:

You can call me joe
Buy me a drink and shake my hand
You want courage
I’ll show you courage you can understand
The pearl and silver
Restin’ on my night table
It’s just me lord, pray I’m able

Darlin, with this kiss
Say you understand
I am, the nothing man
I am, the nothing man

The song, set to a photo montage of September 11, can be seen here or below.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 31st, 2008 at 11:09 pm and is filed under Men and the Media, Men, Women and Work. You can trackback from your own site.