Re: babel-digest V2 #291

[Ishmael <ishmael>]

Mike Rice wrote:
> 
> "mass media and irony seldom mix well together - ask Bruce
> Springsteen who had rather different intentions behind Born in the USA
> than another redneck anthem."
> 
> If you really believe this, you need to read John Goodman's Mansion on
> the Hill,
> which reveals Bruce Springsteen has no ideas that are not those of his
> producer
> and Svengali, Jon Landau.  Goodman says the simple singer-songwriter
> from
> New Jersey, is, indeed, simple.
> 
> Mike Rice
Granted that I haven't read the book, I've only listened to the
records...but if Springsteen has really never had a thought of his own
in twenty years...wouldn't it have been easier for Landau just to go out
and do it himself?  And is "No job bad, okay job better" etc (I'd never
claim Springsteen was Bertrand Russel) too complex a view to hold
sincerely?  Occasionally, its nice to believe in a record as a thing of
value in itself.  Its there, it means something.  One day someone will
write a similar book about Lenny Kaye I guess.  Funnily enough, I'm not
that much of a fan.  Its just the first example of a
misappropriated-by-mass-consumption song that came into my head.  

ishmael
ishmael