Sometimes the truth just ain’t enough
Or it’s too much in times like this
Let’s throw the truth away
We’ll find it in this kiss
In your skin upon my skin, in the beating of our hearts
May the living let us in before the dead tear us apart
In one stanza, he offers both a prayer for peace and an explanation of the rash of “terror sex” that swept through New York and across the nation in the wake of the attacks, and perhaps also an explanation for the falling national divorce rates in those same weeks. “We’re in this moment to live,” he continues, “then it’s all just dust and dark / Let’s let love give what it gives.” Bruce has often sounded astute before, but rarely has he sounded so wise.
There are misses on the record, too, like the thoroughly embarrassing “Mary’s Place,” or “Let’s Be Friends,” which essentially retreads “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day.” With 15 tracks that sprawl out over 72 minutes, at some point we’ve had enough of The Rising, already. But I can forgive Bruce that, because in this frenzy of creativity, he has found more soul than he’s put into music in years, and with the reunion of the E-Street Band, maybe he thought he had too much of a good thing to let go of it in a mere 45 minutes.
This, of course, raises the question of where he’s been and what he’s been doing for 15 years, when he could have been making music like this all along. That’s another question entirely, and would be the subject of a much longer, much more speculative article. For now, though, we have this. Let’s just be thankful that when America needs its consummate citizen to step up to the mike and give us voice, to explore our souls and heal our hearts and move our butts, Bruce Springsteen is still there.
Article comments
1 - Jim Henley
"Mary's Place," thoroughly embarrassing? The mind boggles. It's nothing less than the album's masterpiece.
See Darkness on the Edge of Town.
2 - Karl Urban
Mary's Place contains the key line in the whole album, which really gets emphasized in concert: "How do you live brokenhearted." It's a brilliant juxtaposition of lyrics (dark) and music (let's party!), followed by the realization the next morning (in the following song) that "You're (still) Missing"
3 - Jimmy Jazz
I see your point, I guess, but what is one to make of lyrics like "Let it rain Let it rain Let it rain Let it rain Let it rain Let it rain Let it rain"?
Ridiculous, says I.
4 - Karl Urban
In the context of the album, "Let it rain" is a pretty obvious metaphor. Based on your website, I think you understand metaphors pretty well....
5 - Joe W
"Mary's Place " embarassing? I disagree. I studied the lyrics of this song longer than any of the others on the Rising. I just felt Bruce had deeper intentions than the way this song comes off. Could it be that Mary's Place is another name for heaven? That would certainly change a lot of people's opinions of this song. I believe Bruce disquised a much deeper meaning under a blanket of simplicity which certainly would make this song embarassing for those of us who did'nt get it.
6 - Double-E
I never really thought Mary's Place fit in the context of the rest of The Rising. But the comment about Mary's place being a metaphor for heaven definitely makes me think of the song in a completely different way. I don't want to dislike the song, especially since he plays it often in concert and it gets the crowd going quite a bit.
7 - Shelby
Mary's Place is poetic, beautiful, and so deep. You just have to look for the meaning. It makes references to Buddha right off the bat, so you knows there is some secret message right away. Mary may equal the Virgin Mary and mary's place could be Heaven. LET IT RAIN is a phrase that should make any listener just melt because it usually is about washing away something burdening you, like sin or pain. Then since Bruce loves music so much and feels it's a release, TURN IT UP is like trying to drown out all the bad memories, but of course they will come back when the music stops. Bruce knows that.
8 - K. Parks
I can't believe that anyone would not believe that Mary's Place means heaven or some form of it. It always seemed obvious to me.
9 - Dean Delker
To a Christian "Meet me at Mary's Place" could have any of several meanings. Bruce probably didn't mean any of them specifically, but maybe all of them generally. He likes ambiguity in situations like this, I think.
Heaven is certainly a good interpretation. I would say too Mary's place is a place of sublime faith as it was her faith which enabled the Incarnation.
And if you were to think of Mary Magdalene or Mary the sister of Martha (if those weren't the same person) you would think of the place of intimacy & laid down lovers of Christ.
All of those are places you'd be partying with loud, happy music because of the incomparable bliss emanating from the glory of the Cross.
I'm pretty sure Bruce didn't consciously intend anything like this, but perhaps they came from a deep place within which did. That's what I draw from it anyway.
10 - Joe l
This is written like an idiot