Nothing Man (2002) – Bruce Springsteen

You can call me Joe, buy me a drink and shake my hand
You want courage, I’ll show you courage you can understand
Pearl and silver resting on my night table
It’s just me Lord, pray I’m able

A bit like how Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young did their own versions of Philadelphia for the movie soundtrack which will feature here sequentially, also Springsteen and Pearl Jam did their respective songs (but pure coincidence) of Nothing Man in 1994; well technically the title of Jam’s is Nothingman. So, guess which song will feature after this?

Springsteen has commented that Nothing Man was originally completed in 1994 but re-recorded for the 2002 Rising album. I have written a lot about Springsteen’s resurgence record The Rising in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy:

Springsteen said he got the inspiration for the album a few days after the 9/11 attacks, when a stranger in a car stopped next to him, rolled down his window and said: “We need you now”.

This is the third song to appear here from Bruce Springsteen’s 2002 The Rising record after my previous entry – Lonesome Day. I once wrote an autobiography and titled it Nothing Man which is a homage of sorts to this and Pearl Jam’s song. Although the book is not something I look back now on with much admiration, I have included here countless ‘reflection‘ posts which serve as ‘greatest hits’ of the book.

[Verse 1]
I don’t remember how I felt, I never thought I’d live
To read about myself in my hometown paper
How my brave young life was forever changed
In a misty cloud of pink vapor

[Chorus]
Darling, give me your kiss
Only understand
I am the nothing man

[Verse 2]
Around here everybody acts the same
Around here everybody acts like nothing’s changed
Friday night club meets at Al’s Barbecue
The sky is still the same unbelievable blue

[Chorus]
Darling, give me your kiss
Come and take my hand
I am the nothing man

[Verse 3]
You can call me Joe, buy me a drink and shake my hand
You want courage, I’ll show you courage you can understand
Pearl and silver resting on my night table
It’s just me Lord, pray I’m able

I have added a fan version of the song where the girl adds her voice to the song. It’s so sweet. I love this album and the live version in Barcelona remains one of my favourite live presentations of anything. Don’t quote me but supposedly Nothing Man in Bruce’s words is a “soldiers song” written in ’94 about a soldier returning from the gulf war. Of course, transposed into The Rising it could easily be about a fireman post-9/11.

Reference:
1. The Rising – Wikipedia