I Believe in the Promised Land

My soul has been replenished, nourished, charged up and is running like velvet across my fingertips. I had been waiting on a sunny day, and for three and a half hours, my face was lifted toward the brilliant light.

First, church on Sunday. Second, the gospel according to Bruce. The concert was worth every penny. In fact, I think Bruce might have lost money on the deal because it was simply, phenomenal.

I lived a lifetime in that arena. Any concert that begins with a song containing the words: "I dont give a damn for the same old played out scenes. I don't give a damn for just the in-betweens. Honey I want the heart, I want the soul, I want control right now," is going to be good. He followed it up with "No Surrender" and I thought of the street I grew up on, and my brothers' best friends, especially Pops: "We swore blood brothers against the wind. Now I'm ready to grow young again
and hear your sister's voice calling us home, across the open yards..."

And the songs continued on and on and on and on... this was a concert about hope and faith and love; and of course, rock and roll. Bruce sat on the stage with a nine year old girl and sang "Out in the Street" - a version that the little girl had never heard because she loved the Jonas Brothers version of it. PULEEZE. That little girl has no idea how lucky she is.

But I know how lucky I am. I ended up getting seats with five, Bruce-loving, friends. Someone backed out at the last minute. Fortuitous? Serendipitous? I had just realized Bruce was in town the day before yesterday, decided I was going, and then got the phone call from a long-time friend of mine telling me they had one extra ticket. "Do you want it?" Uh, duh.

The entire concert was an encore. And the encore was a concert. Easily, the best show I've seen by Bruce yet. And here's the song that spoke to me the most, I think. Maybe it was because Bruce sang it with such a passion, speaking to the group as a whole, but to each of us individually too.

Hard Times (Eastmountainsouth, 1850)

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
while we all sup sorrow with the poor
there's a song that will linger forever in our ears
oh, hard times come again no more

'tis a song… a sigh of the weary
hard times… hard times come again no more
many days you have lingered around my cabin door
oh… hard times come again no more

while we seek mirth and beauty
and music light and gay
there are frail ones fainting at the door
though their voices are silent
their pleading looks will say
oh, hard times come again no more

'tis a song… a sigh of the weary
hard times... hard times come again no more
many days you have lingered around my cabin door
oh, hard times come again no more

'tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave
'tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
'tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
oh, hard times come again no more

'tis a song…a sigh of the weary
hard times… hard times come again no more
many days you have lingered around my cabin door
oh, hard times come again no more
oh, hard times come again no more