Death to My Hometown explained

Death to My Hometown
Cover:Death to My Hometown promo single cover.jpg
Caption:Promo single cover in the Netherlands
Type:single
Artist:Bruce Springsteen
Album:Wrecking Ball
Released:May 2012
Recorded:2011
Genre:Rock, folk punk
Length:3:29
Label:Columbia
Producer:Ron Aniello, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau (executive prod.)
Prev Title:Rocky Ground
Prev Year:2012
Next Title:High Hopes
Next Year:2013

"Death to My Hometown" is a song written and recorded by American musician Bruce Springsteen and was the third single from his album, Wrecking Ball. It is a protest song, as well as a prominent example of Springsteen's experimentation with Celtic rock rhythms.

A music video for the song was released through Springsteen's website on April 13, 2012, and was compiled from live performances and rehearsals at the Apollo Theater, Atlanta, and SXSW featuring Tom Morello.[1]

History

"Death to My Hometown" became a staple of the Wrecking Ball Tour, usually being played towards the beginning of the sets. The tin whistle riff from the album version was handed over to the newly assembled 5-piece horn section during the shows. The song was played at every Wrecking Ball show in 2012 and 2013, and then occasionally until 2017, but then was absent until 2023. It had also featured five times on the 2024 tour as of July 27. [2]

Themes

The song is an allegorical protest song concerning the causes and fallout of the financial crisis of 2007–2008. Springsteen uses archaic imagery to show how "death" came to his hometown not by war, but by allegedly reckless economic practices. He also references the supposed lack of accountability for the practices by bankers that allegedly led to the crisis. "The greedy thieves who came around/And ate the flesh of everything they found/Whose crimes have gone unpunished now/Who walk the streets as free men now," he sings.[3]

The album version of the song contains a sample of "The Last Words of Copernicus", a hymn by Sarah Lancaster on the subject of death from The Sacred Harp, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959.[4]

Personnel

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tom Morello Joins Bruce Springsteen in 'Death to My Hometown' Video. . 14 April 2012 . 14 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Death to My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen Song Statistics - setlist.fm. setlist.fm . 14 December 2016.
  3. Web site: Death to My Hometown. 14 December 2016.
  4. Bruce Springsteen's Sacred Harp Sample . John . Plunkett . Jesse P. . Karlsberg . March 28, 2012 . The Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter . 1 . 1.