Album Sound
Wrecking Ball was another one of Bruce's albums that had a very different sound than what would be expected from the lyrics. Most of the songs had a feel to it as if Bruce was singing about the best parts of living under bad circumstances. Bruce has several possible perspectives on this album but I feel there were a few key concepts that Bruce was trying to get across with his lyrics.
Robber Barons/Wealthy ClassIn Several Songs; "Easy Money" "Jack of All Trades" and "Death to My Hometown", all have depictions of negative effects and the greed of upperclass and wealthy. "Easy Money" tells the story of a couple who has had thier whole world crumble down (I assume financially) and wants to go through town and find some easy money. Bruce in this song mentions "them fat cats, they'll just think its funny". "Jack of All Trades is much more obvious in thier connection. Bruce literally says "The banker man grows fat, the working man grows thin". Bruce is really starting to bring up the pains of our country's wealth distribution. However its must more distinct in "Death To My Hometown" which is saying that the "Robber Barons" had come to his town and pillaged it. How they took over all the business and left the people there with nothing while they grew rich,
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Working Class LifestyleThere were several songs that I didn't feel talked about the livestyle of the working class in depth. However he used details and several song that appealed to the working class so that more would listen and possible pay attention to the real points he was getting across. (Other two colums). "Shackled And Drawn" was a song that did talk about the lifestyle of the working class but was more about how Bruce felt we were chained to that lifestyle and was unable to change it. "Jack of All Trades" was the song that really covered many different working classes and trades. This song in particular appealed to everyone, trying to bind all of us into a big group, Americans. Make us realize we are one big group of people being scammed.
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Care for One Another Particularly in "We Take Care of Our Own", and "Jack of All Trades", Bruce appeals to emotions revolving around wanting to help those in need. In "We Take Care of Our Own" Bruce sings the song as if he was taking pride in how America takes care of thier own when in reality we don't. "Jack of All Trades" gives a very similar message on how when there are natural disasters and people are in need of help maybe we will actually do something to help.
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