In 1973, Springsteen released his first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, neither of which earned him a large audience. He changed his style and reached worldwide popularity with Born to Run in 1975. It was followed by Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and The River (1980), which topped the US Billboard 200 chart. After the solo recording, Nebraska (1982), he reunited with the E Street Band for Born in the U.S.A. (1984), his most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums of all time. Seven of its singles reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, including the title track. Springsteen recorded his next three albums, Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), and Lucky Town (1992) using mostly session musicians. He reassembled the E Street Band for 1995's Greatest Hits, then recorded the sparse acoustic The Ghost of Tom Joad, followed by the EP Blood Brothers (1996), his last release of the decade.
Springsteen dedicated his 2002 album The Rising to the victims of the September 11 attacks. He released two more folk albums, Devils & Dust (2005) and We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006), followed by two more albums with the E Street Band: Magic (2007) and Working on a Dream (2009). The next two, Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014), topped album charts worldwide. His latest releases include the solo Western Stars (2019), the E Street Band-featuring Letter to You (2020) and a solo cover album Only the Strong Survive (2022). When Letter to You went to No.2 in the US, Springsteen became the first artist to score a Top Five hit across six consecutive decades.
Among the album era's prominent acts, Springsteen has sold more than 140 million records worldwide and more than 71 million in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award (for Springsteen on Broadway). Springsteen was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016. He ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone's list of the Greatest Artists of All Time, which described him as being "the embodiment of rock & roll".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Springsteen
Studio albums
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
Born to Run (1975)
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
The River (1980)
Nebraska (1982)
Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Tunnel of Love (1987)
Human Touch (1992)
Lucky Town (1992)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
The Rising (2002)
Devils & Dust (2005)
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
Magic (2007)
Working on a Dream (2009)
Wrecking Ball (2012)
High Hopes (2014)
Western Stars (2019)
Letter to You (2020)
Only the Strong Survive (2022)
Magic
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can make it disappear
I got a card up my sleeve
Name it and I'll pull it out your ear
I got a rabbit in the hat
If you wanna come and see
This is what will be
I got shackles on my wrists
Soon I'll slip and I'll be gone
Chain me in a box in the river
And rising in the sun
Trust none of what you hear
And less of what you see
This is what will be (This is what will be)
This is what will be
(I'll cut you in half)
I got a shiny saw blade (a shiny saw blade)
All I need's a volunteer
I'll cut you in half
While you're smilin' ear to ear
And the freedom that you sought
Driftin' like a ghost amongst the trees
This is what will be
This is what will be (This is what will be)
Now there's a fire down below
But it's coming up here
So leave everything you know
Carry only what you fear
On the road the sun is sinkin' low
Bodies hanging in the trees
This is what will be (This is what will be)
This is what will be
The song "Magic" by Bruce Springsteen is a commentary on the state of American politics, media, and society. The lyrics describe a world full of illusions, where nothing is as it seems and everyone is hiding something. Springsteen begins the song by drawing attention to the power of deception, saying, "I got a coin in your palm, I can make it disappear." He then goes on to describe a series of magic tricks, including pulling a rabbit out of a hat and cutting a person in half - all in an effort to show how easily people can be fooled.
The song takes on a more ominous tone in the third verse, where Springsteen sings about being shackled and trapped. He tells us that he is "chain[ed] in a box in the river" and about to slip away. The underlying message here is that we are all living under the illusion of freedom and democracy, but in reality, we are all prisoners of a political and economic system that benefits only a few.
The final verse of the song paints a bleak picture of America, with bodies hanging from trees and a fire coming up from below. At this point, Springsteen seems to be suggesting that society is on the brink of collapse and that we need to be prepared to leave everything we know behind and face our fears in order to survive.
Overall, "Magic" is a powerful commentary on the illusions that are created by power, authority, and the media. It reminds us that we need to be aware of these illusions and be prepared to think critically and act courageously if we want to create a better, more just society.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a coin in your palm
I have something that you think is valuable
I can make it disappear
I can take away what you think is valuable
I got a card up my sleeve
I have a surprise for you
Name it and I'll pull it out your ear
Just tell me what you want and I'll give it to you
I got a rabbit in the hat
I have something magical to show you
If you wanna come and see
If you're curious enough to find out
This is what will be
This is what you can expect
I got shackles on my wrists
I'm trapped or restrained
Soon I'll slip and I'll be gone
I'll find a way to escape
Chain me in a box in the river
Even if I'm put in a difficult situation
And rising in the sun
I can still find a way out
Trust none of what you hear
Be careful of rumors or false information
And less of what you see
Don't automatically believe everything you see
I'll cut you in half
I'll reveal the truth, even if it's painful
(I'll cut you in half)
(I'll reveal the truth)
I got a shiny saw blade (a shiny saw blade)
I have a tool to help expose the truth
All I need's a volunteer
Someone who is willing to face the truth
While you're smilin' ear to ear
Even if it's uncomfortable, you'll be better off for knowing
And the freedom that you sought
The thing you were looking for
Driftin' like a ghost amongst the trees
Is hard to find or may not exist
Now there's a fire down below
A dangerous situation is approaching
But it's coming up here
And it's getting closer
So leave everything you know
Get ready to abandon what you're familiar with
Carry only what you fear
Take with you only what is truly important
On the road the sun is sinkin' low
It's getting dark and time is running out
Bodies hanging in the trees
Danger is all around and people are dying
This is what will be
This is what you can expect
(This is what will be)
(This is what you can expect)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind