van Zandt was born as Steven Lento in Winthrop, Massachusetts. His mother, Mary Lento, remarried when he was young and Steven took the last name of his stepfather, William Van Zandt. The family moved from Massachusetts to Middletown Township, New Jersey when he was seven.
Van Zandt subsequently became a songwriter and producer for fellow Jersey shore act Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes in the mid- to late-1970s, penning their signature song "I Don't Wanna Go Home", co-writing other songs for them with Springsteen, and producing their most-acclaimed record, Hearts of Stone. As such, Van Zandt became a key contributor to the Jersey Shore sound. Van Zandt then went on to share production credits on the classic Springsteen albums Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, and Born in the U.S.A..
Van Zandt has produced a number of other records, including an uncredited effort on the Iron City Houserockers' Have A Good Time (But Get Out Alive). Less successful was his work on Lone Justice's second album Shelter, which was a career-ending flop for the Los Angeles cowpunk band.
In 2004, he contributed the song "Baby Please Don't Go" to Nancy Sinatra's self-titled album
Van Zandt officially left the E Street Band in 1984 (Springsteen's song "Bobby Jean" is said to be inspired by the split) and has been involved in numerous solo musical projects and collaborations since then, ranging from soul music to hard rock to world music. In particular, he released four albums in the 1980s and one in 1999, sometimes fronting an on-and-off group known as Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. Van Zandt has written that these albums are each elements in a five-part concept cycle. The first of them, 1982's white soul Men Without Women, earned the most critical praise (Jay Cocks of TIME magazine dubbed it one of the ten best albums of the year), while its follow-up, 1984's Voice of America, did the best on the U.S. albums chart, although none of them were much of a commercial success. With Voice of America, his music became explicitly political, with the central theme being opposition to Ronald Reagan-era American foreign policy.
Continuing his involvement in issues of the day, in 1985 he created the music-industry activist group Artists United Against Apartheid as an action against the Sun City resort in South Africa. Forty-nine top recording artists, including Springsteen, U2, Bob Dylan and Run DMC, collaborated on a song called "Sun City" in which they pledged they would never perform at the resort. The effort was modestly successful. In 1987 he released the album Freedom - No Compromise, which continued the political messaging in an even more strident fashion. Some U.S. appearances in that year as opening act for U2's arena-and-stadium Joshua Tree Tour continued in the same vein – Oliver North was labelled a "criminal motherfucker" – but were not well-received by audiences, who found the sound overbearing and the performances lacking musicality. Both the record and his concerts were more popular in Europe, however. Little Steven's fourth album, 1989's Revolution, attracted little attention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Van_Zandt
Princess of Little Italy
Little Steven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You really should have called, you know how your mama worries
You think I don't know baby and I don't understand
Well I was there once too, I know life can be so hard girl
She wants to run away, and she's gonna change her name
And forget everything she was, but your blood stays the same, my love
She's the princess of Little Italy, trying to find her way home
I hear you got a new boyfriend, never mind how I know
He loves you very much, yeah I'm sure he does
But is he enough protection
She wants to spend the day laughing her life away
Makin' fun of everything she does, and hurt everyone she loves
She's gonna marry somebody that's just like daddy
She's the princess of Little Italy, trying to find her way home
The rain caught me on Jane Street
Soaked the crease out of my shirt
And baby, by the way nobody's ever gonna take your place
Baby's gonna run away, and she's gonna change her name
And forget everything she loves, your blood stays the same, my love
She's gonna marry somebody that's just like daddy
She's the princess of Little Italy, trying to find her way home
The song "Princess of Little Italy" by Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul has a story-like quality that follows a young woman's journey through life. The verses describe the challenges she faces, the mistakes she makes, and the love and protection of someone who understands her struggles. The chorus reveals her desire to escape her past and create a new life for herself, but this seems impossible as she carries with her the weight of her family's expectations and traditions.
The first verse implies that the young woman has made mistakes and has not been in touch with her family. The singer scolds her for not communicating with her mother, but also acknowledges that he understands the difficulties of life. In the second verse, the singer knows about her new boyfriend and is concerned about her safety. He questions whether the boyfriend can offer her enough protection. The chorus is more symbolic and reveals the young woman's desire to escape. She wants to forget her past life and start anew, but her heritage will always follow her.
The last verse shows the singer caught in the rain, perhaps symbolizing his own struggles in life. He assures the young woman that no one can replace her, but also recognizes that she will continue to make mistakes and will need to find her own way. Overall, the song paints a picture of a young woman who is struggling to reconcile her desire for freedom with her obligation to her family and heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
Guess you'll be all right baby, sometimes you're such a bad girl
I know you can handle life's challenges, even when you misbehave
You really should have called, you know how your mama worries
Your mother cares about you and wants to hear from you
You think I don't know baby and I don't understand
I have been in your shoes before and can relate to your struggles
Well I was there once too, I know life can be so hard girl
I have experienced hardships and know that life can be difficult
She wants to run away, and she's gonna change her name
She wants to escape her current situation and start fresh with a new identity
And forget everything she was, but your blood stays the same, my love
Despite trying to leave her past behind, she cannot escape the genetics and history that make up her family
Someday she'll marry somebody that's just like daddy
She is likely to end up with a partner who exhibits similar traits and behaviors as her father
She's the princess of Little Italy, trying to find her way home
She is seeking a place of belonging in her community while balancing her desire for independence
I hear you got a new boyfriend, never mind how I know
I am aware that you are seeing someone new, even though you have not told me directly
He loves you very much, yeah I'm sure he does
I believe that your new boyfriend cares for you deeply
But is he enough protection
Even though he loves her, he may not be able to provide the safety and security she needs
She wants to spend the day laughing her life away
She desires temporary relief from the stresses of her life by seeking humor and enjoyment throughout the day
Makin' fun of everything she does, and hurt everyone she loves
Her tendency to mock and tease others could lead to emotional harm for those close to her
The rain caught me on Jane Street
I got caught in the rain while walking on Jane Street
Soaked the crease out of my shirt
The rainfall disrupted the ironed crease in my shirt
And baby, by the way nobody's ever gonna take your place
I want her to know that she holds a unique and irreplaceable spot in my life
Baby's gonna run away, and she's gonna change her name
Once again, the woman is expressing a desire to escape her current life and start anew with a different identity
And forget everything she loves, your blood stays the same, my love
Despite her attempts to forget everything she loves, her family ties and biological makeup remain unchanged
She's gonna marry somebody that's just like daddy
Once again, the woman is predicted to end up with a partner who closely resembles her father
She's the princess of Little Italy, trying to find her way home
She is still searching for a sense of belonging within her community while navigating her personal journey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN VAN ZANDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind