Souls of the Departed
Prayers for Departed Souls: Bruce Springsteen's Powerful Reflections
Lyrics
On the road to Basra stood young Lieutenant Jimmy Bly
Introduces young Lieutenant Jimmy Bly stationed on the road to Basra.
Detailed to go through the clothes of the soldiers who died
Assigned the duty of going through deceased soldiers' clothes.
At night in dreams he sees their souls rise
Bly dreams of seeing their departed souls rising.
Like dark geese into the Oklahoma skies
Compares the souls rising to dark geese flying into the Oklahoma skies.
Well this is a prayer for the souls of the departed
An invocation or plea for the souls of the departed.
Those who've gone and left their babies brokenhearted
Expresses empathy for those who died, leaving their children heartbroken.
This is a prayer for the souls of the departed
Reiteration of a prayer for departed souls.
Now Raphael Rodriguez was just seven years old
Introduces Raphael Rodriguez, a seven-year-old killed in a schoolyard.
Shot down in a schoolyard by some East Compton Cholos
He was shot by individuals from East Compton Cholos.
His mamma cried "My beautiful boy is dead"
His mother mourns the loss of her son.
In the hills the self-made men just sighed and shook their heads
People in power react with resignation and disapproval.
This is a prayer for the souls of the departed
Repeated invocation for the souls of the departed.
Those who've gone and left their babies brokenhearted
Emphasizes the impact on families left behind by premature deaths.
Young lives over before they got started
Highlights the truncation of young lives before they could flourish.
This is a prayer for the souls of the departed
Reiteration of the prayer for departed souls.
Tonight as I tuck my own son in bed
The singer reflects on his own child while putting him to bed.
All I can think of is what if it would've been him instead
Expresses the haunting thought of losing his own child.
I want to build me a wall so high nothing can burn it down
Desires to protect his child by metaphorically building an impenetrable wall.
Right here on my own piece of dirty ground
Wants to create safety and security in his own environment.
Now I ply my trade in the land of king dollar
The singer now works in a materialistic society where money rules.
Where you get paid and your silence passes as honor
Emphasizes the value placed on being paid and maintaining silence as honorable.
And all the hatred and dirty little lies
Refers to pervasive hatred and deceit accepted as truth in society.
Been written off the books and into decent men's eyes
Reflects how negativity and lies are normalized in society.
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