Analysis of Bruce Springsteens Song Devils & Dust Essay -- Song Music

Analysis of Bruce Springsteen's Song "Devils & Dust" In times of war it is quite common for people to start questioning their values and their actions and be unsure of the path they are taking. This is common because to protect our values we often are told that we have to take actions that conflict with those values. One example would be how to protect our liberties we must sometimes restrain those liberties during treacherous times. However, the ultimate question is whether or not going against the very values we stand for is a hypocritical and wrongful action plan. Bruce Springsteen approaches this very issue in his song â€Å"Devils & Dust†, from the CD with the same title, and he subtly criticizes how the United States is betraying its values. Springsteen wrote â€Å"Devils & Dust† during the Iraq War. He has been openly against the war and has been quoted saying to Rolling Stone, â€Å"As the saying goes, "The first casualty of war is truth." I felt that the Bush doctrine of pre-emption was dangerous foreign policy. I don't think it has made America safer.† The song itself could be interpreted as a soldier’s point of view about the war but overall it stands as a critique on our society betraying its own principles. The first couple of verses in the song already evoke the image of a soldier stuck in a war. â€Å"I got my finger on the trigger / But I don’t know who to trust† could be understood as a soldier’s experience in war but it could also have a deeper meaning. It could also signify that our society has to make these important choices that will end up affecting people’s lives but it is all too ambiguous, there just isn’t any certainty. We are left w ith the desperate feeling of not knowing what to do, not knowing wh... ...ty and privacy are essential for it. Also, I am a dual citizen and in my other country, which is Brazil, we are still somewhat haunted by the shadow of a dictatorship that just ended in 1987. So I know people who have suffered the consequences of lack of liberty. Even so sometimes I am doubtful of my opinion, even though I try not to express it often and defend liberty as much as I can. Whenever I see some terrible act, whether terrorist or governments do it, I think if there would be a way to stop that with restrictions on certain liberties and more surveillance. However, if we do that, if we overreact, we destroy our values, destroy a part of ourselves and fill our soul with devils and dust. Works Cited Springsteen, Bruce. â€Å"Devils & Dust.† Devils & Dust. Columbia Records, 2005. Springsteen, Bruce. â€Å"We’ve Been Misled.† Rolling Stone 22 Sep. 2005