Headfirst Into A Hurricane - 10th Anniversary Analysis of Springsteen's "Lost in the Flood"

10 years ago today, one of my absolute favorite albums was released - Hammersmith Odeon London '75, a concert recorded by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band back in 1975. As far as live albums go, it's a real zinger. It was The Boss's first European tour, and it shows. There's a fiery intensity to each track, a crackling energy, like the band had something to prove. And they did. Preceding the event, Columbia Records reportedly flooded London with flyers, boldly proclaiming, "Finally London is ready for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band!" Pretty wild. Thankfully, they lived up to the hype. This is simply one of the greats, right up there with Sinatra at the Sands or The Beatles' rooftop concert. It's an engaging, passionate album.

One of the best...!

And although I love this record (it's easily my all-time favorite from Springsteen), there's one song I'm particularly enamored with. "Lost in the Flood," originally released on 73's Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., is truly a soulful tune. It's the track that catapulted my lukewarm fondness for Springsteen to a full-on infatuation. The first time I heard it, I was walking home from school, volume blaring to drown out the traffic. I was immediately entranced. Springsteen's lyrics evoke undeniably strong emotions, drawing on topics like the Vietnam War, street violence, and spiritual disillusionment. Through breathtaking imagery, vivid characterization, strong symbolism, and ironic wordplay, he illustrates humanity's vulnerability to fate. If you're willing to read along, I'd like to explain it to you. This is "Lost in the Flood" how I see it, ten years after first listening. I hope you read and enjoy.

Okay, okay - to start, the song is split into three verses, each with its own story. The first focuses on a "ragamuffin gunner," presumably a returned soldier from Vietnam. It's a story about the character's skepticism of the church, and also a disturbing description of his time spent in war. The second verse is about "a pure American brother" who the song only refers to as "Jimmy the Saint." It's the romantic vision of a street racer's final drag. The third story describes gang warfare in the streets of New York City, showing both the futility and eerie glorification of violence. Each verse ends in the death of a character, illustrating humanity's defenselessness to fate.

As always, the imagery Springsteen employs is stunning, particularly in the second verse. Jimmy is a "blaze-and-noise boy" who dies a "highwayman's farewell" behind the wheel. His driving boils down to, "Gunnin' that bitch." Man, I love that. But the lyrics in the first verse are a tad more convoluted. Describing the ragamuffin gunner's past, comes the line, "His countryside's burnin' with wolfman fairies dressed in drag for homicide." Bizarre, right? Here's what I think: The wolfman is a traditional manifestation of the Jungian "Trickster" archetype, confusing and frightening. They appear as haunting fairies, wearing "drag for homicide," i.e. the army's olive drab, reminiscent of his horrific time in Vietnam. I think Gunner suffers post-traumatic stress, and in the song is suffering from a flashback, resulting in his death. Pretty neat, right? I also like the line, "The hit-and-run plead sanctuary, 'neath a holy stone they hide." This hints at Gunner's guilt. His Vietnam atrocities feel like a hit-and-run car accident, in which he never stopped to see the damage he caused. As for that holy stone...?

Bring on the religious disillusionment! There's a lot here, all serving the idea that fate, and not God, defines our destinies. While I don't know if I agree, I'm infatuated with the sentiment. By that logic, fate becomes the most powerful force in existence. Wild stuff. As far as irony goes, the religious rhetoric provides a nice juxtaposition between reality and fantasy - what is versus what should be. Example: Jimmy the Saint, our romantic small-town hero (think James Dean, Steve McQueen) is hardly a divine saint - just another person lost in the flood, surrendered to fate. How about "Bronx's best apostle" from the third verse? Just a kid with a gun. The "storefront incarnation of Maria" is possibly this song's Mary Magdalene, a hooker on 8th Avenue. Maybe she's an actual Mother Mary statue, a cheap trinket in a store window, dusty and irrelevant. My favorite? The nuns running through "Vatican halls pregnant, pleadin' immaculate conception." Last? "And everybody's wrecked on Main Street from drinking unholy blood." All this religious iconography is meaningless in the face of Springsteen's flood. Fate. The most powerful thing in the universe.

Which is, of course, our end point. The flood. Throughout the piece, the speaker wonders at the end of each verse why certain events transpired, but gives up every time and blames it on the flood, on fate. The first stanza: "Have you thrown your senses to the war, or did you lose them in the flood?" The second: "I wonder what he was thinking when he hit that storm, or was he just lost in the flood?" The third: "I wonder what they were gettin' into, or were they just lost in the flood?" Fate conquers all. The gospel according to Springsteen.

Lastly, there's the music. It's awesome, especially in this recording. The arrangement adds more to the theme, strengthening the message. The melody is a haunting one, complete with moaning guitar and a single organ note lasting the entire song. This adds despair, making fate seem even more powerful and everything else weaker in its way. The centerpiece is a beautiful piano, with the beginning and end reminiscent of a funeral hymn, solemn and melancholic. During the second verse (the tale of Jimmy the Saint), the rest of the band crashes in, mimicking the flood's crash over humanity. Even the line, "Everything stops, you hear five quick shots..." is immediately followed by a rapid fire of snare drum hits - the echo of gun shots in that tragic alley. The conclusion is ghastly - the chord structure devolves into chaotic clamor, with Springsteen wailing hopelessly, the metaphor reaching a hectic climax.

Because of the strong theme and incredibly inventive avenues explored to support it, "Lost in the Flood" by Springsteen is a masterwork. From war to warmth, from cars to crashes, from fate to fatality...this tune, and this particular live album, has it all. Getting lost in this song's subtleties and complexities is just as easy as getting lost in the flood itself.

Top 15 Films of 2015

Another year, another "best films" list. As usual, I tried to be as objective as possible, but keep in mind: I haven't seen every film released in 2015, and I'm sure there's still plenty of subjectivity here. Hope you read and enjoy! 

(*Honorable Mentions: Crimson Peak, Jurassic World, Kung Fury, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, The Visit) 

15.) The Revenant: What a great way to kick off this list. Although this revenge thriller is a tad over-bloated, its picturesque cinematography and masterclass acting make it worthwhile. There are a few truly wonderful moments here: terror, humor, and overwhelming catharsis.

14.) Inside Out: The visuals are dazzling, the characters adorable, and the premise ingenious. This is yet another classic spat out of the Disney/Pixar machinery, and it holds its own up there with The Incredibles and Toy Story. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but mostly you'll wonder when kids' movies became so dang smart.

13.) Goodnight Mommy: Yeah. I love horror. But Goodnight Mommy hardly feels like horror at all, at least not in the contemporary sense. Jump-scares? Over-the-top gore? A bloodthirsty villain? Nope, this one doesn't have any of that. Instead? Pure, unfiltered, absolute tension. Scenes ache by, pushing the horror as far as it can go, while still remaining strangely aloof, undersold. All the terror stems from one simple idea: What if your mother isn't really your mother? The answers are here, and they'll hit you deep down, where other chillers don't dare venture. Goodnight, indeed.

12.) The Hateful Eight: While I am a devout Tarantino fan, admittedly, I think The Hateful Eight is less captivating than some of his other films. However, based on craft alone, it still ranks as one of 2015's best. Our central characters are wonderfully performed (particularly Sam Jackson's keen bounty hunter and Jennifer Jason Leigh's feral prisoner), and I love how none of them are good people, like some kind of hyperviolent episode of Seinfeld. The music is larger than life (courtesy of the great Morricone), the imagery and direction are flawless (as usual), and the script is sharp as a knife to the throat.  Truly the work of a master craftsman.

11.) Bridge of Spies: Spielberg rarely makes a bad movie, and with this real-life Cold War thriller, he gives us a polished, aesthetically-nuanced film. Of course Tom Hanks is great, but thankfully so is the rest of cast, especially Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan. And the camera work? Fantastic. Shots are artsy and efficient, with lots of subtle oner's. Yet the feel of this production, how lived-in it is, how natural and understated, is its true success. Much like some of Spielberg's other historical epics - Saving Private Ryan, Munich, and War Horse spring to mind - this one is so flawlessly built that it hardly feels like history at all. It feels more like life. Thanks again, Steven.

10.) Black Mass: An ice-cold crime thriller, one whirring with wit and the macabre, Black Mass is easily one of the best films of 2015. Although there's a lot of awesomeness going on (all the 70's period costumes, quick dialogue, the whole Boston vibe), it's Johnny Depp's chilling portrayal of infamous gangster Whitey Bulger that steals the show. He is ruthless, strangely charming, and utterly mesmerizing. Much like the film itself.

9.) Creed: Here comes the cliche...are you ready? Creed is a knockout! ...but seriously, guys, it is. Tight script, loving cinematography (Philadelphia's never looked more vibrant), brilliant direction, and some of the year's best performances; especially Sly Stallone's glorious return to Rocky, one of cinema's most beloved characters. This is an electrifying finale to the story of Rocky Balboa, and a great introduction to boxing's new hero, Adonis Creed. It's the best sports movie of the year, and will hopefully give rise to a slew of entertaining sequels. Here's to six more!

8.) Mad Max: Fury Road: Is this the best action film of the year? No. The best sci-fi? I don't think so either. But there's something special here, something hard to put your finger on, that makes Fury Road undeniably cool. People like to prattle on about how great the practical effects are (and yeah - they are), or how Charlize Theron totally kills it in the lead role (which she does), but in the end, this movie doesn't feel dissectible. Breaking it down into smaller pieces seems unnecessary. Just watch the damn thing. It's great.

7.) It Follows: The concept is simple, the characters are relatable, the scenery (present-day Detroit) is beautiful, and the horror is vicious. The less I reveal about this one, the better. I suggest you go in with as little prior knowledge as possible. Just know that It can represent many things (mortality, intimacy, HIV/AIDS) and will scare the bejesus out of you. So turn off the lights, wait until the rest of the house is fast asleep, and enjoy. The tagline is, "It doesn't think, It doesn't feel, It doesn't give up." How great is that?

6.) Ex Machina: With its deliberate, meditative pace, lots of people found this sci-fi thriller to be "boring." How sad. Ex Machina is one of 2015's best, and it earns a spot in my top ten for lots of reasons. Much like Sicario and Goodnight Mommy, the focus here is on a triangle of characters: an unpredictable genius, an everyday schmo in over his head, and a futuristic cyborg learning how she fits into the world. The cunning cat-and-mouse interplay between them is a real thrill, and if you're able to sink your teeth into the ideas at hand, you'll be very happy with the payoff.

5.) Straight Outta Compton: Coming in at #5 with a bullet (with lots of them, actually) is this engrossing biopic about infamous hip-hop group N.W.A. Although the technical specs are all rock solid - the cinematography, the editing, the sound design - it all boils down to two things: Up first are the performances, all of which are terrific (it's a shame that newcomers Jason Mitchell or Corey Hawkins weren't nominated for Oscars). But second, and perhaps most important of all, is the dynamite directing by F. Gary Gray. He manages to juggle several subplots, a cast of hundreds, and an overall runtime of almost 2 and a half hours, without losing a single beat of forward momentum. It's a feat of pure virtuosity.

4.) The Martian: Lord knows I'm not the biggest fan of director Ridley Scott (apart from Alien, I find most of his filmography completely overrated), but with The Martian he hits it right out of the park. This story of stranded astronaut Mark Watney attempting to survive alone on Mars is one of the year's most entertaining, engaging films. A lot of it hinges on star Matt Damon's charisma, so thank God he's got enough to go around. The other performances are great (particularly from Chiwetal Ejiofor and Jessica Chastain), and so too is the script and special effects. This is a hilarious, and occasionally breathless, film. A great feat for Ridley Scott, and a welcome addition to the cinema of 2015.

3.) Sicario: Wow. What a visceral, vicious film this is. Focusing on America's war on Mexican drug cartels, Sicario is bold and unapologetic. Our three leads (Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin) give us some of the year's best performances, particularly del Toro as a mysterious, lurking shadow. Within minutes of the opening shot, a palpable danger seeps out from the screen. I found myself sweating and squirming through the whole thing. If you want an uncompromising, tooth-and-nail thriller, then this is it.

2.) STAR WARS (Episode VII): The Force Awakens: Although I'll probably write a full review later (as an avid Star Wars fan, I need to let this one settle in before jumping to any ridiculous conclusions), my gut reaction for this thing? Pure joy. The Force Awakens truly is an awakening - for the series, for sci-fi, and for pop cinema. As a spastic fan boy, I loved seeing the returning characters (particularly the eternal Han Solo and my main man Admiral Ackbar), but it's the new characters that make it great: determined Rey, heroic Finn, sardonic Poe, adorable BB-8, and our newest favorite villain, the petulant Kylo Ren. The way these characters are written, how they're performed, is an absolute treat. They remind us that the heart and soul of the Star Wars saga is humanity. Everything else - the wonderful writing, grand cinematography, organic special effects, brisk pace, gorgeous art direction, incredible music - simply icing on the cake.

Director JJ Abrams really lived up to the hype, and God bless him for it. Although in many ways The Force Awakens is a retelling of the 1977 original, it's so imbued with charisma and wit that no one really cares. Regardless of the familiarity, regardless of studio calculation (there are plenty of beats here that are too on-the-nose), this is nonetheless meteoric entertainment. While it's not the best film of 2015, this might be the best movie - all fun and flashing light. How marvelous.

1.) Spotlight: Very much in the tradition of All the President's Men and The Insider, Spotlight is a searing journalistic drama. Hard-nosed and haunting, effective and affective, this is unquestionably the best film of 2015. It's a period piece, of sorts (it's hard to think of 2001 as being a "past" setting, but whatever), with everything from characters to plot fitting perfectly inside that niche. Makes sense, because this is a true story. Unfortunately.

The plot revolves around a group of journalists from the Boston Globe investigating the systematic cover-up of sexual abuse by priests within the Catholic church. So yeah, this is more than a movie about newspapers. It's a battle of souls, an elegy of lost innocence. Pretty rough subject matter, but thankfully the film doesn't sugarcoat. There's an unrelenting ugliness here, something evil and deformed. But that's fine. It's supposed to be, right? A movie about pedophilia shouldn't be pretty. It is what it is: horrific.

Yet where there's darkness, often there's light. A spotlight, actually. To show the way, to give us hope, to bring clarity. This movie deals in clarity - of ideas, of emotions, of fact and fiction. This is mostly due to the script, the dialogue and plot points imbued with a sense of ponderous reality. And it's brought to life, for better and for worse, by an incredible cast: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, my boy John Slattery, and a dozen others. Each performance is standout, playing to each actor's particular strength (Keaton's underplayed realism, Ruffalo's ingrained humility, McAdams' pronounced focus). The direction and cinematography are equally strong, to a degree that both become invisible. No ostentatious camera tricks or directorial flourishes here. Just no-nonsense control.

This is an honest and heartbreaking film, one that dared to peer into the dark and shine a light. It's far from a happy story, but thanks to the bulletproof production and dynamite cast, it's a riveting one. Certainly the very best of 2015.