Multi-family housing controversy in Northern Westchester; sensational summer cocktails; local efforts to prevent suicide; the art and joy of ballroom dancing; what to do this holiday weekend; and more
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Honestly, I’ve never fully acquainted myself with Bruce Springsteen’s music, but understand and appreciate what an influence he has been in the rock ‘n’ roll world. When choosing a song for Examiner+’s 4th of July weekend issue, he is one of the first artists who came to mind — the quintessential “Americana” or “heartland rock” artist.
The themes in Springsteen’s songs include topics about family, identity, love, racism, the working class/unemployment, and the American Dream and mixes it up with upbeat rock ‘n’ roll and hard-hitting lyrics. “He speaks truth to power.”
Bruce Springsteen wrote the song “The Promised Land” as he journeyed through Utah and Nevada in August,1977. It’s from his 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town.
In the documentary, The Promise: The Making of Darkness On the Edge of Town, (Thom Zimney, Director, 2010/Thrill Hill Productions) Springsteen said the song is about “how we honor the community and the place we came from.” He noted that elements of the song reflected his own situation when he wrote it. He was unable to record a new album due to a lawsuit and felt weak, unable to do what he wanted and that he was letting down the other members of the band.
“Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode. Explode and tear this whole town apart.”
Although this song expresses a sense of despair, it also speaks of the resilience, determination, and desire to transcend the limitations he was feeling at the time. Ultimately, Springsteen suggested that the message of the song is the need to lose one’s illusions of a life without limitations while holding onto a sense of the possibilities in life.
— ELISA ZUCKERBERG, Founder of HearItThere.com, an online resource for live music events in the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County.
📰 ICYMI: This Week’s Features
Into the Woods
Proposed multi-family housing becomes a divisive battleground in northern Westchester
Sensational Summer Cocktails
Beat the heat at local restaurants and bars with these cool concoctions
Breaking the Hold of Mental Illness
A Pleasantville father turned the private pain from his son’s suicide into public purpose
Your Best Bets: What to Do This Weekend (and Beyond)
Break out the chairs and blankets and find some of the best concerts and fireworks all week long!
Shall We Dance?
(Re)discovering the art of ballroom dancing, one step at a time
📡 THE FEED: Curated News in Brief
10,000 Maniacs Cancels Pleasantville Music Festival Date; Organizers Working on Replacement Band: The Pleasantville Music Festival announced Thursday morning that 10,000 Maniacs, one of the headliners at this year’s festival scheduled for a week from Saturday. (Examiner)
Westchester Waives Beach and Pool Fees To Help Ease Cost Of Inflation: The county’s beaches and pools are accessible by the Bee-Line Bus, which is now also free to ride this summer through Labor Day. (Patch)
Empire City Casino Assists with Emergency Blood Shortage: With local blood supplies at their lowest recent levels in the New York region, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts once again partnered with the New York Blood Center to host a community blood drive on June 22. (Examiner)
Westchester County Passes Legislation Allowing Women Safe Access to Abortion, Free of Protesters: The Reproductive Health Care Facilities Access Act passed the county Board of Legislators 15-2 on Monday night. (CBS 2-NY)
Shimsky Defeats Abinanti to Win 92nd Assembly District’s Democratic Primary: Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Dobbs Ferry) scored an impressive victory over six-term incumbent Assemblyman Tom Abinanti in the 92nd Assembly District’s Democratic primary Tuesday night. (Examiner)
Westchester Rent Guidelines Board Approves 2% Increase: Landlords Wanted 8% to Keep up With Inflation After Two-Year COVID Freeze on Rents (Yonkers Times)
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