"My City of Ruins" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. Originally written as an elegy for Asbury Park, New Jersey,[1] "My City of Ruins" took on new meaning as a message of hope following the September 11 attacks. The song was included as the final track on Springsteen's 2002 album The Rising; it was released as a single in New Zealand in 2011, charting at number 17.
| "My City of Ruins" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bruce Springsteen | |
| from the album The Rising | |
| Released | July 30, 2002 |
| Recorded | March 2002 at Southern Tracks Recording Studio in Atlanta, Georgia |
| Studio | TVNZ |
| Genre | Rock; gospel |
| Length | 5:00 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen |
| Producer(s) | Brendan O'Brien |
History
edit"My City of Ruins" is "a song with a stately gospel-hymn feel that bemoaned the hard times that had hit...Asbury Park, and that was meant to inspire people to help in the city’s resurrection".[2] Springsteen played the song for the first time on December 17, 2000 at Asbury Park Convention Hall.[3] "My City of Ruins" is organized around the melody line of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".[4]
September 11 association
edit"My City of Ruins" took on a new meaning soon after the September 11 attacks,[2] when "its lyrics of hope and rebirth [became] a rallying cry". Springsteen performed the song live at the America: A Tribute to Heroes national telethon 10 days after the attacks. With only a guitar and a harmonica, Springsteen introduced the number as "'a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters'".[5] Springsteen's live performance of "My City of Ruins" was included on the December 2001 “America: A Tribute to Heroes” album.[2]
Studio recording
editA studio recording of "My City of Ruins" was included as the concluding track of Springsteen's 2002 album entitled The Rising. According to Jay Lustig of NJArts.net, the "title track of The Rising is its centerpiece, but 'My City of Ruins' provides its climax, with its unbearable sadness and then, somehow emerging from that, the hunger to join together and start over again". In 2019, NJArts.net listed "My City of Ruins" as Springsteen's fourth-best song of the past 30 years.[2]
Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake
edit"My City of Ruins" was widely played by New Zealand television stations during coverage of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and became an unofficial anthem of the city in the weeks and months that followed.[6] Springsteen played the song and dedicated it to the city on the sixth anniversary of the earthquake during his 2017 tour of Australia and New Zealand.[7]
"My City of Ruins" was released as a single in New Zealand in 2011, charting at number 17.[8]
Notable covers
editEddie Vedder performed the song at the 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors as part of the multi-artist tribute to Bruce Springsteen, who was one of five recipients of the honor in 2009. Vedder's cover of the song was made available on iTunes to raise funds for Haiti earthquake disaster relief efforts. The song entered the Hot 100 the following month, peaking at number 92.[9]
References
edit- ^ Jordan, Chris (March 26, 2024). "On Springsteen tour, Asbury Park elegy 'My City of Ruins' takes on new life in San Diego". app.com.
- ^ a b c d Lustig, Jay (September 21, 2019). "'My City of Ruins' – Springsteen 70 Project, No. 4". njarts.net.
- ^ "My City of Ruins by Bruce Springsteen". setlist.com.
- ^ 9/11 Culture: America Under Construction, Jeffrey Melnick, John Wiley and Sons, 2009. ISBN 1405173718. p. 57.
- ^ Newman, Jason (September 11, 2014). "9/11 Concert Tributes: Nine Unforgettable Performances". billboard.com.
- ^ Bamber, Shaun (September 12, 2016). "Bruce Springsteen coming to Christchurch". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ Nicol-Williams, Kate (February 21, 2017). "Watch: Bruce Springsteen dedicates City of Ruins to people of Christchurch during quake anniversary eve concert". TVNZ. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen". charts.nz.
- ^ "My City Of Ruins". Songfacts.com. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
External links
edit- "My City of Ruins", Lyrics, at BruceSpringteen.net