Streets of Philadelphia was one of the last cuts to have it’s place on this list and it almost got forgotten, because the song hasn’t been published on any studio album but just as a single and on compilation records. Bruce made it for the movie Philadelphia (1993) while the E Street Band was on break so he’s managing all the instruments himself excluding the bass playing and background vocal work from Tommy Sims. Streets of Philadelphia became a great hit and it won an Oscar for best song and four Grammys: ”Song of the Year”, ”Best Rock Song”, ”Best Rock Vocal Performance” ja ”Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television”.
There are rumours that Springsteen had completed a kind of a hiphop-album with drum machines and synthesizers in the year 1994 and Streets of Philadelphia was material from those sessions. A strong synthesizer pad and drum loop go on for the whole song creating almost a mystical, hypnotic feel.
As a movie Philadelphia tells the story of a lawyer played by Tom Hanks, who is dismissed by his company after it’s revealed that he has AIDS. He then goes on to hire a homophobic lawyer, played by Denzel Washington, to fight for his rights. Bruce is singing this song like his living through Hanks’ character’s eyes: that’s why the vocal performance is so sunk and brittle.
The song starts with a drum loop in which the keyboards swim in. It’s first verse is about the feelings one does not have a skill to describe. The way of looking in the mirror and not recognizing the man looking back may also tell about something else than just a physical disease. Am I just gonna be left to drift around on the streets of Philadelphia City?
I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell
what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
Saw my reflection in a window I didn't know
my own face
Oh brother are you gonna leave me
wasting away
On the streets of Philadelphia
This has been going on for a long time and many things occurred have become memories: former friends have gone as well. The scene described on the last three lines tells a strong story about loneliness: you could hear the narrator’s heartbeat.
I walked the avenue till my legs felt like stone
I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and whispering as the rain
On the streets of Philadelphia
Bruce had the manner of writing middle sections in the 90s and this isn’t an exception. The narrator isn’t likely going to survive. Has he come all the way down here to throw it all away?
Ain't no angel gonna greet me
It's just you and I my friend
And my clothes don't fit me no more
I walked a thousand miles
just to slip this skin
I think that in the last verse the end really comes. “I can feel myself fading away” is a beautiful line. If there’s no one to greet you when you go, you’re left to evaporate on the streets of Philadelphia.
The night has fallen, I'm lyin' awake
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your faithless kiss
or will we leave each other alone like this
On the streets of Philadelphia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z2DtNW79sQSingleltä Streets of Philadelphia (1994).
Streets of Philadelphia oli viimeisiä nostoja tälle listalle ja meinasi suorastaan unohtua, sillä tätä ei ole julkaistu millään varsinaisella studioalbumilla vaan ainoastaan singlenä sekä kokoelmalevyillä. Brucehan teki laulun Philadelphia-elokuvaan (1993) E Street Bandin ollessa tauolla, joten hän itse hoitaa kaikki laulussa kuultavat soittimet lukuun ottamatta Tommy Simsin bassonsoitantaa ja taustalaulua. Streets of Philadelphiasta tulikin valtava hitti: Oscar-palkinto parhaasta laulusta sekä neljä Grammya: ”Song of the Year”, ”Best Rock Song”, ”Best Rock Vocal Performance” ja ”Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television”.
Huhupuheet kertovat, että Springsteen olisi vuonna 1994 koonnut valmiiksi eräänlaisen “hiphop”-albumin rumpukoneineen ja syntetisaattoreineen ja Streets of Philadelphia olisi noiden sessioiden materiaalia. Vahva syntetisaattorimatto ja rumpuluuppi kiertävät koko biisin ajan luoden liki mystisen, hypnoottisen tunnelman.
Elokuvanahan Philadelphia kertoo Tom Hanksin näyttelemästä asianajajasta, joka erotetaan firmastaan kun paljastuu että hänellä on AIDS. Mies palkkaa Denzel Washingtonin näyttelemän homofobisen asianajajan taistelemaan puolestaan. Bruce laulaa tätä laulua kuin tuon Hanksin hahmon silmin: siksi laulusuoritus onkin vaipunut ja hauras.
Biisi alkaa rumpuluupilla, johon kosketinsoittimet uivat mukaan. Ensisäkeistö käsittelee tuntemuksia, joita ei oikein osata kuvata. Toisaalta se, että katsoo peiliin eikä tunne takaisin tuijottavaa hahmoa, voi kertoa muustakin kuin fyysisestä sairaudesta. Eikö tässä lopulta muuta jää kuin ajelehtimaan Philadelphian kaduille?
I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell
what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
Saw my reflection in a window I didn't know
my own face
Oh brother are you gonna leave me
wasting away
On the streets of Philadelphia
Tätä on kestänyt jo pitkään ja matkan varrella monet jutut ovat vaihtuneet muistoiksi: entiset ystävätkin ovat kadonneet. Kohtaus, joka kuvataan viimeisillä kolmella rivillä kertoo yksinäisyydestä vahvasti: voi kuulla veren kohinankin.
I walked the avenue till my legs felt like stone
I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and whispering as the rain
On the streets of Philadelphia
90-luvun Bruce-sävellyksille ominainen väliosa tulee myös. Tästä ei taideta selvitä, ja jäljellä ei ole enää montaa. Onko tänne asti tultu vain heittämään kaikki mennyt menemään?
Ain't no angel gonna greet me
It's just you and I my friend
And my clothes don't fit me no more
I walked a thousand miles
just to slip this skin
Itse koen, että viimeisessä säkeistössä tulee loppu konkreettisesti. ”I can feel myself fading away” on kauniisti sanottu. Jos kukaan ei ole ottamassa vastaan kun lähtö tulee, niin silloin jää vain haihtumaan Philadelphian kaduille.
The night has fallen, I'm lyin' awake
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your faithless kiss
or will we leave each other alone like this
On the streets of Philadelphia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z2DtNW79sQ
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