Youngstown
1995 · Columbia CK 67484 · Freehold, New Jersey
- Artist
- Bruce Springsteen
- Title
- Youngstown
- Release
- The Ghost of Tom Joad
- Year
- 1995
- Label
- Columbia # CK 67484
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- Freehold, New Jersey, USA
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation — Bruce Springsteen Songs
The song "Youngstown" on the Springsteen album The Ghost of Tom Joad (Columbia Records # 481650 2) told the story of the growth of Youngstown, Ohio on the back of its mining industry, and the subsequent economic decline of the town. It's narrated by a Vietnam War veteran, whose father fought in World War Two - like many songs during the Vietnam War and in the post-war era, it sought to draw a connection between generations fighting wars for the U.S.A. (1) It noted that the industry helped created the weapons of war, including the Civil War: "they made the cannon balls that helped the union win the war", as well as World War Two. The narrator noted "my daddy... come home from World War Two", and "these mills they built the tanks and bombs that won this country’s wars". This continued with more contemporary conflict: "we sent our sons to Korea and Vietnam" - but these, they "we’re wondering what they were dyin’ for". However, the industry died out and the economy of the town was abandoned: "now the yards just scrap and rubble", and so they "did what Hitler couldn’t do".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born Freehold, New Jersey, USA (23 September 1949). Currently Rumson, New Jersey.