Friday Tunes: Atlantic City

This week’s installment is labour themes in popular culture is Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City”. This song was written in about 1981 as workers in the US struggled with an ongoing recession and Atlantic City sought revitalization through the legalization of gambling. These two themes are interwoven throughout the song.

The singer seems headed to Atlantic City to join the mob.

Well I'm tired of comin' out on the losin' end
So honey last night I met this guy
and I'm gonna do a little favor for him

This decision seems to reflect the singer’s assessment that seeking success though traditional career paths is unlikely to work. Whether that is because of the inequities built into the economy or because of the singer’s past choices is a bit unclear,

Well I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus

This song seems to anticipate the ongoing discussion of the precariat—workers (often young) who are disengaged from employment and training (1) the absence of opportunities leading to (2) a loss of confidence that this path is effective. One potential pathway for them is to engage in alternative economies, including the criminal economy.



Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night
now they blew up his house too
Down on the boardwalk they're gettin' ready for a fight
gonna see what them racket boys can do

Now there's trouble busin' in from outta state
and the D.A. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade and
the gamblin' commissions hangin' on by the skin of its teeth

[Chorus]
Everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on fix your hair up pretty
and meet me tonight in Atlantic City

Well I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus

[Chorus]

Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold
but with you forever I'll stay
We're goin' out where the sands turnin' to gold
so put on your stockin's cause the nights gettin' cold
and maybe everything dies that's a fact
but maybe everything that dies someday comes back

Now I been lookin' for a job but it's hard to find
Down here it's just winners and losers and
don't get caught on the wrong side of that line
Well I'm tired of comin' out on the losin' end
So honey last night I met this guy
and I'm gonna do a little favor for him

[Chorus]

-- Bob Barnetson