My Playlist - My City In Ruins

My Mixpod which is a selection of songs I have added to an Ipod on here can be managed by turning on, off or the volume up or down. Check here for more detail.

Today I added another song.
My City In Ruins sung by Bruce Sprinsteen.

On Tuesday 22nd February 2011 Christchurch was rocked by a 6.3 earthquake at 12.51pm and as I add this to my blog the death toll has reached 160 and they are expecting it to reach 240.

All that makes Christchurch the city it was, has crashed to the ground, some burying people under it.

It is going to take weeks, months even years for Christchurch to rebuild and the people will never be the same. Too many 'places' will be empty and their loss forever remembered. But there is something about the people of Christchurch and even New Zealand, that will support them and us all, as indeed they 'rise up'.

Springsteen wrote this about Asbury Park, New Jersey, a resort town near where he grew up. Springsteen went there a lot when he was young, and watched it deteriorate as he got older. It is now mostly neglected.
This took on new meaning after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the US. It became a message to New York City about rising from the ruins.
Springsteen first played this in December, 2000, on his U.S. tour with The E-street Band. He performed it only at a few shows in New Jersey.
This was the first song performed on the "Tribute To Heroes" telethon, held 10 days after the attack to benefit victims of the terrorism.

This song has been set as the background music to visions of the earthquake played on channel one (TVNZ).

My City Of Ruins

There is a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins

My city of ruins
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!

Now's there's tears on the pillow
Darlin' where we slept
And you took my heart when you left
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?

My city's in ruins
My city's in ruins


Now with these hands,
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord

We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord

Come on
Come on
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

Copyright © Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP)