"My City of Ruins" Bruce Springsteen

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,
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

Though Springsteen wrote this song about Asbury, New Jersey, the song took on a whole new meaning after 9/11. Shortly after 9/11, Springsteen opened the America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon, performing this song. Whenever I hear this song, I think of September 11, and the words bring tears to my eyes. Yet there is hope in this song; it speaks about rising up after devastation and tragedy. And my favorite part is where Springsteen sings of praying. I don’t know what his faith is, but in the song he talks about praying to the Lord for strength, for the lost, for faith. It is an admission that the loss, devastation, and tragedy we face in life is overwhelming, and we cannot rely on ourselves, on our own strength. We can only rely on the Lord.

America: A Tribute to Heroes Clips (I like the version on this the best)
The Rising Clips