When I hear the Band's version of Bruce Springsteen's song "Atlantic City," I get two reactions. The Band's version is musical poetry. The lyrics give me the creeps.
Why? As a former Jersey boy who grew up in Springsteen's era, I really identifed with the mood of the song -- at first! Then I started
decoding it as a subdued lament for a contract murder.
Verse 1: The Chicken Man was a Philadelphia mob boss slain in 1981 by a nail bomb as part of a war of succession. Philadelphia gangland had a share in Atlantic City spoils, as did New Jersey gangland and New York City's crime families.
The reason trouble was brewing on the boardwalk was that rival mob factions -- now that the capo was dead -- were expected to fight over various skimming and kickback schemes.
Verse 2: Coping with gangland trouble at this level would have been very difficult for "the D.A.," that is, top law enforcers -- especially because the police were riddled with the mob's friends. Similarly, the gambling commissioner would have had little power to do much (assuming he hadn't been bought by the mob).
The chorus sounds like someone who has murdered someone, or is about to, expressing disquiet over the dirty deed. In a kind of self-pardon, the idea is: "Well, maybe it's not that bad. Maybe that person's life will be restored one of these days." The remainder of the chorus suggests someone who wants to forget what he's just done or is about to do by going out with his girl and having a little fun.
Verse 3 probably would be more on point if it read, "But I got the kind of debts no 'poor man' can pay." (The "honest man" reference may reflect the common notion that people don't get rich honestly.) Anyway, the poet and his girlfriend are in Atlantic City just before gangland violence is to break out.
The bridge just gives a bit of mood. But what is the mood? A loveless, cold relationship.
Verse 4: In contrast to crooked mobsters, he's frustrated at being broke. So, what's the solution? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. His money worries are over, at least for now. "But I talked to a man last night, gonna do a little favor for him." The "little favor" almost surely implies a big payoff for a crime of some sort. Given the previous lyrics, the crime sounds like a murder-for-hire job. Also, this is the last line of the song, not counting the chorus, making it more meaningful.
Well, of course, if Springsteen wrote a song about a contract murder, that doesn't mean the murder really happened or that Springsteen was a hit man. He was quite the poet. He wrote all kinds of songs.
In fact, elements of the song are in error (or fictional).
✓ The house of the Chicken Man -- Philip Testa -- was not blown up, though the nail bomb was powerful enough to blast through the front porch floorboards.
✓ There is no office of "district attorney (DA)" in New Jersey. The office with equivalent powers would have been the Atlantic County prosecutor.
✓ There was no "gambling commissioner," per se. At the time of Testa's murder, the Casino Control Commission was composed of five commissioners, four of whom were part-time with no expertise in law enforcement. The panel's full-time chairman was Joseph P. Lordi, a former Essex County prosecutor. So, loosely, it would be fair to call him "the" gambling commissioner.
✓ It seems doubtful that there was a Coast City Bus line, as most bus routes were taken over by NJ Transit in 1980. But it's possible people traveling from Philadelphia to Atlantic City used that "Coast City" appellation casually.
We don't wish to nitpick. But the evidence is very iffy that Springsteen had a first-hand knowledge of circumstances surrounding a contract killing. He could easily have inferred, or heard about, such a killing shortly after a mob capo's murder.
[Verse 1]
Well, they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night
And they blew up his house too
Down on the boardwalk they're ready for a fight
Gonna see what them racket boys can do
[Verse 2] Now there's trouble busin' in from outta state
And the D.A. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble on the promenade
And the gamblin' commissioner's hangin' on by the skin of his teeth
[Chorus]
Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Verse 3]
Well, I got a job and I put my money away
But I got the kind of debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew out what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus
[Chorus]
Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Bridge]
Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold
But with you forever I'll stay
We'll be goin' out where the sand turns to gold
But put your stockings on, 'cause it might get cold
[Chorus]
Oh, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Verse 4]
Now I've been a-lookin' for a job, but it's hard to find
There's winners and there's losers and I'm south of the line
Well, I'm tired of gettin' caught out on the losin' end
But I talked to a man last night, gonna do a little favor for him
[Chorus]
Well, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Wrapup]
Oh, meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Oh, meet me tonight in Atlantic City
decoding it as a subdued lament for a contract murder.
Verse 1: The Chicken Man was a Philadelphia mob boss slain in 1981 by a nail bomb as part of a war of succession. Philadelphia gangland had a share in Atlantic City spoils, as did New Jersey gangland and New York City's crime families.
The reason trouble was brewing on the boardwalk was that rival mob factions -- now that the capo was dead -- were expected to fight over various skimming and kickback schemes.
Verse 2: Coping with gangland trouble at this level would have been very difficult for "the D.A.," that is, top law enforcers -- especially because the police were riddled with the mob's friends. Similarly, the gambling commissioner would have had little power to do much (assuming he hadn't been bought by the mob).
The chorus sounds like someone who has murdered someone, or is about to, expressing disquiet over the dirty deed. In a kind of self-pardon, the idea is: "Well, maybe it's not that bad. Maybe that person's life will be restored one of these days." The remainder of the chorus suggests someone who wants to forget what he's just done or is about to do by going out with his girl and having a little fun.
Verse 3 probably would be more on point if it read, "But I got the kind of debts no 'poor man' can pay." (The "honest man" reference may reflect the common notion that people don't get rich honestly.) Anyway, the poet and his girlfriend are in Atlantic City just before gangland violence is to break out.
The bridge just gives a bit of mood. But what is the mood? A loveless, cold relationship.
Verse 4: In contrast to crooked mobsters, he's frustrated at being broke. So, what's the solution? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. His money worries are over, at least for now. "But I talked to a man last night, gonna do a little favor for him." The "little favor" almost surely implies a big payoff for a crime of some sort. Given the previous lyrics, the crime sounds like a murder-for-hire job. Also, this is the last line of the song, not counting the chorus, making it more meaningful.
Well, of course, if Springsteen wrote a song about a contract murder, that doesn't mean the murder really happened or that Springsteen was a hit man. He was quite the poet. He wrote all kinds of songs.
In fact, elements of the song are in error (or fictional).
✓ The house of the Chicken Man -- Philip Testa -- was not blown up, though the nail bomb was powerful enough to blast through the front porch floorboards.
✓ There is no office of "district attorney (DA)" in New Jersey. The office with equivalent powers would have been the Atlantic County prosecutor.
✓ There was no "gambling commissioner," per se. At the time of Testa's murder, the Casino Control Commission was composed of five commissioners, four of whom were part-time with no expertise in law enforcement. The panel's full-time chairman was Joseph P. Lordi, a former Essex County prosecutor. So, loosely, it would be fair to call him "the" gambling commissioner.
✓ It seems doubtful that there was a Coast City Bus line, as most bus routes were taken over by NJ Transit in 1980. But it's possible people traveling from Philadelphia to Atlantic City used that "Coast City" appellation casually.
We don't wish to nitpick. But the evidence is very iffy that Springsteen had a first-hand knowledge of circumstances surrounding a contract killing. He could easily have inferred, or heard about, such a killing shortly after a mob capo's murder.
[Verse 1]
Well, they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night
And they blew up his house too
Down on the boardwalk they're ready for a fight
Gonna see what them racket boys can do
[Verse 2] Now there's trouble busin' in from outta state
And the D.A. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble on the promenade
And the gamblin' commissioner's hangin' on by the skin of his teeth
[Chorus]
Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Verse 3]
Well, I got a job and I put my money away
But I got the kind of debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew out what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus
[Chorus]
Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Bridge]
Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold
But with you forever I'll stay
We'll be goin' out where the sand turns to gold
But put your stockings on, 'cause it might get cold
[Chorus]
Oh, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Verse 4]
Now I've been a-lookin' for a job, but it's hard to find
There's winners and there's losers and I'm south of the line
Well, I'm tired of gettin' caught out on the losin' end
But I talked to a man last night, gonna do a little favor for him
[Chorus]
Well, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City
[Wrapup]
Oh, meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Oh, meet me tonight in Atlantic City
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