This Hard Minett Land
Jack of All Trades – Stolz und Hilflosigkeit
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
„I’ll mow your lawn, clean the leaves out your drain I’ll mend your roof to keep out the rain I’ll take the work that God provides I’m a Jack of all trades, honey, we’ll be alright I’ll hammer the nails and I’ll set the stone I’ll harvest your crops when they're ripe and grown I’ll pull that engine apart and patch her up till she’s running right I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright“ (Bruce Springsteen, „Jack of All Trades“, from the album „Wrecking Ball“, 2012)
Illustration: Dan Altmann
Wie in zahlreichen seiner Lieder besingt Bruce Springsteen in „Jack of All Trades“ einen Ausschnitt aus dem Leben eines Arbeiters, der an das Leben seines eigenen Vaters angelehnt ist. Trotz Rückschlägen und seines unstetigen Beschäftigungsverhältnisses will der Erzähler sich selbst versichern, dass er nicht die Hoffnung verliert. Scheinbar allein, aber mit beruhigenden Worten für sein „darling“, kämpft dieser sich durch eine Zeit des Mangels und nimmt alle ihm angebotenen Verdienstmöglichkeiten an. Er macht Gartenarbeiten, Hausausbesserungen, repariert Motoren und übernimmt Feldarbeit für andere. Für ihn scheint die Vorstellung des American Dream gescheitert zu sein, dass von viel Arbeit und Durchhaltevermögen irgendwann der Wohlstand kommt. Er arbeitet nur, um den Moment zu überleben. Dafür arbeitet er ausgerechnet an Dingen, die den Traum und die Unabhängigkeit anderer Menschen symbolisieren: das eigene Ackerland, das Haus mit Garten und Autos.
