"You had to lose your illusions while at the same time holding on to some sense of possibilities. But more so your illusions of adult life, and a life without limitation, which I think everyone dreams of and imagines at a certain point. The song that needs to be sung is the song about how do you deal with these things and move along to a creative life, a spiritual life, a satisfying life, and a life where you can make your way through the day and sleep at night -- that's what most of those songs are about."

Bruce Springsteen on Darkness at the Edge of Town