#3 A Good Man is Hard to Find (Pittsburgh)

No matter who we are or where we are from, we are connected across boundaries and borders by one thing: the need to be loved. We have a need for connection.

When life gives us those opportunities to share a piece of ourselves with someone else, it is a beautiful yet ambivalent experience. When life takes those relationships away, there’s no returning to the past. There’s no undoing what has been done. The pieces of light it gave us remain as do the valleys of shadow. When those connections are taken or left behind, we remain in search for new ones.

However, the fear of loneliness can drive us to settle for something less than we desire, less than what we may have once had. In this song’s story, the woman has a daughter who she will “tell about the meanness in this world / and how a good man is so hard to find”. She will pass on that same desperation, that same defeated fear and sense of solitude as the inevitable outcome of life.

It is sad that many people go through life believing that “a good man is hard to find” (or woman). They experience struggles and disappointments that lead them to generalize that maybe it’s just not possible to find that person who will be good and faithful to them. Because of their bad experiences, they lose their faith in others, and a bit of their trust in mankind.

The way Springsteen sings this ballad is essential to the overall atmosphere of the song. Please take the time to listen to it.

I could not find this song for my audio playlist so I’m putting another song in it’s place (just to keep the songs numbered correctly). However, to hear the song, please see the embedded youtube video.

For Complete Lyrics Visit: http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/AGoodManIsHardToFind.html