Digital Re-Mastering is My Friend

This song was written by Bruce Springsteen, but Manfred Mann's Earth Band had a hit with it while The Boss was still choking it out (literally - this was before he finally had some vocal training)only in live shows. Manfred Mann's Earth Band, with their lead's signature and exceptional vocals, covered quite a few Springsteen songs during the 70's and even though I've always been a fan of Big Bruce, most of MMEB's covers did the songs so much more justice than their original writer could ever do.

For YEARS I searched for a useable album with this song on it. From the very first moment I heard it (I think I was 14), I LOVED it. And for so many years I was rendererd into a grateful blob of blubberiness every time some random DJ dug into the B-sides and blew the dust off this track - as you can probably imagine, it didn't happen very often. But I never forgot.

Thanks to digital remastering, now I can hit my iPod and listen to it over and over and over. Life is a marvel. AND... not long ago a sort of strange bunch named "The Disco Boys" remixed this amazing song and made a fun dance track out of it.

This video is from 1983. :-)




Princess cards she sends me with her regards,
Oh, bar-room eyes shine vacancy
To see her you gotta look hard
Wounded deep in battle, I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
To her cheshire smile I'll stand on file
She's all I ever wanted
You let your blue walls stand in the way of these facts, honey
Get your carpet baggers off my back
Girl give me time to cover my tracks
You said, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jacks"
But they're not what I came for
Oh I came for so much more
And I know you that too
And I know you know that's true

I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you, for you
I came for you

Crawl into my ambulance
Your pulse is getting weak
Reveal yourself all to me now
While you've got the strength to speak
'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue
With their oxygen masks
But I could give it all to you now
If only you could ask
Don't call for your surgeon
Even he says it's late
It's not your lungs this time
But your heart holds your fate
Don't give me my money back
Don't want it anymore
It's not that nursery mouth I came back for
It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
I've broken all your windows
And I've rammed through all your doors
Who am I to ask you to fight my wars
And you should know that's true
You should know that too

I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you, for you
I came for you

Don't call for your surgeon
Even he says it's late
It's not your lungs this time
But your heart holds your fate
Don't give me my money back
Don't want it anymore
It's not that nursery mouth I came back for
It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
I've broken all your windows
And I've rammed through all your doors
Who am I to ask you to fight my wars
You should know that's true
You should know that too

I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you, for you
I came for you

The Tip of the Iceberg

Here is a brief and NON-comprehensive example of why hiring illegal aliens is not economically productive for the State of California, no matter what was presented in “A Day Without a Mexican:”

You have 2 gentlemen..."Joe Legal" and "Joe Illegal". Both men have families consisting of two parents and two children and live in California.

"Joe Legal" works in construction, has a Social Security Number, and makes
$25.00 per hour with payroll taxes deducted..."Joe Illegal" also works in
construction, has no Social Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 per hour cash
"under the table".
Joe Legal...$25.00 per hour x 40 hours $1000.00 per week , $52,000 per year
Now take 30% away for state and federal tax
Joe Legal now has $31,231.00

Joe Illegal...$15.00 per hour x 40 hours $600.00 per week, $31,200.00
per year
Joe Illegal pays no taxes...
Joe Illegal now has $31,200.00

Joe Legal pays Medical and Dental Insurance with limited coverage for himself and 3 dependents:
$1000.00 per month
$12,000.00 per year
Joe Legal now has $19,231.00

Joe Illegal has full Medical and Dental coverage through State-funded (wait, I’m sorry, TAX-PAYER FUNDED) medical programs and local
clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year
Joe Illegal still has $31,200.00

Joe Legal makes too much money is not eligible for Food Stamps, welfare, or WIC
Joe Legal pays for food:
$1,000.00 per month
$12,000.00 per year
Joe Legal now has $ 7,231.00

Joe Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for Food Stamps, welfare, and WIC
Joe Illegal still has $31,200.00.

Joe Legal pays rent - in the ghetto and in a place where his children share a room - of
$750.00 per month
$9000.00 per year
Joe Legal is now in the hole
minus (-) $1,769.00

Joe Illegal receives a $500 per month Federal rent subsidy and is eligible for Section 8 housing.
Joe Illegal pays rent:
$300.00 per month
$3600.00 per year
Joe Illegal still has $27,600.00

Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays and gets a part time job after
work, allowing him a higher tax bracket and

$20,800.00. Joe Legal’s tax bracket is now 40%, making his total gross income $72,800.00 per year and his tax liability $29,120.00. Starting over, Joe has:

$43,680.00 net income – $12,000.00 per year medical and dental insurance

$31,680.00 - $12,000.00 per year food

$19,680.00 - $9000.00 per year rent

Joe Legal now has no time with his family and $10,680.00.
Joe Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.

Joe Legal's and Joe Illegal's children both attend the same school. Joe
Legal pays for his children's lunches:

$1.40 per day x 2 for 142 days per year

$397.60 per year.

Joe Legal now has $10,282.40.

Joe Illegal's children get a government sponsored lunch due to lack of income.

Joe Illegal still has $27,600.00.

Joe Illegal's children have an after school ESL program, a before school tutoring program, and a during-school AVID program pursuant to the tax-payer-funded “No Child Left Behind” Act.

Joe Legal's children receive a sub-standard education (see California “No Child Left Behind” statistics: California met APY goals in 2004 and 2006 – the only two years since NCLB was passed) and then go home.

Joe Legal and Joe Illegal both enjoy the same Police and Fire Services, but
Joe Legal paid for them and Joe Illegal did not. Joe Legal and Joe Illegal both must pay for vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, fuel, vehicle maintenance, utilities, family clothing, telephone service, school supplies, household items, and “unexpected” expenses. Joe Legal must pay higher vehicle insurance because his mileage is higher, higher fuel costs because his usage is higher, and higher maintenance because the wear-and-tear on his vehicle is higher.

Obviously, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Don't vote for OR support any politician that supports illegal aliens.