Atlantic City (3:56)

536,263 plays (123,629 listeners)

Send Ringtones to Cell

Buy at Amazon MP3 ($0.99)

Download Track
Amazon MP3 ($0.99)

7digital ($0.99)

iTunes ($0.99)

Add to my Library Share More

The song depicts a young couple’s romantic escape to the New Jersey city Atlantic City, but also wrestles with the inevitability of death as the man in the relationship intends to take a job in organized crime once arriving in the city. The opening lines of “Atlantic City” refer to mafia violence in nearby Philadelphia, with Springsteen singing: “Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night, now they blew up his house too.” (The “chicken man” was a mafia boss named Philip Testa, who was killed by a bomb planted at his house in Philadelphia in March 1981. ) The song also evokes the widespread uncertainty regarding gambling during its early years in Atlantic City and its promises to resurrect the city. This uncertainty and the man’s uncertainty about taking the less-than-savory job are echoed in the lyrics “Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies some day comes back.”

Tagged as:

rock, classic rock, singer-songwriter, bruce springsteen, americana
See more…

Video

Added by bruchee

Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City.
Pro shot vid filmed at Monte do Gozo, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. 9-5-1993

http://bruche.spaces.live.com

Share Video

Flag as incorrect

See 10 more

Related Tracks

Nebraska (4:28)
Bruce Springsteen
33 shouts
Mansion on the Hill (4:04)
Bruce Springsteen
5 shouts
Heart of Gold (3:06)
Neil Young
210 shouts
Shelter From the Storm (5:59)
Bob Dylan
93 shouts
The Needle and the Damage Done (2:05)
Neil Young
89 shouts
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (4:17)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
6 shouts

Albums featuring this track

Greatest Hits
Bruce Springsteen
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $11.99
- 7digital $13.99
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $37.55
- eBay Search
In concert MTV unplugged
Bruce Springsteen
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Original Live Recorded
Bruce Springsteen
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
In Concert MTV Plugged
Bruce Springsteen
Buy
- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search

See all 32 albums

Shouts

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).

chachachoke wrote:
Monday morning

Then the gold turns back to sand and things get bad. Listen to Nebraska.

View Profile | Leave chachachoke a shout
meet_sarah wrote:
Friday evening

but what if it doesn't come back?

View Profile | Leave meet_sarah a shout
javiosito wrote:
last month

Esta canción la escuché en directo por primera vez en Santander, la ciudad donde nací y vivo. Fue un momento inolvidable.

View Profile | Leave javiosito a shout
lindakerr wrote:
last month

17 again brings it all back

View Profile | Leave lindakerr a shout
lindakerr wrote:
last month

brrriiilll just luv it xxxx

View Profile | Leave lindakerr a shout
rockandrollsuzi wrote:
last month

Great song!! <3

View Profile | Leave rockandrollsuzi a shout
mybestmusic wrote:
last month

Wonderful Song ! A Classic ! Love it !

View Profile | Leave mybestmusic a shout
mausita wrote:
December 2009

Unglaublich toller Song,, gerade als Liveversion!

View Profile | Leave mausita a shout
matthias25 wrote:
December 2009

für immerr bruce

View Profile | Leave matthias25 a shout
osapeligrosa wrote:
November 2009

One of the best songs ever!

View Profile | Leave osapeligrosa a shout
OskiRocks wrote:
November 2009

Thank you, seafoam_rose! You pegged the Boss in one sentence. Cheers....

View Profile | Leave OskiRocks a shout
tyrhandske wrote:
November 2009

The one and only. The best ever musician.

View Profile | Leave tyrhandske a shout
thegr8t1 wrote:
November 2009

Everyone dies baby thats a fact...great song!!

View Profile | Leave thegr8t1 a shout
asdAero wrote:
November 2009

Really something else <3

View Profile | Leave asdAero a shout
Trond2008 wrote:
November 2009

The chicken man from the first line was a Philadelphia mobster. (Philip Testa). Don't ask why a bear would know this, ya know what I'm sayin?

View Profile | Leave Trond2008 a shout
BossLion wrote:
October 2009

Great song! This one goes out to my old buds from Jersey!

View Profile | Leave BossLion a shout
yankeestation wrote:
October 2009

"They blew up the Chicken Man in Philadelphia last night...." Who he?

View Profile | Leave yankeestation a shout
goodmorningz wrote:
October 2009

this song isn't bleak in the slightest. everything that dies, some day comes back.

View Profile | Leave goodmorningz a shout
paulasafreire wrote:
September 2009

Wow... This version is amazing!! So much feeling in it...

View Profile | Leave paulasafreire a shout
psangel wrote:
September 2009

Great song!

View Profile | Leave psangel a shout