February 18, 2005

A Course Examines the Political Themes of Bruce Springsteen's Songs

By THOMAS BARTLETT

John Massaro has two missions:

1. He wants students in his course on Bruce Springsteen, "Walk Tall: Beauty, Meaning, and Politics in the Lyrics of Bruce Springsteen," to think about the relationship between music and politics.
2. He wants to turn his students into Springsteen fans, the kind who yell "Bruuuuuuuuce!" at concerts.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but Mr. Massaro, a professor of politics at the State University of New York College