Critical Reaction
Critical reaction to "The Rising" was generally positive. Allmusic called it "one of Mr. Springsteen's greatest songs. It is an anthem, but not in the sense you usually reference in regard to his work. This anthem is an invitation to share everything, to accept everything, to move through everything individually and together." Rolling Stone worried that, "As with 'Born in the U.S.A.', the title ... may mislead some who hear it, particularly those intent on retaliation, which Springsteen himself shows little interest in contemplating. His concern is not with a national uprising but with a rising above: the transcending of ever-mounting losses and ancient hatreds." The New York Times described "The Rising" as a work in which "one man's afterlife is an endless longing for the physical touch of those left behind, and the music climbs toward jubilation as an act of will."
Read more about this topic: The Rising (Bruce Springsteen Song)
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