Music Friday: ‘Gold Comes Rushing Out the River’ in Bruce Springsteen’s ‘American Land'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you superb songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today’s installment features Bruce Springsteen performing “American Land” from his chart-topping 2012 album, Wrecking Ball.

In this uplifting song about America’s immigrants, Springsteen chants, “Gold comes rushing out the river straight into your hands, if you make your home in the American land.”

In another verse, he uses precious gem imagery: "There's diamonds in the sidewalks, there's gutters lined in song; Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long."

Springsteen, also known as "The Boss," has said that “American Land” was inspired by a poem by immigrant steelworker Andrew Kovaly titled “He Lies in the American Land.” The poem was later set to music by legendary American folk singer Pete Seeger.

Springsteen’s music has often focused on the struggles of daily American life. Since he hit the rock scene in the early 1970s, Springsteen has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide and has earned a cache of high-profile awards, including 20 Grammys, two Golden Globes and an Oscar.

Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball album was his 10^th to hit the No. 1 position on the Billboard charts, an accomplishment surpassed only by the Beatles (19) and Jay-Z (12).

In the video below, Springsteen performs “American Land” for exuberant concertgoers in Dublin. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

"American Land"

Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen. Performed by Bruce Springsteen and The Seeger Sessions Band

What is this land of America, so many travel there
I'm going now while I'm still young, my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely, I'll send for you when I can
And we'll make our home in the American land

Over there all the woman wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the river straight into your hands
If you make your home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalks, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land

I docked at Ellis Island in a city of light and spire
I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
And I made my home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land

The McNicholas, the Posalski's, the Smiths, Zerillis too
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
The Puerto Ricans, illegals, the Asians, Arabs miles from home
Come across the water with a fire down below

They died building the railroads, worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago, they're dyin' now
The hands that built the country were always trying to keep down

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land
Who will make his home in the American land
Who will make his home in the American land