At the same time Bruce Springsteen released "The Rising," he released a lesser song, "Lonesome Day," which I also enjoyed: Baby, once I thought I knew Everything I needed to know about you Your sweet whisper, your tender touch But I didn't really know that much Joke's on me, it's gonna be okay If I can just get through this lonesome day Lonesome day I like these lines first because they're funny. "I didn't really know that much": A slogan for the human condition! I also like that the speaker is sort of old and wise; he can laugh at himself. ("Joke's on me.") And these lines also set up a problem we'll follow through the song: how to get through a lonesome day. Hell's brewing, dark sun's on the rise This storm will blow through by and by House is on fire, viper's in the grass A little revenge and this too shall pass This too shall pass, darling, yeah, I'm gonna pray Right now, all I got's this ...