I think it's pretty relevant nowadays, with the furor over illegal immigration. America is painted as this Utopia overseas, but it's not the reality once people make it here. It can be 3 or 4 generations out before immigrants see prosperity here, if at all. I don't see much metaphor here; it's a pretty straight-ahead commentary on the immigrant experience.
The song is about the arrival of all the Puerto Ricans a few decades ago. (pun intended) The capitol if PR is San Juan which translstes to Saint John. They were told the streets were paved with gold (so to speak) But when they got to New York, it was not all it was cracked up to be. References include: "...wearing coats that shine boath red & green; colors from their sunny island" and "the memory of their Southern sky was clouded by a savage winter" "they are hounded down to the bottom of a bad town amid the...
The song is about the arrival of all the Puerto Ricans a few decades ago. (pun intended) The capitol if PR is San Juan which translstes to Saint John. They were told the streets were paved with gold (so to speak) But when they got to New York, it was not all it was cracked up to be. References include: "...wearing coats that shine boath red & green; colors from their sunny island" and "the memory of their Southern sky was clouded by a savage winter" "they are hounded down to the bottom of a bad town amid the ruins"
I think it's pretty relevant nowadays, with the furor over illegal immigration. America is painted as this Utopia overseas, but it's not the reality once people make it here. It can be 3 or 4 generations out before immigrants see prosperity here, if at all. I don't see much metaphor here; it's a pretty straight-ahead commentary on the immigrant experience.
The song is about the arrival of all the Puerto Ricans a few decades ago. (pun intended) The capitol if PR is San Juan which translstes to Saint John. They were told the streets were paved with gold (so to speak) But when they got to New York, it was not all it was cracked up to be. References include: "...wearing coats that shine boath red & green; colors from their sunny island" and "the memory of their Southern sky was clouded by a savage winter" "they are hounded down to the bottom of a bad town amid the...
The song is about the arrival of all the Puerto Ricans a few decades ago. (pun intended) The capitol if PR is San Juan which translstes to Saint John. They were told the streets were paved with gold (so to speak) But when they got to New York, it was not all it was cracked up to be. References include: "...wearing coats that shine boath red & green; colors from their sunny island" and "the memory of their Southern sky was clouded by a savage winter" "they are hounded down to the bottom of a bad town amid the ruins"