I have always seen this song differently. This song is not about getting out of Atlantic City; it's about getting to Atlantic City in hopes of a new beginning ("Goin' out where the sands turnin' to gold"). The protagonist is a guy from a small, working class town somewhere in Jersey/Pennsylvania/New York. He might owe some money ("Debts that no honest man can pay") so he's running away from that because of the promise of making it in AC. The beginning of the song is a backdrop with the hit of the Philly mob boss Salvatore Testa who had strong ties in AC. Then with the D.A. and the gambling commision. All this is setting a tone.
The main story is about a guy, as described before, trying to get him and his girlfriend/wife a new, better life. Their relationship isnt good anymore and they are on the brink of poverty but he's going to try and make it work. ("Well our luck may have died and our love may be cold, but with you forever I'll stay.") The lines "Everything dies baby thats a fact, well maybe everything that dies some day comes back" is metaphorical for their life and their love. Atlantic City is suppose to be the promised land. He gets there and gets on the wrong side of the law, probably getting involved in the mob. The hope for a better life is then dead.
I have always seen this song differently. This song is not about getting out of Atlantic City; it's about getting to Atlantic City in hopes of a new beginning ("Goin' out where the sands turnin' to gold"). The protagonist is a guy from a small, working class town somewhere in Jersey/Pennsylvania/New York. He might owe some money ("Debts that no honest man can pay") so he's running away from that because of the promise of making it in AC. The beginning of the song is a backdrop with the hit of the Philly mob boss Salvatore Testa who had strong ties in AC. Then with the D.A. and the gambling commision. All this is setting a tone.
The main story is about a guy, as described before, trying to get him and his girlfriend/wife a new, better life. Their relationship isnt good anymore and they are on the brink of poverty but he's going to try and make it work. ("Well our luck may have died and our love may be cold, but with you forever I'll stay.") The lines "Everything dies baby thats a fact, well maybe everything that dies some day comes back" is metaphorical for their life and their love. Atlantic City is suppose to be the promised land. He gets there and gets on the wrong side of the law, probably getting involved in the mob. The hope for a better life is then dead.