The Symbol of the American Flag in 'Allentown' Song
Pennsylvania has been the center of a American workers to struggling to fight for maintain a living wage, and labor rights in the early 18s century. This song describes on late 90s, many factories were closing in Pennsylvania, workers were lining up and filling out forms at the unemployment offices. Their father had fought in World War II and built one of the most prosperous economies in the world, while their children thought their jobs in steel mills would give them at least the same standard of living. Instead, their factories closed, jobs disappeared, and they had nothing. The unemployed workers think of pictures of alumni on the wall and the words of teachers: if you work hard, you can succeed. At the time, only to know that the coal and iron is the real reality of life.
In the song he said, “They threw an American flag in our face”, the American flag represents the prosperity of the United States after World War II and followed by the economic depression, which is cynical twist of patriotism. It is a harsh reality that dispels the optimism instilled by the 'American dream,' which is thrown in their face when they have a chance to live it. Also, it is a metaphor for the broken dream of America and the American boys who were inspired by the American spirit to join the army but died in the muddy valley of Saigon. In the song, Billy Joel reflected on unemployment, the Vietnam war and the American dream advocated by the government: is it the invariable hard work in a small city or the glorious death in Vietnam? Maybe it's just a fictionalized, imposed American spirit. Because when death and unemployment come, no one will help those suffering young worker, only to see their dreams dashed in vain. Joel points out that 'Allentown' is an American metaphor. During 1970s-1990s, many manufacture jobs was losing due to new technologies are improving, and makes increase the productivity, and cause many people because new technologies led to improved productivity, causing many factories closing, many jobs and factories moved to overseas, and that had made Pennsylvania became overnight relics.
The lyrics of the song are well written. On the one hand, it describes the impact of unemployment on small and medium sized cities. On the other hand, it also impugns the American dream advocated by the government. There's nothing more depressing and poignant than the song 'Allentown.' The song's enormous influence became a anthem for the American blue-collar class, representing the aspirations and frustrations of the American working class in the late 20th century.
