When listeners pay close attention to the lyrics of "Atlantic City," they're actually met with a very dark, bleak story.
In the opening lyrics of the haunting, gritty ballad, Springsteen sings:
These lyrics are actually inspired by a dark, true event. In 1981, a man named Phil Testa began to rise in leadership in the Philadelphia crime family following the murder of his friend and the former boss, Angelo Bruno. Testa earned the nickname "Chicken Man" due to his using his actual poultry business as a front for his crime life. In March of that year, Testa opened the door to his house on 2117 Porter Street and a nail bomb exploded, killing him. His murder was supposedly arranged by his underboss and sparked a massive war within the family.
Springsteen has continued to included the song in live performances over the last 40+ years. In 2025, he even joined singer Zach Bryan in a surprise performance at Metlife Stadium where he performed the track with Bryan and Kings of Leon.
Related: Iconic 1984 Rock Anthem Has One of the Most Misunderstood Meanings in Music History
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