1982’s The Nylon Curtain included many allusions to the disillusionment of the “American Dream;” none so poignant as the frustration heard in “Allentown.” The song has emerged as an anthem of blue collar America, representing both the aspirations and frustrations of America’s working class in the late 20th century.

The subject of the song is the demise of the manufacturing industry in the United States. With the closing of Bethlehem Steel a generation of people were left jobless and depressed, wanting to leave but still clinging to the glory their parents were able to achieve.