Bruce Springsteen is not afraid to raise his voice for the causes he believes in and feels strongly about. He has loudly criticized President Donald Trump at times. He has also been the target of Trump's ire. That has not stopped The Boss from speaking out forcefully at the age of 76.
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After the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month, allegedly by federal agents, Springsteen was stirred to action. He just dropped a new song, "Streets of Minneapolis." It pays tribute to Good and Pretti and bashes ICE for what the singer perceives as the organization's aggression. This song came directly from Bruce Springsteen's gut, conscience, and heart.
Springsteen Explained the Song on Social Media
He noted on Facebook, "I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It's dedicated to the people of the city of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free. Bruce Springsteen." Sounds like he penned the track in a burst of white-hot rage and indignation.
The Lyrics Are Very Intense
Per Variety, the dramatic anti-ICE anthem boldly shreds "King Trump's private army from the DHS." It hauntingly goes on to say, ""We'll take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst / We'll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis."
The widespread public outcry about the deaths of Good and Pretti fuels the song, as does Springsteen's own turbulent reaction to the tragic events in Minneapolis. The track harkens back to the Vietnam War-era protest songs that were often sung and chanted during the 1960s. They were the soundtrack of a movement that changed our then-fractured society and culture forever. Perhaps Springsteen's song will spark a similar movement of its own.
The Song's Images Are Often Graphic
Bruce Springsteen holds back nothing in "Streets of Minneapolis." He cuttingly mentions "Miller and Noem's dirty lies," referring to White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. There are grisly images scattered about like "bloody footprints," bloody mist," and "blood and bones."
Those words are reminiscent of war.
