4 of Bruce Springsteen’s Best Protest Songs

Bruce Springsteen has always had strong opinions and made powerful social statements, most notably with protest songs. Recently, he’s been on the receiving end of backlash from certain groups for his commentary about the president. At a concert in the U.K., Springsteen publicly called out treason and injustice in the U.S. As usually happens when artists share their political opinions, he was essentially told to “shut up and sing” by certain fans and other artists (most notably Kid Rock).

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However, Bruce Springsteen has been making subtle political statements in his music since the start of his career. Here are four songs that prove he’s never backed down from sharing his truth.

“Lost In The Flood” (1973)

From the very beginning, Bruce Springsteen has made political statements in his music, proving that his recent protests aren’t just a flash in the pan. On his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., Springsteen made his first statement about Vietnam veterans. “Lost In The Flood” depicts a Vietnam vet returning home to find America plagued by violence and hypocrisy. Springsteen would revisit this topic a decade later.

“Born In The U.S.A.” (1984)

Again, Bruce Springsteen discussed the aftermath of Vietnam with “Born In The U.S.A.” This song was often misunderstood in its time, and many people tried to co-opt it into a patriotic anthem. However, it was really a protest against how America treated returning Vietnam veterans, calling out how the government essentially turned its back on them.

“The Ghost Of Tom Joad” (1995)

“The Ghost Of Tom Joad” drew from several influences for Bruce Springsteen’s 1995 album of the same name. Tom Joad was the main character in John Steinbeck’s dustbowl novel The Grapes Of Wrath. Springsteen also drew from Woody Guthrie’s 1940 song “Tom Joad Part 1 and 2.” Overall, Tom Joad was a symbol of the fight for social justice. Springsteen essentially pulled from the past to make a statement about the present.

“American Skin (41 Shots)” (2001)

This song is possibly the most explicit political statement that Bruce Springsteen has made. “American Skin (41 Shots)” was a direct response to the 1999 murder of Amadou Diallo, who was unarmed when the NYPD fatally shot him 41 times. When Springsteen debuted the song at a 2000 concert, many police organizations called for boycotts of his concerts. Despite the backlash, Springsteen continued to perform the powerful song live. It was finally released officially in 2014.

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