Bruce Springsteen opened his live show with a “fighting prayer” for the US last night (November 6) following Donald Trump‘s victory in the 2024 presidential election.
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The Boss, who had previously endorsed Kamala Harris, performed at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada yesterday as part of his current North American tour with the E Street Band.
To begin the 29-song set, Springsteen delivered a timely rendition of 2007’s ‘Long Walk Home’ – a political song about how America had changed in the era of President George W. Bush.
Introducing the track, the singer-songwriter declared: “This is a fighting prayer for my country!”
He then aired a rendition of 1999’s ‘Land Of Hope And Dreams’ – which carries a more optimistic message, and is often described as a celebration of America. “Leave behind your sorrows/ Let this day be the last/ Tomorrow there’ll be sunshine/ And all this darkness past,” Springsteen sang.
You can watch fan-shot footage of the two performances here:
Speaking to the New York Times around the release of ‘Long Walk Home’, Springsteen explained: “In that particular song a guy comes back to his town and recognises nothing and is recognised by nothing.
“The singer in ‘Long Walk Home,’ that’s his experience. His world has changed. The things that he thought he knew, the people who he thought he knew, whose ideals he had something in common with, are like strangers.
He added: “The world that he knew feels totally alien. I think that’s what’s happened in this country in the past six years.”
In 2021, The Boss performed a solo version of ‘Land Of Hope And Dreams’ during a Joe Biden inauguration TV special titled Celebrating America. At the time, he described the song as “a small prayer for our country”.
Springsteen recently starred in a powerful campaign advert for Democratic nominee Harris, called ‘Hope And Dreams’.
In the video, the musician said: “This election is about a group of folks who want to fundamentally undermine our American way of life. Donald Trump does not understand this country, its history, or what it means to be deeply American.
“I want a President who reveres the Constitution, who wants to protect and guide our great democracy, who believes in the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power, who will fight for women’s rights and a woman’s right to choose, and who wants to create a middle-class economy that serves all our citizens.”
He added: “There’s only one candidate who holds those principles dear, that’s Kamala Harris. That’s why on November 5, I’m casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz – and I urge all of you who believe in the American way to join me.”
Last month saw The Boss perform at Harris’ rally in Atlanta, Georgia – where he played ‘Land Of Hope And Dreams’ and more – and hit out at Trump for “running to be an American tyrant”.
Elsewhere, Springsteen called Trump “mentally ill” ahead of what he described as “the most consequential elections in our nation’s history”.
Trump’s victory will make him the first former President to go back to the White House in more than 130 years.
Many figures from the entertainment world have been reacting to Trump’s win, including Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Jack White and Moby. Additionally, numerous late-night US talk show hosts and former hosts have shared their thoughts on the result.
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