Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen has long chronicled the struggles of American people through music, offering catharsis in the wake of tragedies and injustice. As tributes to Alex Pretti and Renee Good continue to pour in following their tragic deaths at the hands of ICE agents in Minnesota, the great New Jersey rocker released a brand new protest song titled “Streets of Minneapolis.”
“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,” Springsteen wrote on Instagram. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free, Bruce Springsteen.”
The lyrics describe the crackdown on immigration in Minneapolis head on, naming the culprits, relating the events, and honoring the fallen. “Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist / Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of ’26.” Hoping to make sense of the tragedy, the song is both a historical document and a work of art born out of the search for solace. “We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis.”
Springsteen, an outspoken critic of the Trump administration, has never shied away from making political statements. His most famous song, “Born in the U.S.A.” shines a light on the lack of support and opportunities the Vietnam War veterans faced after coming home. More recently, he teamed up with Joe Grushecky to release “That’s What Makes Us Great,” reflecting on the anti-immigration messaging of the first Trump administration.
You can listen to “Streets of Minneapolis” below.
Bruce Springsteen released a protest song titled “Streets of Minneapolis” following the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good at the hands of ICE agents in Minnesota.
Bruce Springsteen: Website | YouTube
Sources: What Does ‘Born In The U.S.A.' Really Mean?
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