On Saturday, January 17, Bruce Springsteen took the stage at the Light of Day concert and said this: “If you believe in the power of law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily-armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, as the mayor of the city said: ICE should get the f–k out of Minneapolis.” He then dedicated his next song to the memory of Renee Good, the 37-year-old mother of three killed by ICE on January 7. One week later and Border Patrol — ICE’s federal cohorts in the city of Minneapolis — killed another 37-year-old US citizen, Alex Pretti, who was an ICU nurse checking to see if a woman was all right when BP agents shot him at least 10 times.
Bruce is done talking now. Instead, on Saturday, the day of Alex Pretti’s murder, Bruce composed and prosed his thoughts into a new song released on Wednesday: “Streets of Minneapolis.”
“Streets of Minneapolis,” which Springsteen wrote Saturday and recorded Tuesday, is a “response to the state terror being visited on the city,” he said in a post on Instagram. He added that the song is also for “the people of Minneapolis” and “our innocent immigrant neighbors.”
Daily life for residents in the Minnesota city has been upended in the weeks since 3,000 federal agents flooded the streets for an immigration crackdown operation.
The song, which is about four and a half minutes long, denounces U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and calls out Trump administration officials by name, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and President Donald Trump himself.
“Through the winter’s ice and cold/ Down Nicollet Avenue/ A city aflame fought fire and ice/ ‘Neath an occupier’s boots/ King Trump’s private army from the DHS/ Guns belted to their coats/ Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law/ Or so their story goes,” Springsteen sings.
The song later continues: “Their claim was self defense, sir/ Just don’t believe your eyes/ It’s our blood and bones/ And these whistles and phones/ Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies.”
In a statement to NBC News, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, “The Trump Administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities — not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information.”
Reached for comment, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: “We eagerly await Mr. Springsteen’s songs dedicated to the thousands of American citizens killed by criminal illegal aliens. Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are saving lives by arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, drug dealers, gang members, and terrorists.”
“Streets of Minneapolis” is a really beautiful song; delicate yet also unbreakable, angry but still hopeful. Though we are mourning right now, I found myself very grateful to Bruce that he gave the song the kind of rhythm and tempo that feels like a rallying cry. It’s a song meant to honor Renee Good and Alex Pretti (the chorus itself makes that clear) and also to drive us onward. These lyrics especially gave me chills: “Their claim was self defense, sir/ Just don’t believe your eyes/ It’s our blood and bones/ And these whistles and phones/ Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies.” That is exactly it. This administration is all about “don’t believe your eyes.” The thing to remember, though, is that it’s not just Miller or Noem or whoever they pass the buck to when they think they need a good PR spin. It’s all Trump; every crime, every murder, it’s all an extension of his rotten carcass of a soul. As for the pathetic responses from White House and DHS spox, hey, they can tap any artist on their side to try and measure up to Bruce’s artistry and relevancy. I eagerly await Kid Rock’s “Ballad of the ICE Brigade.”
“Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ‘26
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”
Photos credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Backgrid, Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon, Getty Images
It really is a powerful song. We listened to it last night and its very moving.
As for the response from the administration…..ah yes, the worst of the criminals are being deported, that’s why they’re deporting people seeking asylum, children, university students, etc.
God only knows what little Liam Ramos was carrying in his Spiderman backpack. 🤬
I have been a fan of Bruce Springsteen since I was 8 years old (firmly Gen X, so you can do the math). The Boss has never let me down. He and the E Street Band — especially Stevie Van Zandt — have always led the way in standing for truth, justice, and the power of rock & roll to change the world. For all the trolls who want to call Springsteen irrelevant, check out how many charts around the world have “Streets of Minneapolis” sitting at #1. Seems pretty relevant to me.
Thank you, Bruce.
✊️🐸
I live this man with every fiber of my being.
*LOVE… no I do not live with this man. Except in my mind.
“Through the winter’s ice and cold/ Down Nicollet Avenue/ A city aflame fought fire and ice/ ‘Neath an occupier’s boots.”
Bruce is the freaking best — a poet and a voice of righteous rage and conscience.
Be sure to watch the music video. It’s really powerful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDaPdpwA4Iw&list=RDGDaPdpwA4Iw&start_radio=1