Bruce Springsteen reveals new protest song directed at Donald Trump. Well it looks like I'm buying some new music.

Courtesy of Rolling Stone: 

Bruce Springsteen bashes President Trump as a "con man" on "That's What Makes Us Great," his new protest song with longtime collaborator Joe Grushecky. "Don't tell me a lie/ And sell it as a fact/ I've been down that road before/ And I ain't going back," Springsteen sings on the track, Pitchfork reports.

The song premiered Wednesday morning on SiriusXM and Grushecky's website. At one point in the sharply worded tune, Springsteen proclaims, "Don't you brag to me/ That you never read a book/ I never put my faith/ In a con man and his crooks." 

In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Grushecky said he'd already written the song before initiating the collaboration. "I sent it to him and he liked it," he noted. "I said, 'What do you think about singing on it?' He gave it the Bruce treatment." The singer, who formerly fronted Pittsburgh rock band the Iron City Houserockers, added that Trump "lost [him] the moment he started making fun of special needs people," referring to an infamous speech where the Republican appeared to mimic a disabled reporter. "How could a person like that be president of the United States?"

As we know Springsteen was a huge Hillary supporter, and has become known as the musical voice of the middle class, so it should come as no surprise that he is fervent critic of Donald Trump's.

And the song is pretty good too.

Springsteen cover band pulls out of inauguration, citing concern over disrespecting The Boss.

Courtesy of Rolling Stone: 

If the B-Street Band pledge allegiance to anyone, it's Springsteen, who has repeatedly voiced his anger and disgust at the president-elect. (Forte half-jokingly said of the B-Street Band last week, "I don't even know if they have any politics.") Out of respect for their musical inspiration, they've decided to pull out of this week's event.

"We felt that we had to make it known that we didn't want to seem disrespectful, in any way, shape or form, to Bruce and his music and his band," Forte says. "I don't want to upset them. We owe everything to him and our gratitude and respect to the band is imperative above all else. It became clear to us that this wasn't working and we just had to do what we thought was the right thing to do and that was to pull out." 

The group had played the gala twice before to little controversy for President Obama and signed a contract for this year's gig in 2013, long before the presidential nominees were decided. But this year was different. 

"As time went by, the complexity of the situation became real immense and intense," Forte tells Rolling Stone. "The band was caught in a hurricane. We didn't see this coming, of course."

Well hey all is not yet lost, they still have Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith, a Rockette or two, Jon Voight, 3 Doors Down, and that America's Got Talent runner up.

Sounds kind of like the lineup for a county fair in the middle of fucking nowhere.

Of course it really doesn't make any difference, nobody is going to be watching anyhow.

Unable to get Bruce Springsteen the Trump inaugural team hires a cover band instead. So much fail. Update!

Courtesy of USA Today:  

As Bruce Springsteen continues to criticize President-elect Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed "No. 1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band" is performing at an inaugural gala next week. 

The B-Street Band, a Belmar-based act that covers Bruce Springsteen songs, is booked for the Garden State Inaugural Gala on Jan. 19, one of the many formal Washington balls scheduled around Trump's inauguration. 

Gov. Chris Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie are serving as honorary chairs of the ball to "recapture the fun and romance of the Jersey Shore in elegant style." It is organized by the New Jersey State Society, a nonpartisan nonprofit that schedules activities and networking events for New Jerseyans living in the Washington area.

Kind of reminds of how Americans could not choose a real president so we got Doanld Trump instead.

Every day I think this whole Trump inaugural thing cannot get any more pathetic, and every day I am proven wrong.

By the way this band says that if the Boss tells them he does not want to them to perform his songs at the inauguration, they won't.

Update: Last minute news confirms that the inaugural team managed to snag a few desperate folks to entertain the....let's go with "throngs" that show up.

Country stars Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith are scheduled to perform. As well as the band 3 Doors Down, somebody named Jennifer Holliday, and Cowboy Troy.


However Paul Anka, who is in his seventies, has pulled out using a battle over child custody as his excuse.

Sounds like quite the show, sorry I will miss it but I have plans to do just about anything else instead.

The election of Donald Trump fills Bruce Springsteen with fear.

Courtesy of CNN: 

Rock music icon Bruce Springsteen, a high-profile Democratic donor, questioned President-elect Donald Trump's competency in an interview published Monday. 

"I've felt disgust before, but never the kind of fear that you feel now," Springsteen told Marc Maron on his WTF podcast. "It's as simple as the fear of, is someone simply competent enough to do this particular job? Do they simply have the pure competence to be put in the position of such responsibility?" 

Springsteen said he is afraid of what he sees as the effect Trump has had on the future of the US. 

"When you let that genie out of the bottle -- bigotry, racism, intolerance, they don't go back in the bottle that easily if they go back in at all," he said. "Whether it's a rise in hate crimes, people feeling they have license to speak and behave in ways that previously were considered un-American and are un-American. That's what he's appealing to. My fears are that those things find a place in ordinary, civil society."

Springsteen goes on to say that there are good people who voted for Trump, though I often have trouble seeing that, but that there were others with an "agenda."  I will assume that he is referring to the racists.

Springsteen is a multimillionaire who will easily survive this Trump presidency.

But he is also very attached to the working class mentality, so when he says he is afraid he is likely channeling a fear that he has for those people whose lives will be dramatically impacted by what Trump does in these next four years.

It will be interesting to see how many of those folks, who believed they were voting for change in our political system, respond to the kind of corruption that will surely permeate every policy decision that Donald Trump makes.

If they thought politics was ugly before, they have not seen anything yet.

I would totally watch the hell out of this.

Courtesy of Joe Conason's Facebook page:

This is reportedly from a woman named Mary Davis, who posted it on her Facebook profile: 

"You may have heard that the Trump people are freaking out that the performers for the Inauguration will be limited to Kid Rock and Ted Nugent. You know what would be really smart? If there was a televised "freedom concert" with huge celebrities like: Beyoncé and Jay Z, Madonna, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, et al., that aired at the same time as the inauguration. 

"Imagine how mad 'Tiny Fingers' would be. He would totally lose all the ratings. 

"And what if all the proceeds of the concert went to: the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Lambda Legal, NAACP, CAIR, IRAP, SPLC, Environmental Defense Fund, Human Rights Campaign Fund, GLAD. 

"I would add that Alec Baldwin should MC the event playing Trump as he does on SNL."

Sounds like a plan to me.

Look there is NO way I am watching Trump's inauguration, so if there were something this entertaining to watch as an alternative I would be all over it.

And I bet just the idea that it would drive Trump out of his every loving mind would send the ratings through the roof.

"The Boss" weighs in on Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Courtesy of Twitter

Courtesy of Rolling Stone:

Rolling Stone: What do you make of the Trump phenomenon? 

Bruce Springsteen: Well, you know, the republic is under siege by a moron, basically. The whole thing is tragic. Without overstating it, it's a tragedy for our democracy. When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do. Once you let those genies out of the bottle, they don't go back in so easy, if they go back in at all. The ideas he's moving to the mainstream are all very dangerous ideas – white nationalism and the alt-right movement. The outrageous things that he's done – not immediately disavowing David Duke? These are things that are obviously beyond the pale for any previous political candidate. It would sink your candidacy immediately.

The interviewer noted that while Springsteen clearly dislikes Trump that he has not exactly come out strongly in favor of Hillary either. Springsteen answered that partially by suggesting that he does not think he has been approached by her campaign, but then he answered a follow up question with a little more certainty.

Rolling Stone: Is there a lack of enthusiasm for Hillary on your own part? 

Springsteen: No. I like Hillary. I think she would be a very, very good president.

You know that right now super Springsteen fan Chris Christie is thinking "Oh God, I've made such a terrible mistake."

Yes I know that the opinions of celebrities are not supposed to matter, but I also know that they most certainly do.

This is why they call him "The Boss."

Courtesy of Bruce Springsteen's website:

As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards. 

This is usually where I would say something like, "Well I guess I better go buy a little Springsteen music for my I-Pod."

That does not work this time because my I-Pod is already bursting with Springsteen music.

I wonder now North Carolina feels about their discriminatory policies now?

Well at least one North Carolina Congressman is fine with Springsteen cancelling, after all they still have Justin Bieber: 

"It's disappointing he's not following through on his commitments," said Rep. Mark Walker, a Republican freshman congressman. 

"We've got other artists coming soon — Def Leppard, Justin Bieber," the congressman told The Hollywood Reporter. 

"I've never been a Bieber fan, but I might have to go. Maybe artists who weren't 'born to run' deserve a little bit more support," he said, referencing one Springsteen's most famous song titles.

Oh yeah, people who are coming expecting to see Bruce Springsteen will be just fine listening to Justin Bieber. 

That may be one of the dumbest things I have ever heard in my life.

And I've covered Sarah Palin for the last ten years.

John Fogerty has some opinions on the Republicans claiming that his song "Fortunate Son" was inappropriate for a Veteran's Day concert.

So I am sure you all remember that Bruce Springsteen, and a number of talented musicians, played the song "Fortunate One" during the Concert of Valor at the National Mall in Washington D.C. and that Right Wing literally lost their minds over it.

So in a recent Rolling Stone interview John Fogerty, who wrote the song, was asked about that response:  

"'Fortunate Son' is a song I wrote during the Vietnam War over 45 years ago," Fogerty said in a statement. "As an American and a songwriter, I am proud that the song still has resonance. I do believe that its meaning gets misinterpreted and even usurped by various factions wishing to make their own case. What a great country we have that a song like this can be performed in a setting like Concert for Valor. 

"Years ago, an ultraconservative administration tried to paint anyone who questioned its policies as 'un-American,'" he continues. "That same administration shamefully ignored and mistreated the soldiers returning from Vietnam. As a man who was drafted and served his country during those times, I have ultimate respect for the men and women who protect us today and demand that they receive the respect that they deserve." 

What the conservative mouthpieces either failed, or refused to understand, is that the song is VERY supportive of the soldiers themselves. Who the song was criticizing were the politicians who start these wars and then send American sons (And now daughters) to die in countries that THEIR children will only ever visit in times of peace.

Both John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen are American institutions, and I would put their patriotism up against anyone. Especially some conservative jackass sitting on his fat ass, sipping Fox newsroom coffee, and faking outrage in order to rile up the paint chip eaters.

Fogerty goes on to point out that he recently performed "Fortunate One" at "A Salute to the Troops: In Performance at the White House" just last week. A performance by the way that was broadcast on PBS.

And guess which song he played? That's right.

And the outrage from the Right Wing?

Only this.

Right Wing outrage of the day. Bruce Springsteen played an anti-war song during concert to celebrate Veteran's Day.

Courtesy of TPM:  

Pretty much everyone has had something to say about Springsteen's performance Tuesday at the "Concert for Valor," an HBO musical event for veterans held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. 

Performing with Zac Brown and Dave Grohl, Springsteen sang "Fortunate Son," Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic Vietnam War-era anthem that examines issues of class and jingoism in America. John Fogerty, the CCR frontman, said that his own experience as a drafted serviceman served as an inspiration for the song. 

"I was the same age as the soldiers serving in Vietnam and from the same lower-middle class as them," Fogerty once said. 

But to some conservative ears, the song hit the wrong note at Tuesday's concert. 

"The song, not to put too fine a point on it, is an anti-war screed, taking shots at 'the red white and blue,'" wrote Ethan Epstein at The Weekly Standard. 

The performance was made even worse, Epstein contended, because "Fortunate Son" is "an anti-draft song, and this concert was largely organized to honor those who volunteered to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq." 

The Boss has been in the Fox News crosshairs all day, too. On Fox Business Network, Stuart Varney questioned why Springsteen, "an outspoken leftist," would play politics with the troops. 

"So much for HBO's 'Concert for Valor,'" Clayton Morris said at the outset of this morning's "Fox & Friends." 

On Fox's "Outnumbered," co-host Andrea Tantaros professed to be a fan of both Springsteen and Grohl, but wondered why they didn't just go with a different song. 

"It's amazing to me that nobody — think of all the people that are involved in a concert like this — nobody had the brains to stop and say, 'You guys might want to pick a different song,'" Tantaros said.

Gee, I really like the song.

Apparently this is the portion that pissed off the Right Wing so much:

It ain’t me, it ain’t me 
I ain’t no Senator’s son 
It ain’t me, it ain’t me 
I ain’t no fortunate one 

The song is written about how fundamental unfair it is that politicians start wars in which their children are not forced to fight and die.

Personally I would think that it is a sentiment shared not just by veterans of Vietnam but by the soldiers of today.

This song is not anti-veteran, it's anti-war. I feel very confident in saying that the vast majority of veterans are not pro-war, and therefore embrace the sentiment.

And of course the song is also anti-warmonger.

Perhaps it is that last part which irritates the Fox News crowd so much. You know the same ones who helped spread the Bush Administration propaganda and cheered from the sidelines as we sent thousands of young soldiers to their deaths.

Rush Limbaugh attacks Bruce Springsteen for performing parody directed at Chris Christie.

Chris Christie with Springsteen tickets.

So as many of you know Springsteen and Jimmy Fallon performed a new version of "Born to Run" in which they made reference to the George Washington Bridge closing.

At the time I wrote that it would probably really hit Christie where he lived because he is a HUGE fan of Springsteen. And since Christie has not yet spoken about the parody I think I was probably right.

However that has not stopped Rush Limbaugh from coming to Christie's defense.

Limbaugh brings up the fact that during the President's visit to New Jersey after Super storm Sandy that Obama facilitated a phone call between Christie and "The Boss" and insinuating that somehow Christie was set up.  

RUSH: There's no question that's painful. The nerve of Springsteen! Governor Christie has attended over 127 Springsteen concerts. Governor Christie loves this guy. It's 127 different concerts he's attended, and he's mocked, he's made fun of. He can't be a real fan because he's a Republican. 

You can only be a real fan and friend to somebody like Springsteen if you're a Democrat, and even then for only as long as they can use you. But if you are a Republican? You are only a friend of a Democrat for as long as they can use you, and why this isn't seen by people is beyond me. I think Springsteen has to know, because Christie was public with it. Christie... In fact, not only did Christie have no compunction telling people this, he was proud to tell people that he talked to Springsteen! He cried because he had the chance to talk to Springsteen. Now, think about that however you wish, but the fact is, it was a big deal to Christie. It's a big deal that Springsteen and he are both Jersey guys. 

It was a big deal that Obama got Springsteen on the phone from Air Force One. 

Christie's thinking, "Man, this is great! We're all working together and we're gonna fix this problem. We're gonna fix New Jersey back up," and this thing comes, and Christie has publicly said he didn't have anything to do with it. He's apologized, he's done all the right things -- and here is the guy who brought him to tears by talking to him, making fun of him on a late-night comedy show. That is really... 

You talk about a low-rent character?

"Low rent character?" Bruce Springsteen?

Yeah Limbaugh wishes he could afford to pay rent on Bruce Springsteen.

You know Springsteen is a very, very powerful man within the entertainment world. So the idea that he was manipulated by the "Left" to hurt Christie's feelings is ridiculous.

However the Boss is also somebody who genuinely feels for the working man, he doesn't just pander to them in order to get elected. (Like SOME PEOPLE we know.)

Therefore I have to imagine that the way Fallon got Bruce Springsteen to join him in that song was simply to ask him. And that Springsteen, who has never reciprocated Christie's admiration, jumped at the opportunity.

So if it hurt Chris Christie's feelings to have his bullshit called out on national television by his idol, then he can come clean, apologize to his constituents, and volunteer to step aside if the people of New Jersey want that from him.

THAT might actually earn Springsteen's respect.

Chris Christie may have thought he was sad before but imagine his depression after being mocked by Jimmy Fallon and his idol Bruce Springsteen.

Okay that was brilliant.

Chris Christie has talked constantly about his deep love of Bruce Springsteen so this is going to really cause him some emotional discomfort.

I think more and more it is becoming impossible to believe that he was not the architect of the George Washington  Bridge closures.

The only question is will this ONLY torpedo his chances at a 2016 Republican nomination, or will he also soon face impeachment in New Jersey?

Bubba and the Boss, for Barack.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

(Video courtesy of ABC News.)

Here is Springsteen's letter to his fans:  

A MESSAGE FROM BRUCE 

Dear Friends: The election is coming up on all of us and we all have strong feelings about it. I’ve been getting asked a lot about where I stand, so for those who are interested, here goes. 

This presidential election is different than the last one because President Obama has a four year record to run on. Last time around, he carried with him a tremendous amount of hope and expectations. Unfortunately, due to the economic chaos the previous administration left him with, and the extraordinary intensity of the opposition, it turned into a really rough ride. But through grit, determination, and focus, the President has been able to do a great many things that many of us deeply support. 

Domestically, that record includes working to increase and expand employment for all, protecting our all important social safety net, passing guaranteed health care for most of our citizens, with important new protections for all of the insured, rescuing the auto industry and so many of the American jobs that go with it, protecting and enhancing the rights of women, and bringing us closer to full acceptance of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. 

In foreign affairs, that record includes following through on the removal of troops from the misguided and deceptive war in Iraq, and vigorously pursuing our real foreign enemies, especially the killing of Osama Bin Laden. 

Right now the opposition’s resort to voter suppression in so many states is not receiving as much attention as it deserves. I believe that all of us, of whatever views, should be opposing these anti-voter, anti-citizen efforts. 

Right now, for the President to be effective in his next term he needs our increased support and he needs support in the Congress, where some sterling candidates, such as current Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, challenger Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, and so many others, are fighting to make their constructive voices heard. 

Right now, there is an ever increasing division of wealth in this country, with the benefits going more and more to the 1 percent. For me, President Obama is our best choice to begin to reverse this harmful development. 

Right now, there is a fight going on to help make this a fairer and more equitable nation. For me, President Obama is our best choice to get us and keep us moving in the right direction. 

Right now, we need a President who has a vision that includes all of our citizens, not just some, whether they are our devastated poor, our pressured middle class, and yes, the wealthy too; whether they are male or female, black, white, brown, or yellow, straight or gay, civilian or military. 

Right now, there is a choice going on in America, and I’m happy that we live in a country where we all participate in that process. For me, President Obama is our best choice because he has a vision of the United States as a place where we are all in this together. We’re still living through very hard times but justice, equality and real freedom are not always a tide rushing in. They are more often a slow march, inch by inch, day after long day. I believe President Obama feels these days in his bones and has the strength to live them with us and to lead us to a country “…where no one crowds you and no one goes it alone.” 

That’s why I plan to be in Ohio and Iowa supporting the re-election of President Obama to lead our country for the next four years. 

Bruce Springsteen

And there's nothing more that I could, or should, add to that.

Bru-u-uce! Springsteen and Bill Clinton to campaign in Ohio on the President's behalf. Update!

Courtesy of the Huffingon Post:

Bruce Springsteen will be back campaigning for President Barack Obama. 

The musician will join former President Bill Clinton at a Thursday rally in Parma, Ohio, two days after the second presidential debate. 

Obama will not attend the rally. Springsteen also will appear at a campaign event Thursday in Ames, Iowa. 

Springsteen campaigned for Obama in 2008, but these will be his first political appearances of the 2012 cycle. Clinton is a prominent campaigner for Obama.

I'm sorry, getting Bruce Springsteen to campaign for you is, in the words of Joe the Debater, "a big fucking deal."

And you KNOW that Springsteen speaks directly to those middle class Americans that Mitt Romney will increase taxes on in order to cut taxes for his fellow 1 percenters. And having the Big Dog, Bill Clinton, along is certainly going to help bring in the crowds, AND get out the message.

Springsteen's fans are Obama's base. Makes sense he would campaign for him.

Update: It looks like Obama is bringing in ALL of the demographics.

Source

The Boss stands up for marriage equality. Traditional marriage advocates too busy humming "Born to Run" to argue.

Yeah well you know that when Springsteen weighs in on an issue that it is about to receive a whole lot of support from people who had previously been on the other side of the issue.

Personally I think that Springsteen's endorsement might have an even BIGGER impact on this issue than the President did when HE gave his support.

I would write more but right now I am distracted by the sudden overpowering need to listen to "The River."

BROOOSSE!!!

By the way you can learn more about "The Four 2012" by clicking this link.

Finally! The Boss weighs in on the the crap we are facing in our country.

“This is a song called Livin’ In the Future. But it’s really about what’s happening now. Right now. It’s kind of about how the things we love about America, cheeseburgers, French fries, the Yankees battlin’ Boston… the Bill of Rights [holds up microphone, urging crowd to cheer] … v-twin motorcycles… Tim Russert’s haircut, trans-fats and the Jersey Shore… we love those things the way womenfolk love Matt Lauer.

But over the past six years we’ve had to add to the American picture: rendition, illegal wiretapping, voter suppression, no habeus corpus, the neglect of our great city New Orleans and its people, an attack on the Constitution. And the loss of our young best men and women in a tragic war.

This is a song about things that shouldn’t happen here—happening here.”

Where the hell have our rock stars been?

We need protest songs!

We need demonstrations led by Joan Baez or Pink!

We need somebody to give us something to sing as the brownshirts are dragging us away from the front of the White House!

Let's get on it people!