Saturday, July 08, 2006
Bruce Springsteen: American Skin (41 Shots) Live
A commentary on Bruce Springsteen's song: American Skin (41 Skins)On February 4, 1999, Amadou Diallo was shot 41 times by four New York City police officers. The controversy set-off a political firestorm on racial profiling and police brutality. On March 25, 1999 a grand jury indicted the officers on charges of second-degree murder; but in December 16, 1999 the New York appellate court changed venues, moving the trial to Albany, New York. On February 25, 2000, after two days of deliberations, the Albany jury unanimously voted to acquit the officers of all charges. (1)
On June 4, 2000 at an Atlanta arena, Bruce Springsteen premiered a never-before-recorded song called "American Skin." Within days the track was national news as the internet and wire services quoted lyrics from this hauntingly beautiful ballad (2):
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin
Seemingly without effort, Bruce Springsteen had once again created an astounding work of art, that was hauntingly beautiful, tragic, energetic, and rousing; and had once again landed himself in the midst of controversy.
Song/Album
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Song: American Skin (41 Skins)
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Bruce Springsteen, the eloquent rocker, once hailed as the savior to rock and roll has written virtual novels of American daily life in his lyrics. His lyrics, often progressive missives concern the daily struggle to make a living, politics, and political or controversial issues, as well as just pure American rock-pop. Between the commercial rock (popular) albums and his more somber American/Contemporary Folk fair, Springsteen has reached iconic status.
With 41 Shots, American Skin (aka American Skin (41 Shots)), the reference to the police killing of Amadou Diallo was immediate and unmistakable; and even though the song had never been published (at that time), it set off a firestorm of controversy and politic posturing. Springsteen has never seemed afraid to address the struggles of American living. He has consistently taken a stand for the American oppressed through the creation of a music. Music that can often be classified as works of art.
On Monday, June 12, Madison Square Garden was the site of the first of ten sold-out Springsteen concerts in New York City. Myself and a friend who is currently curating an art show about police violence decided to head over there and take our chances with the sidewalk ticket sellers.
I have been a lover of Springsteen�s music for over 20 years, and I was sure this show would be historic, but I wasn�t exactly prepared for what happened inside that arena. I had totally forgotten that you barely ever sit down during a Springsteen concert, but you don�t get tired. And I forgot what it was like to go on that journey through the lives of all those "lost and broken-hearted" and fierce and unrepentant people. These characters from the dark side of town were like old friends, folks you understand and love because Springsteen is that rare artist who tells the stories of working people without blaming them for what the system dishes out, or giving up on them.
About a half-hour into the set, the band moved into "Point Blank" � a quietly devastating song about the slow but relentless way the system shatters the hopes and dreams of a young woman. The song ended and we were standing there kind of wounded in the darkness of that huge hall, when the voices started dropping in:
"41 shots, 41 shots, 41 shots, 41 shots..."
"American Skin" opened with this mournful and angry and instantly memorable chorus. Right away thunderous cheers went up � welcoming the invitation to take a musical trip into gut wrenching territory.(3)
I've only heard the recording of the live version of the song, but every time I hear it, I can imagine being in the crowd at a Bruce Springsteen concert—singing, crying, and possibly swallowing rebellious laughter at being so called to life by a single song. It's angry, haunting, rousing, and most definitely memorable. I can't believe how often I let Bruce Springsteen fall off my radar of watched artists. Because whenever I return to him, I am truly amazed at the body of art he has presented to the world in this proud, unabashed manner, that makes me want to scream, shot, and cry with the pleasure of such a pure portrayal of American life with its constant barrage of devastation and determination.
I'll digress here. I'm a bit of a news junkie, and I'm ashamed to say, until hearing this song, I hadn't given much thought to the shooting death of Amadou Diallo. Obviously, at the time, I thought it was horrible, excessive, and a tragedy; but it was mentally just another case of how race can be devastating, life-terminating, fact of life for black men in America. As a black woman, in America, I live equal parts immersed in and abreast from the still tragic effects of racism in America.
Racism is different beast for the black woman in American. This is probably intrinsically tied to the gender roles, and gender discrimination in the world; but has a subtle benefit for women of other races (other than white). Yes, I have had dogs set on me, with white teens screaming to get the black bitch. I've had cop guns drawn on me, for nothing more than being in a car with other black people. I've walked extra miles to avoid neighborhoods where black people end up in jail or hospitalize. I suffered a bombardment of hostile, cruel, and potentially devastating acts just for being black.
Racism and racist acts, they have reduced over time; as people grow more aware that these transgressions are unacceptable behavior. Really, I'm not that old, just in my thirties, things have changed. It's not as if hanging was a big concern of mine, bullets are faster and suggest an attitude of bored insolence with devastating precision. I now suffer through conservative, progressive, and occasionally liberal friends who believe that blacks are just as racist as whites (as if blacks have the power and ability to wrought centuries worth of harm on the white populace). It's just another stage of the cyclic war between denial and acceptance of countries' and personal history. I've come to accept it, to grin and bear it. To overlook it in otherwise nice company.
And overlooking the major instances?? It's not so much an overlooking, it's more a disacknowledge of the ongoing effects of racism. Things have gotten better, so its hard to depict how so many things remain the same. They just are. Besides, I'm less likely to be killed by a police gun than my brother or any black male. I may get bruised, battered or raped, but there are uses for black women in American society—even if those uses can't be discussed in polite society. And with the painful exception of being needed by black women, the same amount of time that have reduced the more flagrant outpourings of hate, has also reduced the usefulness of black men. Economic and social circumstances have render the black male mostly disposable in American society.
It ain't no secret. No secret my friend. You can get killed just for living. In your American skin. How strange, wonderful, and ironic to be faced with my own disacknowledging by a white music artist. But it is an effective, poetic, and haunting shove to get me to acknowledge not just Amadou Diallo, but the thousands of others who have just become nameless faces, chalked up to living American life, in our "American skin".
If you haven't listen to this song, take a listen to it below. For the first time, I've stepped away from my policy of using 30 sec to 1 minute clips of songs; and have provided the full song for your listening pleasure. I've reduced the sound volume to discourage people from just downloading the file.
This is an amazing song. Don't worry, it's not going to pound you over the head with messages about racism. The song isn't really about racism. It's not even a rant or rage against the four police officers who managed to empty forty-one shots into a single human being some early February morning. Springsteen just does what he's so great at, turning the daily life of the oppressed in to memorable works of art. I highly, highly recommend that you purchase American Skin (41 Skins). It's only 99 cents through iTunes, or you can be a champ and get the entire The Essential Bruce Springsteen album for $19.99. It has 42 Bruce Springsteen songs collected from who knows how many albums (he has a lot of albums).
Sound Clip
Lyrics
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots....
and we'll take that ride
'cross this bloody river
to the other side
41 shots... cut through the night
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying for his life
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin
41 shots
Laina gets her son ready for school
She says "on these streets, Charles
You've got to understand the rules
If an officer stops you
Promise you'll always be polite,
that you'll never ever run away
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight"
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it in your heart, is it in your eyes
It ain't no secret
41 shots... and we'll take that ride
'Cross this bloody river
To the other side
41 shots... got my boots caked in this mud
We're baptized in these waters and in each other's blood
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin
Footnotes
(1) Amadou Diallo at Wikipedia
(2) Revolutionary Worker #1060, June 25, 2000 by CJ
(3) Revolutionary Worker #1060, June 25, 2000 by CJ, description of his concert experience, and the first time hearing American Skin.
(4) Born to Run, the 30th Anniversary Edition. Stylus Magazine Review
Other Details
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