(Credits: Disney Plus)
Before he was waging a war of words with Donald Trump, there was a time when Bruce Springsteen was pretty au fait with the top tier of American politics. In a musical sense, he offered a soundtrack of promise to previous presidents who were more in tune with his vision, as he himself became cemented as one of the most blazing modern exports of the country’s rock history. Combined, these were two fairly supercharged forces – and it could only take someone of The Boss’ calibre to truly understand the power that yielded.
Of course, there’s no bigger moment for this to be drawn into focus than when he was quite literally standing at the top of the tree, singing to the nation at Barack Obama’s first presidential inauguration in 2008. Which of his songs would he choose – something to suit the anthemic mood, or a tune that reflected on the past? Indeed, although not to say that his discography was unfit for the task, Springsteen chose to bring these options together with a song from an American folk legend.
There was no man ever more suited to that description than Woody Guthrie, whose classic tune ‘This Land is Your Land’ became a staple of Springsteen’s live performing portfolio for all the elements it shared with his own spirit. In many ways, flanked by Guthrie’s sonic contemporary, Pete Seeger, the inauguration was the most opportune moment for Springsteen to put his spin on the tune – and in doing so, speak to every corner of society in America.
The Boss recalled to Rolling Stone in 2012: “So, on that day, Pete and myself, and generations of young and old Americans – all colours, religious beliefs – I realised that sometimes things that come from the outside, they make their way in, to become a part of the beating heart of the nation.” While admittedly you can almost see the star-spangled banner swooping down like some horrifically stereotypical tourism advert, Springsteen’s point was one of unity, and the power that music can possess in achieving this.
He continued: “On that day, when we sung that song, Americans – young and old, Black and white, of all religious and political beliefs – were united, for a brief moment, by Woody’s poetry.” As such, this was not only a call to arms for American society but also for the legacy of Guthrie, who may have died some four decades prior but still remained at the epicentre of the country’s protest and fight for justice, as no greater testament to his behemoth musical legacy.
Those hopeful overtures of some 17 years ago may have faded into anger now in Springsteen’s eyes, but this is not to say, despite the threats of the current administration, that he will let go of that dream without a fight. After all, he would never have followed in the footsteps of Guthrie and co without being born with that instinctive view that you are put into the world to change it – and there’s no greater moment to let that show than when the going gets tough.
As the feud between Springsteen and the current president rumbles on with no resolution in sight, it’s in moments like the inauguration and people like Guthrie that The Boss will find his strength. In doing so, the real power of music becomes more and more clear – that it can be there to entertain us in the good moments, but it is all the more important to keep societies moving through the bad. It seems like a mammoth task, but in some ways, it’s just the motto Springsteen has stood by all his life.
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