When Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were closing out their 1999-2000 reunion tour with the E Street Band, Springsteen introduced a powerful new song, “American Skin (41 Shots).” The song, about an incident of police brutality, has prompted a few covers, none as powerful as one by Living Colour during the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 20, 2001.
Springsteen had debuted the song in Atlanta on June 4, 2000. And before the band closed the tour at Madison Square Garden, some called for a boycott of the concerts or called Springsteen names because of the song. Springsteen wrote “American Skin (41 Shots)” about NYPD officers killing Amadou Diallo in February 1999.
The police officers stopped Diallo at his front door because they thought he resembled a suspect. The immigrant from Guinea reached for his wallet and the four officers fired 41 shots, hitting Diallo 19 times and killing him. A year later, the officers were acquitted of second-degree murder and reckless endangerment.
Although officers, the New York City mayor, and others criticized Springsteen for the song, time has been kinder to the writer than to the critics. The compassionate song was not vilifying anyone but highlighting the racism in society that has led to so many other killings just since Diallo’s.
41 shots, Lena 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 me you’ll always be polite
And that you’ll never ever run away
Promise Mama you’ll keep your hands in sight”
Springsteen’s live performances of the song are powerful, often bringing up each member of the band one-at-a-time for the repeated refrain of “41 shots.” Others have covered the song, including Jackson Browne.
Living Colour performed “American Skin (41 Shots)” live at the Montreux Jazz Festival around one year after Springsteen had debuted the song. The band’s version is both powerful and heartbreaking, all the more painful because of its continuing relevance today with the deaths of those such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
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