On November 6, 2024, Bruce Springsteen awakened feeling like many people in the United States did following the previous night’s election of Donald Trump. While many were happy, in a divided country there were around just as many people who were sad, angry, scared and/or feeling despair. Those feelings have amplified for many people in the months following the election.
Back in November, like many of us, Springsteen did not have the option of staying in bed all day and had to go to work. Unlike most of us, though, Springsteen had to do his job in front of a large audience.
And as he often does, he let his music speak for his feelings. So that night, playing for our neighbor and friend Canada, Springsteen opened with a brief comment introducing what he called “a fighting prayer” for his country, which was a one-two punch of two of his most powerful songs.
First, he opened with “A Long Walk Home” from his 2007 album Magic. He had never opened with that song prior to the election. The song, inspired by a Stanley Brothers song, is in the voice of a person coming back home and not recognizing where he once lived. Originally written about the George W. Bush and the post-9/11 years, the song is even more relevant for many today.
But Springsteen is not one to leave us in the dark, as his songs and performances bring together his fans and lifts them up. So, as part of the opening after “A Long Walk Home” he followed with one of his most hopeful songs, which we have previously discussed more in-depth, “Land of Hope and Dreams.”
While many may not have felt they were living in such a land that morning, Springsteen reminded us that your community is what you make of it. ” This Train / Dreams will not be thwarted; / This Train / Faith will be rewarded.”
Music does not change the world overnight. But at least for now, here is something to listen to during the next several years when you need to feel less alone and to find some hope to get you through the night.
The full audio of the November 6, 2024 show is also available on Nugs.net. Leave your two cents in the comments.
