Thought id point out the word, accident", it is totally the wrong word to describe the incident. If the cops were in any danager 1 shot would have been enough not 41, and besides the profile was a white male, he doesn't fit so why stop him?
just cause Amadou Diallo was gonna show his papers the cops shot him that many times!
and common...people said he looked nothing like the rape suspect, and if the cops could see that much detail in the night, how could they mistake a wallet for a gun??
his autopsy found bullets in the bottoms of him feet...THEY SHOT HIM WHEN HE WAS ON THE GROUND!
This song is a song to promote Springsteen's career by Amadou Diallo death in '99, who was an west african immigrant who was shot 41 times by four white nypd officers. Just becuase they thought he looked like a suspect to a rape case.
Im doing a DBQ on his death and decided to listen to the song.
@emramo21 It is ridiculous to say he is promoting his career he wrote and sang the song because it obviously disturbed him that this can happen in our country if anything this song will make sure Amadou Diallo is not forgotten one other thing is after 9/11 Springsteen was criticized for not supporting the New York police dept. because of this song bottom line it is a good song and this man shouldn't of had to die such a senseless death
This reminds me of when Jean Charles de Menezes got shot in the SEVEN TIMES in the head just for running away from plain clothed officers cos they thought he was a terrorist. RIP
what a douche bag. What is wrong with crowd participation, the people are there to hear and see them play and have fun, not the other way around. I mean it a awesome song I think the look a little like assholes when you quiet them
What people gotta remember is the intense pressure the cops live with in these areas. Racial profiling does occur, because lets face it, in certain areas only black people shoot at the cops, thats a fact. However, its still sad when stuff like this happens.
You should read Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, it offers a very good explanation about how our unconscious makes errors when it has to appraise dangerous situations that demand quick thinking.
Bruce is not targeting the NYPD nor taking the victims side on this song, he is only opening your eyes to the incident. No one can judge the officers in the situation until they are in something like this. Any qucik movement is taken as a threat towards your life.
actually you can judge the cops they were told the specs of the suspect as white...he was black and they fired 41 shots into him just because he made a quick movement? doesn't make much sense
@koolky723.. he was actually told repeatly to stop and show his hands but he kept attempting to do something at the door of his apartment and when he reached into his coat and took out, what turned out to be his wallet, the closest officer saw it and thought it was a gun and they fired...contagious shooting, fog of war, protecting your partners, and the intense moment is unfortunately what lead to 41 shots being fired.
@JeterKid25 .. it wasn't an accident, it happened because there were stereotypes used against Amadou just because he was black. FYI the cops were under-covered agents. Amadou had probably thought they were some kinda thugs who wanted to loot him so he reached for his wallet so that they could leave him alone.
If it were racism and pure discrimination do you really think that four police officers would be dumb enough to fire two fully loaded clips of 16 as well as two other officers firing from afar with 5 and 4 others? You'd have to be some really dumb cops to do so... they'd probably have used guns that were unregistered or at least have used scrubbed bullets.
This song has a big impact on me... My dad was a cop (killed in action) and he held his head high in uniform, and his pistol only had about a 10 bullet clip. So when 2 officers shoot a man 41 times you know they aren't doing it for self defense if they have to reload a clip and keep firing...
As a cop my sympathies go out for your father killed in the line but I'm surprised that you make condemning comments about cops when you don't know the details. So you know there were 4 officers and there sidearms carry 15+1 so no one reloaded. When one officer slipped the other 3 thought he was shot by the suspect. God Bless your father but please know the details before condemning the officers, you would have wanted the same courtesy for your father if God forbid he had to make that call.
I absolutely love this song. I heard it long ago and it has stayed with me ever since. Unfortunately, I can't understand all the words. Could whoever posted this video please post the lyrics in the info box?
" Moments into the song, Springsteen says to the audience, "We need some quiet." Not surprisingly, the audience respected Springsteen's wishes and remained quiet throughout the song. The refrain "41 Shots" is sung exactly forty-one times in that performance. Mr. Diallo's family from the West African country of Guinea were guests of Mr. Springsteen's at this show. "
One of the most powerful performance by The Boss!!
until we get rid of secret movements that pull strings from behind the scenes rockafella family the morgans rothchilds then my friends we will always have these kinda songs every1 wants to rule the world wud it not be easiar to follow the lord that is in u
the beginning! just bass and a two-note-riff on the keyboard... amazing how it makes a whole atmosphere grow with each musician singing "41 shots". I have no words for this. Hat off!
Interesting reading everyone's posts, thoughts and feelings.
Have people thought about this ? Maybe the police officers were being overly aggressive... but maybe that was from past experience and paranoia. I know from experience, being in a situation of having to make a split decision of having to pull a trigger against a human being is not a good feeling at all... especially if you have a conscience.
Now, if you combine that with any prejudice that may have existed within any one of the officers... you have a bad situation. If only one of the officers was slanted in that direction and overly reacted... the chain effect to the others is completely understandable. One shot which rings out, will bring reactions from others regardless of what the correct situation which exists is.
Having said all of that, I do think the way the Officers approached the situation was not even close to being correct... Yet, the mistake of one involved will bring the actions of the whole to bare. I hear people talk about the racism in the shooting in which an innocent man was killed by NYPD Officers... what I do not seem to hear, is that racism didn't exist... but very poor skills of dealing with situations existed on the part of the officers.
It is the approach in which the officers took and their actions which should have been understand the microscope... they failed at their jobs for properly handling the situation.
Btw.. have to read my posts from bottom to top, I messed it up = )
...Just because he was black that gave no reason to let those 4 officers get away with 24 charges. Murder, GBH With intent etc. and yet nobody gave a shit because that man had a different colour skin to them and so they thought he was too diferent.....
41 shots? for those of you who care, take a second to do this.Slowly count to 41 seconds either out loud or in your head, while your doing it, every second, bite your lip a little harder each time. then multiply that pain by 1000. that's a fraction of the pain Amadou Diallo went through that day. Imagine that 41 times? Its absolutely horrible.
It's definitely a comment about police brutality. The four officers were found to have acted properly, but Bruce is taking the 'facts' and reinterpreting them - like all good storytellers. Contrast the official 'story' (the officers' innocence) with Bruce's story of racial discrimination in American policing.
American Skin (41 Shots) a song concerning an incident between the NYPD and an immigrant, Amadou Diallo, in 1999. Forty-one bullets fired by four police offers that killed Diallo.
41 SHOTS! How do you reinterpret 41 shots? The stupid, hysterical bastards were so panic striken that they missed with 22 rounds from 10-15 yards. Reinterpret that you shallow, right wing, reactionary, APOLOGIST! How many times do you think they shot him after he hit the ground? Contrast that you gaping asshole...
There are two interpretations of this event. One is the official interpretation of the investigation of the officers' actions. Bruce's reinterprets the event in terms of discriminatory police action. That's all I'm saying, friend.
Even after 10 tears, things like this still happen in our countries, regardless where you are. I have seen every single day very similar and sad stories like that. We can not rely on gov actions anymore.
American Skin (41 Shots) a protest song concerning an incident between the NYPD and an immigrant, Amadou Diallo, in 1999. Forty-one bullets fired by four police offers that killed Diallo.
Yeah, But only 19 got him. I cried when I heard this song. My dad is really into Bruce's music and when it was on in the car he was explaining the theme of the song and I was so speachless. This really is a beautiful song with a lot of truth to it. x
I think people are missing the point Bruce is trying to make. You can arguing until your gills turn blue about weather the Cop's actions where justified. However I think the bigger issue Bruce was trying to point out is how pathetic society is as a whole. The fact that these cops interpreted this man's action of reaching in his pocket for his wallet as him reaching for a gun proves how pathetic of a world we live in.
as they say when does a good man decide to kill: Answer if his family is in threat he will do everything to protect them all the rest is down to self defence
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
the police put their lives out there on the line every fuckin day and they want to go home to their family everyday just like everyone else. you cant put this on the police for protecting themselves. they have families to go home too also. yea its a shame what happened but think of all the cops that have been killed in the line of duty for everyone. i love bruces music but this song is bullshit
does it matter whether the cops were just trying to protect themsleves or not? someones life ended, a life that didnt have to end. a future was ruined
this song is amazing just like the rest of bruce's songs
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
i rly cant stand this guy...the cops messed up but they did what they thought they had to do to survive. They are out there everyday protecting the people. They put their lives on the line every day and it sure as hell isnt for the money. Before you go and nail them to the wall how about you think of the pressure they are under and their selflessness day in and day out. God bless the boys in blue
41 Disparos, 41 Disparos, 41 Disparos, 41 Disparos... I Dont Even Know The Rest In Spanish Cause All I Kno Is That And Spanish Cus Words And Maybe A Few Others... E-STREET RULES... BACKSTREET... Well We All Kno Wat There Like... And Some Includin Me In The Backstage Before they Go Out...
And I Tottaly Agree Wit That One misfit... That Is Bull... And Anyways... Near The End Of This Video It Actually Shows Him Gettin Shot... That Was A Little Stupid Because Not Only That They Didnt Even Get It On Tape... But When It Does The Close Up On Them... Theres No Blood... Who The Hell Gets Shot That Many flippin Times... And Doesnt Bleed Through The Back... And They Also Tried To Make It All Dramatic And Sad... But They Just Over Did It On That Scene In The Video... But Still Great Song!!!
sorry but we don't mind if he cares or not , he just sing it and a beautiful way and that's his job finally !
and however he cares or not , there is still peoples commenting this dramma after all those years and that's sure because of the song you'are now watching on youtube !!!
and why would 4 guys even feel the need to pump out 41 rounds... diallo was hit with 19.. and after that bullshit they got off scott fuckin free.. what bullshit.. premature ejaculators that had to shoot there clips empty to get a job done..Fuck you Sean Carroll, Brendan Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss.. And fuck each and every trigger happy cop in the world too.. protect and serve.. bullshit..
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
this song is an extreme embarrassment. do any of you believe for one second that bruce (with his patented fake emotion) cares about the subject? this is pandering, inauthentic and so faux-poetic that it makes me want to puke.
Glad to know that you have the ability to look inside another persons soul and know what they are thinking and feeling. So you are either god or a right wing jerk with an IQ in the single digits.
Hey, bruce is a great singer and this is one of his best songs, but never forget the cops who lose their life everyday to keep you guys safe. There are cops out there who surely dont belong but dont disrespect every cop for the mistakes of just a few. If these cops could take it back they could so take it easy on them.
The one sign in the video I loved was GIULIANI IS A RACIST. I disagree, though. Giuliani is just an asshole. I'm just glad his presidential campaign never got off the ground. I can't imagine if he were the nominee, let alone became president. Fuck Giuliani.
yo stop say cops are bad yes there are bads one but dont bring down every cop all u people same u hate cops till u have to call 911 so they can come save your ass so fuck u people who think cops are mean and bad
The two officers approaching him told him repeatedly to stop and show his hands. They didn't know until after that he had a stutter and may have tried to say something & that he spoke so little English that he didn't understand. When the first officer fell and his shots ricocheted, the other officer thought it was Diallo shooting so he emptied his clip. 41 shots were fired. Not all 41 hit Diallo. I'm not saying it was right,I just don't think either party was at fault. It was tragic nonetheless.
if you only knew what the police have do deal with everyday maybe you wouldnt say what you say. you are just a uninformed uneducated person. Go and put your life on the line everyday. you wont becuase.... so shut up no one knows what really happened except those sops and god, so shut up
the american cops are shit, to agresiv allways. oh damn a nigger. hm, hes taking a wallet from his pocket. OH DAMN i got an idea! lets shot him! its sad. aint the cops got outher shit the shoting niggers? ME and all the black ppl in the world know that cops are rasicts.
This song is much more subtle than just criticism of cops. It criticises society as whole.
In Bruce' view, the cops are almost as much victims as the guy who got shot.
"Is it a gun? is it a knife? is it a wallet? This is your life. It ain't no secret, no secret my friend, you can get killed just for living in your American skin"
this is an awesome song it just proves what kind of world we live in it is fucked up!!!! this is one of my favorite songs. it is not justice when a cop shots some one 41 times it is MURDER!!!!!!
He didn't exactly choose who to use in the song. It was based off of an actual incident, in which the NYC police shot a recent immigrant 41 times on the steps of his own home because they "thought he was a threat" (he later turned out to be totally innocent).
pretty powerful song if you know the true meaning.... If you dont know the meaning, i believe it was about a blank man who was pulling out his WALLET when a few cops thought he had a gun so they shot him 41 times. we learned it in reading class a while ago so i apoligize if my explanation is incorrect...
Moving song. Thanks for posting it. You should include the text of an article about that shooting in the description section of this video so everyone will fully understand what happened. This will continue to happen until officers are made to pay for their crimes against the American people even if they are just "mistakes". And make no mistake,shooting someone dozens of times is no accident. It is the action of either an overly scary or evil police officer who is trigger happy. Simple as that.
you're right nhlfan, I just listened and counted, and they DO say it only 32 times. I read somewhere that they sing it 41 times, and thought it was a pretty cool little piece of trivia. Oh well ... :)
to kill somebody with 41 shots as a police officer isn´t self defence. It is murder. How about just shooting in the leg or something less lethal? I have absolutely no understanding for the police. I am glad that Springsteen has the guts to do a song about this. What ever happened to the police, were they sentenced to some kind of punishment?
You should read the account of this shoting in the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, you'll look at it with a new perspective, and that's not to excuse the police, they were guilty of what Springsteen says, that if you are a certain colour, the police are more likely to suspect your motives, which in this case saw a guy reaching for his wallet led the police to assume, becuase of his coulour, that he must have been reaching for a gun, that's what this song is about
Simply, he is the BOSS
majed44ever 2 weeks ago
Genius. Goose bumps. Bruce. Legend.
letsbeone 9 months ago 3
4:56
Epic
2pacbiggie4334 1 year ago 2
Once again, no justice
beyli 1 year ago
Amazing song...
Thought id point out the word, accident", it is totally the wrong word to describe the incident. If the cops were in any danager 1 shot would have been enough not 41, and besides the profile was a white male, he doesn't fit so why stop him?
koolky723 1 year ago
senza parole...
dany90inter 1 year ago
to Gonzocotto,Right on!
MrPireasxios 1 year ago
THE BOSS IS THE BEST¡
DIOSMELO15 1 year ago
THE BOSS¡
He is the best.
DIOSMELO15 1 year ago
If you are one of the four who voted this song down. You are a dick.
kefster00 1 year ago 3
@kefster00 ... I agree !!!
metaldigger 1 year ago
I always thought this was a drinking song until I read the comments below.
Leibinz 1 year ago
its so depressing...
just cause Amadou Diallo was gonna show his papers the cops shot him that many times!
and common...people said he looked nothing like the rape suspect, and if the cops could see that much detail in the night, how could they mistake a wallet for a gun??
his autopsy found bullets in the bottoms of him feet...THEY SHOT HIM WHEN HE WAS ON THE GROUND!
and 19 out of 41 is pretty bad aim...just saying
aboogalala95 1 year ago
This song is a song to promote Springsteen's career by Amadou Diallo death in '99, who was an west african immigrant who was shot 41 times by four white nypd officers. Just becuase they thought he looked like a suspect to a rape case.
Im doing a DBQ on his death and decided to listen to the song.
emramo21 1 year ago
@emramo21 It is ridiculous to say he is promoting his career he wrote and sang the song because it obviously disturbed him that this can happen in our country if anything this song will make sure Amadou Diallo is not forgotten one other thing is after 9/11 Springsteen was criticized for not supporting the New York police dept. because of this song bottom line it is a good song and this man shouldn't of had to die such a senseless death
CheetoSantana 1 year ago
This reminds me of when Jean Charles de Menezes got shot in the SEVEN TIMES in the head just for running away from plain clothed officers cos they thought he was a terrorist. RIP
jizzdogs 1 year ago
Beautiful song, so poignant.
Jorsalfar 1 year ago
its the understanding of things to come if we do not explain things to our children properly.........rjp 2010
gonehunting101 1 year ago
awsome awsome i thought this was about nam now i know cant help it im british lol
gilamot 1 year ago
How many bullets does a cop's gun has, anyway?
41 divided by 4 means more than 10 bullets per cop.
How can you have time to fire that many, and not notice (any of the four) that the other guy isn't responding?
And didn't they have to recharge?
andreoliveira56 1 year ago
@andreoliveira56, obviously 12 bullets, (10 is to few and 12 is pretty normal, or they had 9 or 7 bullets each and reloaded).
TheLord306 1 year ago 2
r.i.p. Amadou Diallo
TGeoghegan79 1 year ago 3
he asked for silence out of respect for Amadou Diallo. Perfectly reasonable request bearing in mind most people just scream at concerts.
kryptonite1029 1 year ago
what a douche bag. What is wrong with crowd participation, the people are there to hear and see them play and have fun, not the other way around. I mean it a awesome song I think the look a little like assholes when you quiet them
jackdanface 1 year ago
@jackdanface This is song that has to be sang in this way
beekiemov 1 year ago
What people gotta remember is the intense pressure the cops live with in these areas. Racial profiling does occur, because lets face it, in certain areas only black people shoot at the cops, thats a fact. However, its still sad when stuff like this happens.
IGOTDOWNS 2 years ago
ACAB - all cops are bastards
scf - cfc- lazio- rangers
partridge007lynn 2 years ago
You should read Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, it offers a very good explanation about how our unconscious makes errors when it has to appraise dangerous situations that demand quick thinking.
neacsua49 2 years ago
fuck the police
Sakamachi25 2 years ago 5
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Question: What kind of cops are you if you miss 22 times?
HysteriaProductions 2 years ago
no missed 19
Esully7 2 years ago
o srry made 19 i no good at math
Esully7 2 years ago
@HysteriaProductions
DRUNK COPS, thats what kind.
chanley608 2 years ago
41 headshots!
trmz0r 2 years ago
lol... the NYPD were pretty upset when they heard this
SkaterKyoto 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
this is typical american. they use police everywhere they can and later they cry about it.
dmjc2154 2 years ago
What I don't get is why this song instrument is being played on live in NYC dvd, but the song is not on the list of songs played.
slippyal2 2 years ago
Bruce is not targeting the NYPD nor taking the victims side on this song, he is only opening your eyes to the incident. No one can judge the officers in the situation until they are in something like this. Any qucik movement is taken as a threat towards your life.
wakedink 2 years ago 5
I'm so sick of that excuse. "Any " movement they consider a threat justifies murder? These cops were armed...the victim wasn't. A travesty.
Anexartiti 2 years ago
actually you can judge the cops they were told the specs of the suspect as white...he was black and they fired 41 shots into him just because he made a quick movement? doesn't make much sense
koolky723 2 years ago
@koolky723.. he was actually told repeatly to stop and show his hands but he kept attempting to do something at the door of his apartment and when he reached into his coat and took out, what turned out to be his wallet, the closest officer saw it and thought it was a gun and they fired...contagious shooting, fog of war, protecting your partners, and the intense moment is unfortunately what lead to 41 shots being fired.
JeterKid25 1 year ago
And he so deserved to die for that, huh?
2ct2wave 1 year ago
@JeterKid25 .. it wasn't an accident, it happened because there were stereotypes used against Amadou just because he was black. FYI the cops were under-covered agents. Amadou had probably thought they were some kinda thugs who wanted to loot him so he reached for his wallet so that they could leave him alone.
iushfrmbnks 1 year ago
@JeterKid25 retard, how is being shot 41 times "contagious shooting"???
rigneyiq122 1 year ago
i agree with u
phillygirl220 2 years ago
Then what does he mean by "You can get killed just for living in your american skin?" Its tragic and naive to hear people defend these cops.
Celips777 2 years ago
If it were racism and pure discrimination do you really think that four police officers would be dumb enough to fire two fully loaded clips of 16 as well as two other officers firing from afar with 5 and 4 others? You'd have to be some really dumb cops to do so... they'd probably have used guns that were unregistered or at least have used scrubbed bullets.
shoutenry 2 years ago
@shoutenry
they were DRUNK.
chanley608 2 years ago
He is just one...better The one Best song writer!!! He is the boss!!
FreakCB 2 years ago 2
Springsteen is the great american playwright in my opion. I have grown up listening to him. His words are very insperational.
SportzChicaRox 2 years ago 4
This song has a big impact on me... My dad was a cop (killed in action) and he held his head high in uniform, and his pistol only had about a 10 bullet clip. So when 2 officers shoot a man 41 times you know they aren't doing it for self defense if they have to reload a clip and keep firing...
Xbox360ShadowRider52 2 years ago 4
As a cop my sympathies go out for your father killed in the line but I'm surprised that you make condemning comments about cops when you don't know the details. So you know there were 4 officers and there sidearms carry 15+1 so no one reloaded. When one officer slipped the other 3 thought he was shot by the suspect. God Bless your father but please know the details before condemning the officers, you would have wanted the same courtesy for your father if God forbid he had to make that call.
JLOVE11562 2 years ago 5
I believe it was 4 cops, so who knows.
krentistthedentist 2 years ago
Comment removed
NarutoUzumaki4life 2 years ago
This is the 1st song I ever learned!! My dad LOVES Bruce!!
Rachelroo15 2 years ago 4
Bruce was so good in Toronto in May that was the best concert ever........this song means alot R.I.P person that got shot 41 times
brucesfan7 2 years ago 5
Amadou Diallo
yonskii 2 years ago
best song ever wrote complete epic
mcgarry47 2 years ago 9
para mí de lo mejor de bruce, a la altura de "hurricane"... y el vídeo es una pasada, merci¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
asburyvega 2 years ago
is there ne word if hes coming back to ireland next year???
mcgarry47 2 years ago
shhh, we need silence
blanketz0r 2 years ago
I absolutely love this song. I heard it long ago and it has stayed with me ever since. Unfortunately, I can't understand all the words. Could whoever posted this video please post the lyrics in the info box?
SummerSunshine1988 2 years ago 3
both nights in dublin were magical- this one of the many many highlights
vamphuntergvh 2 years ago
What a gig in the RDS on Sunday, he better be back next year.
garymurphy84 2 years ago 2
The man is a legend.... phenominal show in d RDS
markuisce 2 years ago 6
Last night was phenomenal! Best gig i've ever been at. Come back again next year Bruce!
js90100 2 years ago 3
" Moments into the song, Springsteen says to the audience, "We need some quiet." Not surprisingly, the audience respected Springsteen's wishes and remained quiet throughout the song. The refrain "41 Shots" is sung exactly forty-one times in that performance. Mr. Diallo's family from the West African country of Guinea were guests of Mr. Springsteen's at this show. "
One of the most powerful performance by The Boss!!
kiltorptomas 2 years ago
until we get rid of secret movements that pull strings from behind the scenes rockafella family the morgans rothchilds then my friends we will always have these kinda songs every1 wants to rule the world wud it not be easiar to follow the lord that is in u
allum200 2 years ago
going to see the great man on the 12th of july in dublin, hope he plays this da fuck
mcgarry47 2 years ago 4
Comment removed
dixiefly 2 years ago
Mcgarry47, I see you got your wish last night. Heard it was an amazing show. Was there in the rain Sat night, great show also.
dixiefly 2 years ago
aye it poured but didnt matter he was amazing....didnt play this lo but he played an epic list neway so i was a happy man
mcgarry47 2 years ago 2
You mest have been there Sat - they played this last night.
dixiefly 2 years ago 2
aye i went on saturday, my mate text me last nite saying he played it....ripping lol cos dats when we wer meant to go but got them changed ffs
mcgarry47 2 years ago
the beginning! just bass and a two-note-riff on the keyboard... amazing how it makes a whole atmosphere grow with each musician singing "41 shots". I have no words for this. Hat off!
gonzocotto 2 years ago 18
I'm going to see his concert in Stockholm tonight. Yay!
Klingan90 2 years ago 2
promise me, you'll always be polite.........
SkaterKyoto 2 years ago
Imágenes subliminales: ¿Quién es el hombre que aparece en el minuto 6:26?
Subliminal images: Who is the man that apears in 6:26 minute?
anna9cens 2 years ago 2
Interesting reading everyone's posts, thoughts and feelings.
Have people thought about this ? Maybe the police officers were being overly aggressive... but maybe that was from past experience and paranoia. I know from experience, being in a situation of having to make a split decision of having to pull a trigger against a human being is not a good feeling at all... especially if you have a conscience.
BCCream 2 years ago
Now, if you combine that with any prejudice that may have existed within any one of the officers... you have a bad situation. If only one of the officers was slanted in that direction and overly reacted... the chain effect to the others is completely understandable. One shot which rings out, will bring reactions from others regardless of what the correct situation which exists is.
BCCream 2 years ago
Having said all of that, I do think the way the Officers approached the situation was not even close to being correct... Yet, the mistake of one involved will bring the actions of the whole to bare. I hear people talk about the racism in the shooting in which an innocent man was killed by NYPD Officers... what I do not seem to hear, is that racism didn't exist... but very poor skills of dealing with situations existed on the part of the officers.
BCCream 2 years ago
It is the approach in which the officers took and their actions which should have been understand the microscope... they failed at their jobs for properly handling the situation.
Btw.. have to read my posts from bottom to top, I messed it up = )
BCCream 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Awesome!
Please check out my cover of this song.
MisterAmea 2 years ago
...Just because he was black that gave no reason to let those 4 officers get away with 24 charges. Murder, GBH With intent etc. and yet nobody gave a shit because that man had a different colour skin to them and so they thought he was too diferent.....
OmgItsEmbo 2 years ago
41 shots? for those of you who care, take a second to do this.Slowly count to 41 seconds either out loud or in your head, while your doing it, every second, bite your lip a little harder each time. then multiply that pain by 1000. that's a fraction of the pain Amadou Diallo went through that day. Imagine that 41 times? Its absolutely horrible.
OmgItsEmbo 2 years ago 6
We need some quiet. "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Nathan Hale, Patriot.
ReggiesReply 2 years ago 2
It's definitely a comment about police brutality. The four officers were found to have acted properly, but Bruce is taking the 'facts' and reinterpreting them - like all good storytellers. Contrast the official 'story' (the officers' innocence) with Bruce's story of racial discrimination in American policing.
kungfu65 2 years ago
Comment removed
ReggiesReply 2 years ago
Comment removed
ReggiesReply 2 years ago
American Skin (41 Shots) a song concerning an incident between the NYPD and an immigrant, Amadou Diallo, in 1999. Forty-one bullets fired by four police offers that killed Diallo.
41 SHOTS! How do you reinterpret 41 shots? The stupid, hysterical bastards were so panic striken that they missed with 22 rounds from 10-15 yards. Reinterpret that you shallow, right wing, reactionary, APOLOGIST! How many times do you think they shot him after he hit the ground? Contrast that you gaping asshole...
ReggiesReply 2 years ago
Comment removed
ReggiesReply 2 years ago
There are two interpretations of this event. One is the official interpretation of the investigation of the officers' actions. Bruce's reinterprets the event in terms of discriminatory police action. That's all I'm saying, friend.
kungfu65 2 years ago
Bruce simply told the truth. A ruthless honesty of thinking is sharper than those 41 shots!
giuseppegiada 2 years ago 6
Sometimes the truth isn't pretty.
jerryskid1 2 years ago 4
the cops were embarrassed and pissed and some of them left the concert
JJSHIZZ 2 years ago 3
Even after 10 tears, things like this still happen in our countries, regardless where you are. I have seen every single day very similar and sad stories like that. We can not rely on gov actions anymore.
American Skin (41 Shots) a protest song concerning an incident between the NYPD and an immigrant, Amadou Diallo, in 1999. Forty-one bullets fired by four police offers that killed Diallo.
pents70 2 years ago 3
Yeah, But only 19 got him. I cried when I heard this song. My dad is really into Bruce's music and when it was on in the car he was explaining the theme of the song and I was so speachless. This really is a beautiful song with a lot of truth to it. x
doctorwhocrazii 2 years ago 4
how do you fire 41 shots into a person without realizing that you've killed him!?
and this is an amazing song, probably bruce's best
aepicfailure 2 years ago 4
i love this song.
this is bruces best song.
chilli999 2 years ago
I dont know, but bruce is the best ^^
egwanmaster 2 years ago 2
I think people are missing the point Bruce is trying to make. You can arguing until your gills turn blue about weather the Cop's actions where justified. However I think the bigger issue Bruce was trying to point out is how pathetic society is as a whole. The fact that these cops interpreted this man's action of reaching in his pocket for his wallet as him reaching for a gun proves how pathetic of a world we live in.
10titansfan10 2 years ago 16
Won't be forgotten.
When Bruce plays the lead riff I could fall apart.
When he plays he's tell you how it is.
Perfection
shimmisking 2 years ago 3
as they say when does a good man decide to kill: Answer if his family is in threat he will do everything to protect them all the rest is down to self defence
redsox152 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
the police put their lives out there on the line every fuckin day and they want to go home to their family everyday just like everyone else. you cant put this on the police for protecting themselves. they have families to go home too also. yea its a shame what happened but think of all the cops that have been killed in the line of duty for everyone. i love bruces music but this song is bullshit
zingo9023 3 years ago
Uh...okay, but can you really say it was necessary to shoot 41 times. I mean that goes way beyond a warning or self defense, seriously.
PancakeBooty04 2 years ago 3
Oh, and not to mention it was FOUR against ONE, come on.
PancakeBooty04 2 years ago
does it matter whether the cops were just trying to protect themsleves or not? someones life ended, a life that didnt have to end. a future was ruined
this song is amazing just like the rest of bruce's songs
AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL and TOUCHING
thank you bruce springsteen and the e street band
georgiastate99 3 years ago 8
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i rly cant stand this guy...the cops messed up but they did what they thought they had to do to survive. They are out there everyday protecting the people. They put their lives on the line every day and it sure as hell isnt for the money. Before you go and nail them to the wall how about you think of the pressure they are under and their selflessness day in and day out. God bless the boys in blue
rhyno89 3 years ago
Lol...yeah but they didn't have to shoot the guy 41 one times..that's just unneccessary...
OkieDohkiie 2 years ago 5
Yes, the good one, not the skins and the corrupt one
egwanmaster 2 years ago
41 Disparos, 41 Disparos, 41 Disparos, 41 Disparos... I Dont Even Know The Rest In Spanish Cause All I Kno Is That And Spanish Cus Words And Maybe A Few Others... E-STREET RULES... BACKSTREET... Well We All Kno Wat There Like... And Some Includin Me In The Backstage Before they Go Out...
mechajesus2000 3 years ago
And I Tottaly Agree Wit That One misfit... That Is Bull... And Anyways... Near The End Of This Video It Actually Shows Him Gettin Shot... That Was A Little Stupid Because Not Only That They Didnt Even Get It On Tape... But When It Does The Close Up On Them... Theres No Blood... Who The Hell Gets Shot That Many flippin Times... And Doesnt Bleed Through The Back... And They Also Tried To Make It All Dramatic And Sad... But They Just Over Did It On That Scene In The Video... But Still Great Song!!!
mechajesus2000 3 years ago
i love the E Street Band... Just One Of The Best Bands I've Listened To Ever... BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FREAKIN RULES
mechajesus2000 3 years ago
cmaness
sorry but we don't mind if he cares or not , he just sing it and a beautiful way and that's his job finally !
and however he cares or not , there is still peoples commenting this dramma after all those years and that's sure because of the song you'are now watching on youtube !!!
pierronissart 3 years ago
and why would 4 guys even feel the need to pump out 41 rounds... diallo was hit with 19.. and after that bullshit they got off scott fuckin free.. what bullshit.. premature ejaculators that had to shoot there clips empty to get a job done..Fuck you Sean Carroll, Brendan Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss.. And fuck each and every trigger happy cop in the world too.. protect and serve.. bullshit..
misfitCadogan666 3 years ago 6
fucking trigger happy pigs..
misfitCadogan666 3 years ago 4
This comment has received too many negative votes show
this song is an extreme embarrassment. do any of you believe for one second that bruce (with his patented fake emotion) cares about the subject? this is pandering, inauthentic and so faux-poetic that it makes me want to puke.
cmaness 3 years ago
Sorry dude I believe. Let me guess though your a cop right. Thought so.
shnerfspider 3 years ago 2
Yes, I believe that Bruce cares about this subject.
You can puke if you want. This is a free country...
BrunoLeBoss 3 years ago 3
Glad to know that you have the ability to look inside another persons soul and know what they are thinking and feeling. So you are either god or a right wing jerk with an IQ in the single digits.
Niederwaldflash 3 years ago
Hey, bruce is a great singer and this is one of his best songs, but never forget the cops who lose their life everyday to keep you guys safe. There are cops out there who surely dont belong but dont disrespect every cop for the mistakes of just a few. If these cops could take it back they could so take it easy on them.
Wildypl0x 3 years ago 4
The one sign in the video I loved was GIULIANI IS A RACIST. I disagree, though. Giuliani is just an asshole. I'm just glad his presidential campaign never got off the ground. I can't imagine if he were the nominee, let alone became president. Fuck Giuliani.
daddymak8 3 years ago 5
yo stop say cops are bad yes there are bads one but dont bring down every cop all u people same u hate cops till u have to call 911 so they can come save your ass so fuck u people who think cops are mean and bad
xxxginoxxx92 3 years ago
beautifull song for killed Amadou Diallo:(...shame it's happend:( great song.
eliotf1988 3 years ago 4
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i always touch my self to this song its great just get sum saint eves hand cream and rub one out all over my stomach
dahonda101 3 years ago
psycho..that is NOT what this song is meant for...jackass
surferdude31193 3 years ago
....
Wow,the internet has removed people's ability to recognize when someone is being ridiculous on purpose.
corinthian16 3 years ago
My favorite song from the Bruce. This is AWESOME
suippumadonlakki 3 years ago
this song is great
the fuckin garda cunts killing a helpless kid
karl1579 3 years ago
his wasn't a kid by the way.. he was young but he wasn't a minor.
mugmugmug11 3 years ago
Hey you damn fool! Give me one reason to give one man 41 shots if you are a prof. Policeman??
Why didn't they give him one in the leg? Why did he get 41 shots?? Think anout it as if it was your son....you brave man!
robr1973 3 years ago 2
The two officers approaching him told him repeatedly to stop and show his hands. They didn't know until after that he had a stutter and may have tried to say something & that he spoke so little English that he didn't understand. When the first officer fell and his shots ricocheted, the other officer thought it was Diallo shooting so he emptied his clip. 41 shots were fired. Not all 41 hit Diallo. I'm not saying it was right,I just don't think either party was at fault. It was tragic nonetheless.
MrsLindsey11 3 years ago
Not all hit Diallo beacuse those cops aim like shit, loose trigger-fingers should be cut off...
hasselnot94 3 years ago
if you only knew what the police have do deal with everyday maybe you wouldnt say what you say. you are just a uninformed uneducated person. Go and put your life on the line everyday. you wont becuase.... so shut up no one knows what really happened except those sops and god, so shut up
pokersteve1802 3 years ago
the american cops are shit, to agresiv allways. oh damn a nigger. hm, hes taking a wallet from his pocket. OH DAMN i got an idea! lets shot him! its sad. aint the cops got outher shit the shoting niggers? ME and all the black ppl in the world know that cops are rasicts.
joakim9311 3 years ago
including the blackk ones right?
hockeygoalie392 3 years ago 2
Peter Slansky is the man
DallaVisions 3 years ago
This song is much more subtle than just criticism of cops. It criticises society as whole.
In Bruce' view, the cops are almost as much victims as the guy who got shot.
"Is it a gun? is it a knife? is it a wallet? This is your life. It ain't no secret, no secret my friend, you can get killed just for living in your American skin"
Not only innocent civilians get shot. Also cops.
MichielBouwhuis 3 years ago 9
This comment has received too many negative votes show
fucking pigs
jesusisaterrorist 3 years ago
how?
ProperWicked 3 years ago 2
In spite of the FOB this song speaks the truth.
Soulthinker2007 3 years ago 2
Very good song<3
mjukmjuk 3 years ago 2
wat a song
karl1579 3 years ago
Best song ever
mcgarry47 3 years ago
This is why I love him, I tells it like it his and he´s not afraid of the concequinces.. people can stone him and he would keep on singing
jokullernir88 3 years ago 5
I agree, and he does tell the truth,
basenji02 3 years ago
Im a musician you all blow.
iluvmymaltese 3 years ago
this is an awesome song it just proves what kind of world we live in it is fucked up!!!! this is one of my favorite songs. it is not justice when a cop shots some one 41 times it is MURDER!!!!!!
ftpiercegal 3 years ago 5
and overkill...
deathnight105 3 years ago 2
this is good song i don't think he should have used a cop in place of it he should have used our troops that is who gets all the bullets 4 us
ftpiercegal 3 years ago
He didn't exactly choose who to use in the song. It was based off of an actual incident, in which the NYC police shot a recent immigrant 41 times on the steps of his own home because they "thought he was a threat" (he later turned out to be totally innocent).
NovemberXXVII 3 years ago 6
:__
preciosa
niinii86 3 years ago
41 shotss..thats really sad...deep song good song!
BaywatchLoverforever 3 years ago
He's the Boss, definitely
receiveandtransmit 3 years ago
wikipedia says that only 19 shots hit him, and not 32
41 SHOTS
Bradelbirne 3 years ago
you are write, dont no where i got 32 from.
thanks
floodywuddy 3 years ago
anyone know who the picture that flashes up for like a millisecond at 6.26 is of?
mysongsbyjak 3 years ago
pretty powerful song if you know the true meaning.... If you dont know the meaning, i believe it was about a blank man who was pulling out his WALLET when a few cops thought he had a gun so they shot him 41 times. we learned it in reading class a while ago so i apoligize if my explanation is incorrect...
harike58 3 years ago
yea, lol i looked it up on wikipedia
ccskate 3 years ago
41 shots but only 32 hit him, i think that is correct !
bloody disgrace any way
floodywuddy 3 years ago
Moving song. Thanks for posting it. You should include the text of an article about that shooting in the description section of this video so everyone will fully understand what happened. This will continue to happen until officers are made to pay for their crimes against the American people even if they are just "mistakes". And make no mistake,shooting someone dozens of times is no accident. It is the action of either an overly scary or evil police officer who is trigger happy. Simple as that.
WebAnt 3 years ago 4
"You get killed just for living in, your American skin." The truth. Over reacted police officers.
Morr40 3 years ago 4
send the cop to brazilian favelas...
mundosal 3 years ago 2
I love Springsteen so much. He is the mastermind of the past 15 years about putting the U.S. domestic issues into song.
If you like this song, you should check out Springsteens "How Can a Poor Man Stand such Times and Live"
la3la3456 3 years ago 8
This was a very sad occurrence, and a moving song. Did you know they sing the phrase "41 Shots" exactly 41 times in this song?
katgord 3 years ago 13
I heard that too, but only counted 32 times in this video
nhlfan2002 3 years ago
you're right nhlfan, I just listened and counted, and they DO say it only 32 times. I read somewhere that they sing it 41 times, and thought it was a pretty cool little piece of trivia. Oh well ... :)
katgord 3 years ago
32 shots hit him 41 were fired
floodywuddy 3 years ago
to kill somebody with 41 shots as a police officer isn´t self defence. It is murder. How about just shooting in the leg or something less lethal? I have absolutely no understanding for the police. I am glad that Springsteen has the guts to do a song about this. What ever happened to the police, were they sentenced to some kind of punishment?
jentil12 3 years ago 16
I don't recall, but as I do recall, they were told by the Union to boycott this concert.
CNJGeep 3 years ago
You should read the account of this shoting in the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, you'll look at it with a new perspective, and that's not to excuse the police, they were guilty of what Springsteen says, that if you are a certain colour, the police are more likely to suspect your motives, which in this case saw a guy reaching for his wallet led the police to assume, becuase of his coulour, that he must have been reaching for a gun, that's what this song is about
shugs123 3 years ago
that gave me the chills, fucking cool! I remember when this was going on, I live right outside New York
jerzyscott100 3 years ago
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with respect to both sides, my brother is a cop in the sound view area. springsteen has no understanding
illbill40 3 years ago
I totally agree with you
DaMooMan50 3 years ago
we did about this song in history at school and now i love this song even thoguh it has a sad meaning...
bexy605 3 years ago 2