Actually, this song is about Amadou Bailo Diallo. It's kinda sad that we learn something like that in school, but some people here coming from America don't know what the song is about. I don't want to say that I know everything about Germany - or the people living here - but if bragging, then please with knowledge.
inspired by the police shooting death of Amadou Diallo and i heard it first time when he did the new york gig at end of the tour very powerfull song either way people dont hate
this song is for Mr. Diallo....who got killed for living in America. The song who this was WROTE for.....please....remember him..and his unfortunate death
theres no way bruce sang those lines on that bootleg but regardless we have to all remember a 14 year old boy was riddlled with bullets and a family were left without a son
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Bruce Springteen you are a complete idiot making money off the diallo incident . It was a accident you retart. When you call 911 you will get treated like the Dogshit you dumb ass
@neil7025 how's he making money off this? the song wasn't released as a single, it wasn't put on a studio album, the only way you can buy this song is if you buy the essential album with the bonus cd, and i doubt anyone would buy an album that has is greatest hits on it just to get this song.
it's also available on the live CD from the reunion tour in NYC (1999-2000) , a live E-street band version. and, a true fan as myself, buy's a "greatest hits" album, just to have that one bonus disc :p
@neil7025 Shooting a man 41 times because he was reaching for his wallet is less of an accident than it is a god damn disgrace. If you are that jumpy you have no damn business being a cop.
Having heard the original bootlegged version from Atlanta, it is clear the line "kill the fucking cops" is repeated at the beginning of the song. The question of the song narration "is it a gun, is it a knife, is it a wallet? This is your life" in both lyrics is a perspective that could be that a police officer might have in mind everytime they stop a suspect.
The song is so sympathetic to both parties. We all wear our American Skin and the consequences can be fatally tragic.
Anyone who thinks of this as an "anti-police" song isn't paying attention. It's a song about divisions in American society, about fear and what it can lead to. It's a heartbreaking song - from the cop praying over the Dialo's body to the fearful mother teaching her young son to always keep his hands in sight. It's an amazing song, a very moving song.
I love how Elvis is just sitting there, rapt - one master songwriter watching another one with such great respect and fascination.
@lfc7898 Not standard formations of any... other than maybe the A and D... Even with those there are also added notes on top of each frame to get the full sound... I watched this live on Spectacle... And DVR'd this and have gone over it a 100 times. Just watch his hands when pushing the A... watch 3 and 4 fingers ;-)
A tragic event for everyone involved, but it did make a great song apparently. Love the lines "Is it a gun? Is it a knife? Is it a wallet? This is your life."
I would hate to live in any Muslim country .. take the US any day. Sure the US is not perfect like some Republicans think; we are selfish but better than most countries and don't believe all the propoganda.. After all the US allows protest songs like this one. Do you haters realize that shows the decency of the US? If the USSR were in our position then you'd see real horror, nah, it would be all done uncover. So Bruce why not ever write something good about the US once in a while?
If you listen to the words you can feel Bruce is treading carefully on not blasting the police just how horrible and dumb things happen everyday. I wish he didn't say "American Skin" .. because in reality this could happen anywhere .. yeah more likely to happen in the states but in other countries , such as France, you get tortured and jailed for life for crimes that are less than murder and it's "guilty until you are proven innocent" .
@11xzxzxz "France, you get tortured and jailed for life for crimes that are less than murder and it's "guilty until you are proven innocent" - huh???
Let's take the hard step of getting our own house in order before we take the easy step of pointing the finger at what other countries are doing wrong.
@RobynHarris Robin I think you are partly right but there is no reason why we should wait till our house is in order cause that is never going to happen. A parent is there to point out a child's mistakes and help him even though parents screw up a lot of the time too. And many Muslim or other countries with religion as ruler more screwed up than us. I would say the US is one of the best countries of a mediocre and horrible lot.
@RobynHarris And cops plant evidence here and shoot too soon at times but my best guess would be a lot more that goes on in other countries. The French has a judicial system of guilty until proven innocent .. but they do have less crimes causes the prisons are wicked. Not much better than the Turkish prison in Midnight Express in 1979 (?).
So are you really say let's not say anything about other countries while they berate us and kill their own kind like Saddam did.
@RobynHarris Cont. I only defend American because it's one of the the best nations and certainly the best superpower ever. Again do not think I ever think "my country .. right or wrong" And I know it's often a hard life for minorities but if I were black I'd be glad to be living in the US with less poverty and more options and affirmative action than most poor African countries.
@RobynHarris OK, all of you uniformed liberals (and I am not a Republican or conservative either as I am not an ideologue) now can pile on me with your great reasoning abilities. Also, I think a country as Japan is equal to the US but then they are not a super-power and do not have all the responsibilities that the leader of the free nations has to bear. Again, I think big mistakes are made daily here but I would not want to live most anywhere else.
I have lots of prejudices, I think everyone does. We couldn't get through the day if every situation was a first time event. But we need to see beyond our expectations to reality.
I think Bruce is singing about the danger of being controlled by our expectations and being blind to what is real.
Do I think the officers went looking to kill an innocent that night?
No. But Diallo is still dead, because of their expectations.
@RobynHarris Well-put and I agree with you and if Bruce added your sentiment it would be a fuller truer story, from both sides now. . Bruce didn't really mention the part about that probably not one officers wanted to kill... well I'm sure a few enjoyed it on the other hand. Again, Justice is often no justice but I still would rather live in American Skin than in most countries.
>> Bruce didn't really mention the part about that probably not one officers wanted to kill.
He didn't mention it because he doesn't know. I don't know, no one knows what was in the hearts of those four officers, that night. But whatever it was, it caused them to kill an innocent man who was no threat to them.
>>well I'm sure a few enjoyed it on the other hand.
I've spent a long time looking at that statement and I really don't understand how another human being could write that.
@RobynHarris You wrote " I've spent a long time looking at that statement and I really don't understand how another human being could write that.".
What statement? Mine? I think cops are trained to be overaggressive but in NYC I doubt any group of cops will do anything like that again for a very long time. The police everywhere took note and learned from that terrible incident. Hey I am not anywhere near in love with cops .. just trying to be fair. I like the song and melody.
@RobynHarris Cont .... Why not mentioned it happens everywhere in the world and often worse in other bloody non-American waters. Truth messes with a good song, I guess.
I refer people to a bootleg live version of this song. The uncensored version goes 41 shots killer f---cking cops I"m told NY police refused to provide security at NYC shows on that tour The song is about the violence in American society as are many of his songs. In this case police violence in wich an inocent unarmed boy was shot 41 times by police and how is mother had tried to teach and protect him. "you can get killed just for living in your American Skin ' peace
Suggest you read Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" and a chapter devoted to the Amadou Diallo killing...an interesting perspective and explanation on how such a thing can happen.
nothing is more worst, than the end of an innocent life. but i saw a report, how soldiers get monsters. its a descison of less than a second. But 41 Shots for one Person is a crime. I can understand policemen, and i know that this song is not mentionend to call all policemen killers, but to think abaout all sites of the medaille
@lollylawrence Can you tell me which bootleg? I have the premiere of the song and 9 or 10 other shows when Bruce sang it, but never heard any mention of "killer f**king cops".
@Alistairg865 Hi I no longer have this version of the song on my computer. Have been told that is someone singing over Springsteen. Regardless ;you can get killed just for living in your American Skin. I suggest anyone interest4ed in Springsteen , that they see The Promise.
@lollylawrence That is absolutely untrue. Where the hell do you get Bruce wanting to sing "Killer Fu**ing Cops" from??? One of the the dumbest things I've ever heard and this lollylawrence shitstain is proof positive why you should take the comments section with a grain of salt. Maybe even a whole bag!!! Killer F'N Cops?!? Jeez, this is Bruce Springsteen not Ice-T!! What an asshole. I feel like shoving you on the floor and stomping you to death you piss drinking loser!
@lollylawrence Springsteen never sang "killer fucking cops" in this song. You've been given bad info. It makes no sense for two reasons: (a.) He knew the song would be misinterpreted, just as "Born in the USA" was, so it makes no sense that he would interject something like that into a live performance that would feed the misinterpretation; and (b.) his concerts are so widely bootlegged and written about by fans and online media that such an inflammatory occurence would have made huge news.
@lollylawrence The bootleg you speak of does not exist and you refer to "facts" you pulled from your ass. "Killer f--cking cops" can't be found on any version ever performed of this song. NYC cops pulled their PERSONAL security and motorcade from night 2 of Shea Stadium after Bruce played this song on night 1. By night 3 the motorcade was back along with a public apology from the chief of the NYPD.
How can you disagree with the message? It's about ruining people's lives. it's certainly not an anti-police song like some make out - it's a sad song. "41 shots, got my boots caked with this mud, we were baptised in these waters and in each others' blood"
basically - we all suffer for fear and lack of understanding.
Is the interview leading up to this available on youtube?
DesertRose85 1 month ago
Actually, this song is about Amadou Bailo Diallo. It's kinda sad that we learn something like that in school, but some people here coming from America don't know what the song is about. I don't want to say that I know everything about Germany - or the people living here - but if bragging, then please with knowledge.
TheCalifornianSky 4 months ago
Great Bruce !
pirillo76 6 months ago
inspired by the police shooting death of Amadou Diallo and i heard it first time when he did the new york gig at end of the tour very powerfull song either way people dont hate
bozie2k8 6 months ago
3 people never been shoot 41 times...
santewells 7 months ago
Comment removed
terrapinbobby 7 months ago
if i was in that crowd every time he would say 'it aint no secret' id be so tempted to shout out the backing vocals.
MrK9nny 7 months ago
this song is for Mr. Diallo....who got killed for living in America. The song who this was WROTE for.....please....remember him..and his unfortunate death
leeannrenae 7 months ago
the MOTHERFUCKIN BOSS
Lovgun7 8 months ago
It ain't no secret! /watch?v=70hOn8fCsfE
YouSayYouWantA 9 months ago
"I refer people to a bootleg live version of this song. The uncensored version goes 41 shots killer f---cking cops"
that's completely untrue. I dont' know why you'd make up such a thing.
markbrow 9 months ago
SUblime !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marchouillart 9 months ago
has anyone figured out the guitar tab of this song?
ttyyrrdd 1 year ago
omg what an incredible performance; I got chills.
ddddwife 1 year ago
theres no way bruce sang those lines on that bootleg but regardless we have to all remember a 14 year old boy was riddlled with bullets and a family were left without a son
agger7588 1 year ago
@agger7588 ; 14 years old? Who? Diallo was 23.
USFA45LC 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Bruce Springteen you are a complete idiot making money off the diallo incident . It was a accident you retart. When you call 911 you will get treated like the Dogshit you dumb ass
neil7025 1 year ago
@neil7025 how's he making money off this? the song wasn't released as a single, it wasn't put on a studio album, the only way you can buy this song is if you buy the essential album with the bonus cd, and i doubt anyone would buy an album that has is greatest hits on it just to get this song.
labhrash 1 year ago
@labhrash
it's also available on the live CD from the reunion tour in NYC (1999-2000) , a live E-street band version. and, a true fan as myself, buy's a "greatest hits" album, just to have that one bonus disc :p
springEstreet 1 year ago
@neil7025 Shooting a man 41 times because he was reaching for his wallet is less of an accident than it is a god damn disgrace. If you are that jumpy you have no damn business being a cop.
frownytown 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Bruce Springsteen is more self involved than anyone I have ever seen. His Band sucks too!
terrapinbobby 1 year ago
Having heard the original bootlegged version from Atlanta, it is clear the line "kill the fucking cops" is repeated at the beginning of the song. The question of the song narration "is it a gun, is it a knife, is it a wallet? This is your life" in both lyrics is a perspective that could be that a police officer might have in mind everytime they stop a suspect.
The song is so sympathetic to both parties. We all wear our American Skin and the consequences can be fatally tragic.
paslinkyman 1 year ago
Anyone who thinks of this as an "anti-police" song isn't paying attention. It's a song about divisions in American society, about fear and what it can lead to. It's a heartbreaking song - from the cop praying over the Dialo's body to the fearful mother teaching her young son to always keep his hands in sight. It's an amazing song, a very moving song.
I love how Elvis is just sitting there, rapt - one master songwriter watching another one with such great respect and fascination.
mikeclaw 1 year ago 2
For my "friend" Fausto from Giffoni...aspettando che me la suoni presto...
Bruce ti amo!
Daniela
princessminneapolis 1 year ago
Each year in my "world events" class, I do a lesson this case and include this song.
AMAZING.
rlambert15 1 year ago 3
Does anyone know the chord sequence and tuning for this version?
derec85 1 year ago
@derec85
Chords are A F#m E D in that order
lfc7898 8 months ago
@lfc7898 Not standard formations of any... other than maybe the A and D... Even with those there are also added notes on top of each frame to get the full sound... I watched this live on Spectacle... And DVR'd this and have gone over it a 100 times. Just watch his hands when pushing the A... watch 3 and 4 fingers ;-)
Jamler3 5 months ago
A tragic event for everyone involved, but it did make a great song apparently. Love the lines "Is it a gun? Is it a knife? Is it a wallet? This is your life."
biggles1111 1 year ago
Goose bumps, yes! Brilliant! Who else can do this than Bruce?
reinvest83 1 year ago
RIP Amadou Diallo
mh38200 1 year ago
NY cops took 41 shots at unarmed Amadou Diallo hitting him 19 times and killing him. The officers were all acquitted on all charges.
mh38200 1 year ago
I would hate to live in any Muslim country .. take the US any day. Sure the US is not perfect like some Republicans think; we are selfish but better than most countries and don't believe all the propoganda.. After all the US allows protest songs like this one. Do you haters realize that shows the decency of the US? If the USSR were in our position then you'd see real horror, nah, it would be all done uncover. So Bruce why not ever write something good about the US once in a while?
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
Comment removed
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
If you listen to the words you can feel Bruce is treading carefully on not blasting the police just how horrible and dumb things happen everyday. I wish he didn't say "American Skin" .. because in reality this could happen anywhere .. yeah more likely to happen in the states but in other countries , such as France, you get tortured and jailed for life for crimes that are less than murder and it's "guilty until you are proven innocent" .
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@11xzxzxz "France, you get tortured and jailed for life for crimes that are less than murder and it's "guilty until you are proven innocent" - huh???
danieljohnsonfilms 1 year ago
@11xzxzxz
I think the idea is "Lead by example."
Let's take the hard step of getting our own house in order before we take the easy step of pointing the finger at what other countries are doing wrong.
RobynHarris 1 year ago
@RobynHarris Robin I think you are partly right but there is no reason why we should wait till our house is in order cause that is never going to happen. A parent is there to point out a child's mistakes and help him even though parents screw up a lot of the time too. And many Muslim or other countries with religion as ruler more screwed up than us. I would say the US is one of the best countries of a mediocre and horrible lot.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@RobynHarris And cops plant evidence here and shoot too soon at times but my best guess would be a lot more that goes on in other countries. The French has a judicial system of guilty until proven innocent .. but they do have less crimes causes the prisons are wicked. Not much better than the Turkish prison in Midnight Express in 1979 (?).
So are you really say let's not say anything about other countries while they berate us and kill their own kind like Saddam did.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@RobynHarris Cont. I only defend American because it's one of the the best nations and certainly the best superpower ever. Again do not think I ever think "my country .. right or wrong" And I know it's often a hard life for minorities but if I were black I'd be glad to be living in the US with less poverty and more options and affirmative action than most poor African countries.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@RobynHarris OK, all of you uniformed liberals (and I am not a Republican or conservative either as I am not an ideologue) now can pile on me with your great reasoning abilities. Also, I think a country as Japan is equal to the US but then they are not a super-power and do not have all the responsibilities that the leader of the free nations has to bear. Again, I think big mistakes are made daily here but I would not want to live most anywhere else.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@11xzxzxz Really not looking to pile on.
Prejudice - To PreJudge.
I have lots of prejudices, I think everyone does. We couldn't get through the day if every situation was a first time event. But we need to see beyond our expectations to reality.
I think Bruce is singing about the danger of being controlled by our expectations and being blind to what is real.
Do I think the officers went looking to kill an innocent that night?
No. But Diallo is still dead, because of their expectations.
RobynHarris 1 year ago
@RobynHarris Well-put and I agree with you and if Bruce added your sentiment it would be a fuller truer story, from both sides now. . Bruce didn't really mention the part about that probably not one officers wanted to kill... well I'm sure a few enjoyed it on the other hand. Again, Justice is often no justice but I still would rather live in American Skin than in most countries.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@11xzxzxz
>> Bruce didn't really mention the part about that probably not one officers wanted to kill.
He didn't mention it because he doesn't know. I don't know, no one knows what was in the hearts of those four officers, that night. But whatever it was, it caused them to kill an innocent man who was no threat to them.
>>well I'm sure a few enjoyed it on the other hand.
I've spent a long time looking at that statement and I really don't understand how another human being could write that.
RobynHarris 1 year ago
@RobynHarris You wrote " I've spent a long time looking at that statement and I really don't understand how another human being could write that.".
What statement? Mine? I think cops are trained to be overaggressive but in NYC I doubt any group of cops will do anything like that again for a very long time. The police everywhere took note and learned from that terrible incident. Hey I am not anywhere near in love with cops .. just trying to be fair. I like the song and melody.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
@RobynHarris Cont .... Why not mentioned it happens everywhere in the world and often worse in other bloody non-American waters. Truth messes with a good song, I guess.
11xzxzxz 1 year ago
I refer people to a bootleg live version of this song. The uncensored version goes 41 shots killer f---cking cops I"m told NY police refused to provide security at NYC shows on that tour The song is about the violence in American society as are many of his songs. In this case police violence in wich an inocent unarmed boy was shot 41 times by police and how is mother had tried to teach and protect him. "you can get killed just for living in your American Skin ' peace
lollylawrence 1 year ago
@lollylawrence
Suggest you read Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" and a chapter devoted to the Amadou Diallo killing...an interesting perspective and explanation on how such a thing can happen.
deerfried 1 year ago 3
@deerfried I just read that :P
THUNDERFFF 1 year ago
@deerfried
nothing is more worst, than the end of an innocent life. but i saw a report, how soldiers get monsters. its a descison of less than a second. But 41 Shots for one Person is a crime. I can understand policemen, and i know that this song is not mentionend to call all policemen killers, but to think abaout all sites of the medaille
tronje2001 8 months ago
@lollylawrence What bootleg is that from? I have never heard that line.
pac401 1 year ago
@pac401
mothermacs 1 year ago
@lollylawrence Can you tell me which bootleg? I have the premiere of the song and 9 or 10 other shows when Bruce sang it, but never heard any mention of "killer f**king cops".
Alistairg865 1 year ago
@Alistairg865 Hi I no longer have this version of the song on my computer. Have been told that is someone singing over Springsteen. Regardless ;you can get killed just for living in your American Skin. I suggest anyone interest4ed in Springsteen , that they see The Promise.
lollylawrence 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@lollylawrence
"I refer people to a bootleg live version of this song. The uncensored version goes 41 shots killer f---cking cops"
that's completely untrue. I dont' know why you'd make up such a thing.
markbrow 9 months ago
@lollylawrence That is absolutely untrue. Where the hell do you get Bruce wanting to sing "Killer Fu**ing Cops" from??? One of the the dumbest things I've ever heard and this lollylawrence shitstain is proof positive why you should take the comments section with a grain of salt. Maybe even a whole bag!!! Killer F'N Cops?!? Jeez, this is Bruce Springsteen not Ice-T!! What an asshole. I feel like shoving you on the floor and stomping you to death you piss drinking loser!
TheMagnificentMelvin 7 months ago
@TheMagnificentMelvin well said fella
bozie2k8 6 months ago
@lollylawrence
Go look up the lyrics, it's not a anti-police song, the song is written out of a policemens point of view.
B0zz3 5 months ago
@lollylawrence Springsteen never sang "killer fucking cops" in this song. You've been given bad info. It makes no sense for two reasons: (a.) He knew the song would be misinterpreted, just as "Born in the USA" was, so it makes no sense that he would interject something like that into a live performance that would feed the misinterpretation; and (b.) his concerts are so widely bootlegged and written about by fans and online media that such an inflammatory occurence would have made huge news.
mikeclaw 3 months ago
@lollylawrence The bootleg you speak of does not exist and you refer to "facts" you pulled from your ass. "Killer f--cking cops" can't be found on any version ever performed of this song. NYC cops pulled their PERSONAL security and motorcade from night 2 of Shea Stadium after Bruce played this song on night 1. By night 3 the motorcade was back along with a public apology from the chief of the NYPD.
aronkozin 1 month ago
@lollylawrence Peace to you, the truth is just that too many people think its a normal thing when 8 cops shoot 41 bullets at a kid...
tomnissa666 1 month ago
@lollylawrence so,so,so glad i live in a country where is not normal even for police to be armed. Land of the truly free - ENGLAND
rizzzla 1 week ago
Unbelievible Show......this "old" man is still one of the best musicians ever........
LordSchnarch 1 year ago
Beautiful song.
ponsal 1 year ago
while i completey disagree with the message of this song, this is the best version of it that i've heard
JeterKid25 2 years ago
How can you disagree with the message? It's about ruining people's lives. it's certainly not an anti-police song like some make out - it's a sad song. "41 shots, got my boots caked with this mud, we were baptised in these waters and in each others' blood"
basically - we all suffer for fear and lack of understanding.
threethirteenmusic 1 year ago 23
thats the best version of the song i've ever heard.
simmon85 2 years ago
Goose bumps!!!
enrg122 2 years ago
wow this is orgasmic. an acoustic version WOW
forsberg2gagne 2 years ago 5
Thank you
Rebelscreamer 2 years ago 2
WOW!!!!
BoatmanCalling 2 years ago 2
Hi, the interview portion isn't maybe also available?
isirgel 2 years ago 3
Boss of the bosses, ruler on those who rule!
grbosss 2 years ago 3
Bravo, Bruce.
And bravo, Elvis for this show. It is a major gift to our culture.
WileyCoyote69 2 years ago 13
Incredible as always....Really soulful...
LeprachaunXL 2 years ago 3
Really touching performance, thanks Bruce!
zeroblindterry1 2 years ago 3