Bruce Springsteen Tells Fans To Support Al Franken

Boston Herald.com ^ | September 11, 2003 | Matt Drudge

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Talk about a home run.

Last night, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off a historic two-night stand at Fenway Park and Red Sox nation gave as good as they got during an ecstatic three-hour performance that found the Boss sprinting around like a wild man and pulling out some terrific setlist surprises just for Boston.

The fact that we trounced the Yankees earlier in the day only helped to heighten the jubilant mood.

After a raucous sing-along of ``Take Me Out to the Ballgame'' with Springsteen conducting, the local love began with the next number as the band lit into Barry and the Remains' '60s garage rock gem ``Diddy Wah Diddy'' with giddy energy.

The familiar willowy synth line of ``The Rising'' followed and the night's community mood was cemented in the first of many shouted choruses.

Springsteen continues to feature tunes from ``The Rising'' but many of them have transformed from their elegiac roots into more optimistic paeans to hope, including the buoyant ``Lonesome Day'' and the gentle ``Empty Sky.'' (No doubt Springsteen and the fans were wishing for an empty sky during this quiet song as two news helicopters hovered overhead like buzzing mosquitoes.)

Crowd-pleasing uptempo rockers came in the form of ``The Ties That Bind,'' a fun romp through ``Out in the Street,'' ``Badlands'' and ``No Surrender.''

Surprises included a forceful ``Because the Night'' and a chugging ``Be True.''

The New Jersey bard performed a rock and roll exorcism during the raucous ``Mary's Place,'' playfully teasing the audience about our pinstriped nemesis to the south and introducing the band with a zany litany that included calling them Viagra-taking sexifiers!

The night's loveliest quiet musical moment came in the lilt and sway of the Tex-Mex overtones of ``Across The Border,'' featuring a slow and wistful accordion solo that sounded like the perfect accompaniment to a dusty afternoon siesta.

He prefaced ``Born in the U.S.A.'' with a public service announcement about holding our political leaders accountable and closed by plugging Al Franken's new book.

Deadline obligations meant this reviewer missed the last of the encores but a source inside said they included a joyous ``Rosalita,'' ``Dancing in the Dark,'' featuring a mysterious guitarist who may have been Springsteen manager and former Bostonian Jon Landau, and a roof-raising ``Dirty Water'' with an assist from Peter Wolf.

Springsteen thanked the city and the neighborhood, to whom he had the crowd give a shout out for the privilege of playing at the grand old ballpark. But it was undoubtedly the fans inside Fenway Park who felt like the privilege was all theirs.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I pitched my Springsteen albums years ago ever since he decided to join Sarandon, et al and become an activist.

[sauropod]

I didn't know he was one of those!

My gf pitched her Bonnie Raitt album for the same reason.

Al Franken is a buck-toothed Moron

[July 4th]

Bruce, you moron. Just make music.

[meg70]

[Lunatic Fringe]

Breaking News? Really?

[Psalm 73]

Al Franken has the IQ of a rutabega, and so does anyone who buys into that vile bile of his......

[niteowl77]

Meet the new boss-
Same as the old boss...

[At _War_With_Liberals]

'Born in the USA' was a sellout piece of garbage. Everything since is even worse.

[djf]

One of these days, Franken will get so excited, his hair will spontaneously combust and his eyes will pop out.

I never listen to someone debate if I think they're peeing theirself.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Breaking News? Really?

There are those FReepers who evidently lead such a limited existence that they feel it necessary to patrol the various groups looking for mistakes or supposed errors in judgement. You remind me of shopping mall security guards. How about changing your on-screen name to Barney Fife?

[SerpentDove]

>>Bruce, you moron. Just make music.<<

For once.

[Lil'freeper]

Bruce who?

[Numbers Guy]

'Born in the USA' was a sellout piece of garbage. Everything since is even worse.

Actual (okay, fake) Springsteen on-stage dialogue: "You know how it is, man, when you get a bit older. You and your old man, you know, it just isn't working out. And you're grown up and you feel like you just don't understand your father anymore. You know how that is? Here's a song about a car."

[Lunatic Fringe]

There are those FReepers who evidently lead such a limited existence that they feel it necessary to patrol the various groups looking for mistakes or supposed errors in judgement. You remind me of shopping mall security guards. How about changing your on-screen name to Barney Fife?

How about trying to make this forum better by correctly posting news where it should be posted?

[rllngrk33]

In the 70's I listened to a radio interview with Springsteen. He came across as a moron who couldn't put two intelligent sentences together to save his life.

Without Clarence Clemmons playing the sax, his music would just be mediocre.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Actual (okay, fake) Springsteen on-stage dialogue: "You know how it is, man, when you get a bit older. You and your old man, you know, it just isn't working out. And you're grown up and you feel like you just don't understand your father anymore. You know how that is? Here's a song about a car."

LOL! Did you write this? Very funny!

[dennisw]

Springstein did a great version of "Trapped" by Jimmy Cliff. "Glory Days" is also good, other than that he sucks. Also "Born in the USA" is great if you don't take a good look at the lyrics.

[Afronaut]

tHAT iNCLUDES aRNOLD AND dENNIS mILLER RIGHT?

[RightOnline]

I've been a rock 'n' roll fan........as well as a rock guitarist........for decades. I never "got" Springsteen. The guy just does nothing for me whatsoever. I find his music pedestrian, cliche', and...................well, boring.

[WestPacSailor]

Al Franken has the IQ of a rutabega,

I'll be contacting my attorney today to file a defamation of character lawsuit on behalf of all rutabagas. We will NOT stand by and be insulted like this!

RUTABAGAS OF THE WORLD UNITE!