Bruce Springsteen released a freshly written song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” on Wednesday, in response to what he called “the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” which he dedicated to the city, “our immigrant neighbors” and in honor of the residents slain by ICE agents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
In a statement, Springsteen said: “I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free, Bruce Springsteen.”
The partly acoustic song erupts into a full-band arrangement and includes sing-along moments — or, in a chant-along moment, “ICE out of Minneapolis.”
The lyrics describe how “a city aflame fought fire and ice ‘neath an occupier’s boots,” which Springsteen goes on to describe as “King Trump’s private army from the DHS.”
The tribute to fallen citizens comes when Springsteen sings, “There were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood / And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
The song concludes, “Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of ’26 / We’ll take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst / We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis.”
The title of the song echoes Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia,” his song about the AIDS crisis that served as a title song for the film “Philadelphia.”
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The full “Streets Of Minneapolis” lyrics:
Through the winter’s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight
In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
From Variety US