Bruce Springsteen - American Skin (41 Shots)

Bruce Springsteen dedicated his performance of American Skin (41 Shots) to the late Trayvon Martin. Springsteen wrote American Skin about immigrant Amadou Diallo being shot at 41 times by the NYPD. 19 rounds hit Diallo. An investigation revealed later that Diallo was unarmed.

Springsteen made very clear during this Limerick, Ireland performance that he wanted justice for Trayvon Martin.

During the sign collecting Bruce had noticed another sign on the side of the stage and asked for it to be passed up to him, then displayed it for the crowd. It was “American Skin (41 Shots).” An immediate hush settled as we all recognized the significance of this request on the heels of the Travyon Martin trial verdict just days before. “We’ll send this as a letter back home for justice for Trayvon Martin,” Bruce said before launching into what was surely the emotional centerpiece of the show. The audience and the band both appeared to be choked with tears at points in the song; rarely had the lyric “You can get killed just for living in your American skin” sounded more tragic or true. As it wound to its end and Bruce stood alone at the mike staring straight ahead with as much tension and anger as I’ve ever seen him display during a song, just chanting “you can get killed just for living in…” over and over, it was a moment never to be forgotten and a beautiful tribute to a young life sadly wasted for no good reason.