[Newspoetry] American Skin

[Mike Lehman]

              American Skin
              Bruce Springsteen
               
              Controversy erupted this week over a new Bruce Springsteen
song about the 1999 police
              killing in New York of Amadou Diallo, a black West African
immigrant. Four New York City
              officers, who were cleared of murder charges at trial,
shot the unarmed Diallo 41 times
              believing they saw him reach for a weapon. The elegy, not
recorded yet, was performed for
              the first time in Atlanta, June 4. New York police
organizations called for a boycott of the
              rocker's 10-night Madison Square Garden stand. Springsteen
issued no comment, except
              to perform the song at his New York opening, Monday. These
are the lyrics: 

              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots and we'll take that ride
              Across this bloody river to the other side
              41 shots they cut through the night
              You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
              Praying for his life
              Is it a gun?
              Is it a knife?
              Is it a wallet?
              This is your life
              It ain't no secret
              It ain't no secret
              No secret my friend
              You can get killed just for living in your American skin
              41 shots 
              41 shots
              41 shots 
              41 shots
              Laina gets her son ready for school
              She says now on these streets Charles
              You got to understand the rules
              Promise me if an officer stops you that you'll always 
              be polite
              Never ever run away,
              Promise me you'll keep your hands in sight
              Is it a gun?
              Is it a knife?
              Is it a wallet?
              This is your life
              It ain't no secret
              It ain't no secret
              No secret my friend
              You can get killed just for living in your American skin
              41 shots 
              41 shots
              41 shots 
              41 shots
              Is it a gun?
              Is it a knife?
              Is it in your heart?
              Is it in your eyes?
              It ain't no secret
              It ain't no secret
              41 shots and we'll take that ride
              Across this bloody river to the other side
              41 shots I got my boots caked with this mud
              We're baptized in these waters and in each other's blood
              Is it a gun?
              Is it a knife?
              Is it a wallet?
              This is your life
              It ain't no secret
              It ain't no secret
              It ain't no secret
              No secret my friend
              You can get killed just for living in 
              You can get killed just for living in 
              You can get killed just for living in your American skin
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots
              41 shots

                                  ©Copyright Bruce Springsteen 2000 

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