41 shots
Introduction :
In June 2000, Springsteens sang for the first time the song « 41 shots » live, at Atlanta. Through this song Bruce Springsteen denounces the murder of a black American unarmed man in the Bronx, one year ago. His name was Amadou Diallo. When he was shot to death, he was 22 years old and has been working for 4 years as a seller in the 14th Street. The circumstances surrounding his death are known. On the 4th of February 1999, when he went out of his building, four police officers saw him, and concluded that he matched with a rapist profile. And when he put his hand in his pocket, they took their guns out and fired 41 shots, 19 of them hit him. The involve officers were declared innocents by the jury
Lyrics analysis
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
This chorus allows us to think that Springsteens is talking about this murder, because police officers fired 41 shots on Amadou Diallo.
41
shots, and we'll take that ride
'Cross
the bloody river to the other side
It means that he takes a ride from earth to heaven.
41
shots, cut through the night
You're
kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying
for his life
Here Amadou Diallo is on the ground, in the vestibule, wounded or already dead. The listener is praying that he will survive, and if not, that he will have a good life in heaven.
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 (it ain't no secret)
No
secret my friend
You
can get killed just for living in your American skin
This chorus means that in America, you can get killed only because you live in this country, even if you're not doing anything wrong.
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
41
shots, Lena gets her son ready for school
She
says, "On these streets, Charles
You've
got to understand the rules
If
an officer stops you, promise me you'll always be polite
And
that you'll never ever run away
Promise
Mama you'll keep your hands in sight"
In this verse, a mother explains to her child that he has to be careful with the police officers because he is black, and blacks are more likely to be suspected by the police and to be the victims of police violence than white Americans just because of the color of their “American skin”.
Is
it a gun (is it a gun), is it a knife (is it a knife)
Is
it a wallet (is it a wallet), this is your life (this is your life)
It
ain't no secret (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 your American skin
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
(41
shots)
Is
it a gun (is it a gun), is it a knife (is it a knife)
Is
it in your heart (is it in your heart), is it in your eyes (is it in
your eyes)
It
ain't no secret (it ain't no secret)
It
ain't no secret (it ain't no secret)
It
ain't no secret (it ain't no secret)
41
shots, and we'll take that ride
'Cross
this bloody river to the other side
41
shots, I got my boots caked with this mud
We're
baptized in these waters (baptized in these waters)
And
in each other's blood (and in each other's blood)
The signification of this verse is that in religious terms, blacks and whites are equal in front of god.
Is
it a gun (is it a gun), is it a knife (is it a knife)
Is
it a wallet (is it a wallet), this is your life (this is your life)
It
ain't no secret (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 (you can get killed just for living in)
41
shots (you can get killed just for living in)
41
shots (you can get killed just for living in)
41
shots (you can get killed just for living in)
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