As the U.S. observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, January 15, Bruce Springsteen has posted his own tribute to the late civil-rights leader in honor of the national holiday.
The Boss has posted a video clip on his social media pages of him performing a heartfelt version of the gospel song “We Shall Overcome.” The clip apparently was filmed during his tour in support of his 2006 album We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.
The video is accompanied by a quote from Springsteen in which he pays homage to King and his legacy.
“There’s the beautiful quote by Dr. King that says the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” Springsteen said. “I’ve lived long enough to see that in action and to put some faith in it… I’ve also lived long enough to know that arc doesn’t bend on its own. It needs all of us leaning on it, nudging it in the right direction day after day.”
About “We Shall Overcome”
Springsteen first recorded “We Shall Overcome” for the 1998 Pete Seeger tribute album Where Have All Flowers Gone: Songs of Pete Seeger, and then included a version of the song on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.
Folk legend Seeger had helped popularize the tune before Joan Baez famously led a sing-along of the song at the 1963 March on Washington event in front of the Lincoln Memorial, where Dr. King also gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. King also included the phrase “We Shall Overcome” in his last sermon on Memphis, Tennessee, just a few days before his April 4, 1968 assassination in the city.
Fans React to Springsteen’s Post
Springsteen’s post inspired many fans to share comments on his Instagram page.
One fan wrote, “So beautiful. I wish you health and long life.”
Another fan reacted by posting a message that reads, “Peace on earth and in our hearts for the whole world, no matter who or what you are.”
A third wrote, “Dr King was so right in his words! This song is [a] hymn to all mankind.”
Springsteen’s 2024 Tour Plans
As previously reported, Springsteen and his E Street Band will return to the road in March after the Boss canceled a slew of 2023 shows to receive treatment for peptic ulcer disease.
The 2024 trek begins with a U.S. leg that kicks off March 19 in Phoenix, Arizona, and runs through an April 21 concert in Columbus, Ohio. The tour then will visit Europe in May, June, and July, before mounting a second U.S. leg in August and September. The Boss and company also have a series of fall tour of Canada lined up. Visit BruceSpringsteen.net to check out his full itinerary.
