nicole on vocals

From a CNN Report

Because tonight the Boss is speaking out, and he is absolutely not shy about his view on politics, the Bush administration, the war and his great new tribute album to the music of anti-war folk singer Pete Seeger.

Here`s CNN`s Soledad O`Brien for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SINGING)

SOLDEAD O`BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is it a political album? I mean, are you – is it – are you sending a political message with this album?

SPRINGSTEEN: I like that to be an organic part of what I`m doing, I think because I – I always search those – in trying to explain the world and the times to myself, I search those elements out in the music that I like, and so it wouldn`t – I mean, a Pete Seeger record without politics in it wouldn`t – wouldn`t feel right, you know?

(SINGING)

O`BRIEN: In 2004, you came out very strongly in support of John Kerry and former – with your fellow guitarist, I think. Is that your theme – to (INAUDIBLE) into the crowd.

SPRINGSTEEN: Yes.

O`BRIEN: And some people gave you a lot of flak for being a musician who took a political stand. I remember.

SPRINGSTEEN: Yes, they should let Ann Coulter do it instead.

(LAUGHTER)

O`BRIEN: You`re right. There is a whole school of thought, as you well know, that says that musicians – you see it with the Dixie Chicks, you know? That.

(CROSSTALK)

O`BRIEN: Go – go play your music and stop.

SPRINGSTEEN: If you turned it on to – present company included – the idiots rambling on on cable television.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

SPRINGSTEEN: .on any given night of the week. I`m just saying that, musicians shouldn`t speak out? You know, it`s – it`s insane. You know, it`s – it`s – it`s – it`s funny.

O`BRIEN: As a musician though, I`d be curious to know if there`s a concern that you start talking about politics – you came out at one point and said, I think in “USA Today” – first that the – you know, the country would be better off if George Bush were replaced as president.

You know, is there – is there a worry you start getting political when you could alienate your audience?

SPRINGSTEEN: Well, that – that`s – that`s called common sense.

(LAUGHTER)

SPRINGSTEEN: I don`t even see that as politics at this point.

(LAUGHTER)

SPRINGSTEEN: So, I mean, that`s – that`s, you know, if you get me started, I`ll be glad to go.

(SINGING)

SPRINGSTEEN: You don`t take a country like the United States into a major war on circumstantial evidence. You could lose your job for that. That`s my – that`s my opinion. And I have no problem voicing it.

And some people – I get – some people booed me, you know?

O`BRIEN: But it always occurs to me, as you get older as a musician, do you feel like, Listen, I`m older; I`ve been doing this awhile, I can take more risks?

SPRINGSTEEN: It`s always been a part of – of what I`ve done. I mean, I don`t – I don`t necessarily lead with it. As the night goes on, I – I occasionally have a public service announcement. But at that – but I always figure, but I`m already about two and a half hours in. By that time, I`ve earned – I`ve earned a minute or two where I can – I can either enliven you or – or bore you or make you angry.

And the audience is sort of – they respond as the will, you know? I mean – you know, it`s like – you know, my record`s busted up and sent to me sometimes.

O`BRIEN: Is it really?

SPRINGSTEEN: Oh, yes.

O`BRIEN: They mail them back to you?

SPRINGSTEEN: Yes. Yes.

(SINGING)

O`BRIEN: “We Shall Overcome” is such a beautiful song. I was listening to it at home, and it (INAUDIBLE). I was all set up for the cry and I`m going to take my chances (ph). I was like – I mean, it is a beautiful, incredibly moving – and it`s – you know, we`ve heard it a million times. A song that you just hear a million times. Why – why did that song – why did you pick that song?

SPRINGSTEEN: If you lived through the 60s, you know the importance of that song. And it`s one of those things, that that hasn`t changed in America. And to the point of where you saw the shock of the country when they saw who got left in New Orleans, you know? President Bush himself had to come out and sound like Lyndon Baines Johnson a few days later to actually address the subject of American poverty, which goes unaddressed entirely to this day, to the shame of all of us. Unaddressed, until people saw it on the news. It was the only time you`ll see those folks on the news not in handcuffs and not, you know, being exploited in some other way.

And it was – and it shocked the country to the – to the degree where he actually had to say. He didn`t end up doing anything about it, but he had to say something about it, you know? That song is at the core of that struggle. That`s – that goes on, round and round and round, still to this day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)