Bravo, Bruce! And BTW, folks, you can buy our charity tee in seven different sizes, but... NO KINGS!

October 23, 2025

Last Saturday night, after becoming the initial recipient of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' Legacy Award, presented to him by Martin Scorsese for being "an artist whose body of work has inspired generations of storytellers and deeply influenced our culture," Bruce Springsteen performed solo-acoustic versions of three of his songs: "Streets of Philadelphia," "Atlantic City," and "Land of Hope and Dreams." As of yesterday, pro-shot videos of all three performances have now been released on Springsteen's official YouTube channel, as well. (Each of those videos is also embedded below for your easy access.)

And just before he performed the final song of his beautiful solo-acoustic mini-set, Springsteen said the following: “Of course, as we all know, outside of this lovely world of dreams and entertainment we’re all so fortunate to work in and to be a part of, all hell is breakin’ loose in our beloved United States... For 250 years, around the world, despite our many faults, the United States has stood as the beacon of liberty, democracy, hope, and freedom. Now, I’ve spent fifty years traveling as kind of a musical ambassador for America, and I have witnessed the love and admiration that folks around the world have had for the America of our highest ideals. And despite how terribly damaged America has been recently, that country and those ideals remain worth fighting for. So this is a small prayer for all those folks out in the streets today, and for our country... No kings. This is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.’ ” After singing the song, Springsteen added, "May freedom ring."

Bravo, Bruce, for continuing to be a storyteller who also is a truth-teller. And by the way, folks, our exclusive charity-fundraiser "Spirit of '76" t-shirt, with great artwork by Frank Caruso and 100% of all sales-profits going to one of Bruce's longtime favorite charities, The Kristen Ann Carr Fund, also features some similarly-themed Springsteen words, quoted from earlier this year: "Tonight we ask all who believe in democracy ...to rise with us, raise your voices ...and let freedom ring!" We continue taking pre-orders now, in order to ensure on-time delivery for holiday gift-giving, so if you haven't pre-ordered yours yet, click here to do so NOW! Among the shirt's numerous other attributes, you certainly couldn't find more appropriate attire for the many more "No Kings" events that, unfortunately, are likely to lie ahead for us in the not-too-distant future.

----------

Okay, sing it... and say it... again, please, Bruce. No kings...

(from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' Fifth Annual Gala - October 18, 2025:)