In divisive times, Bruce Springsteen says he plays this one hopeful song 'every night'

For decades, Bruce Springsteen has remained one of rock music’s most outspoken figures, addressing social issues through his lyrics, interviews, and activism. In May 2021, he was even awarded the Woody Guthrie Prize, which honors artists whose work speaks for "the less fortunate." In other words, his words carry a lot of weight—so it’s no surprise that, in an era that feels politically divided at an almost unprecedented level, we might seek out his perspective on the big picture.

Jimmy Kimmel took advantage of that opportunity on Thursday during his late-night show, when he interviewed the rock legend to promote the upcoming biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere. The chat started out casual, with Springsteen joking about the film’s production and a particularly amusing attempt at karaoke. But the conversation turned more somber toward the end: "Bruce, you have spoken very beautifully, I think, about the state of this country and the world," Kimmel said. "And I was wondering, before we wrap up here, if you had anything positive to share with us, to inspire us—because not too many people do."

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Springsteen noted that, for the past 50 years, he’s considered himself a kind of "musical ambassador for America around the world." And one particular setlist staple illustrates the message he’s aiming to spread: "I have this song, 'Land of Hope and Dreams,' which is kind of a prayer to the country," he said. "We play it every night. [I’ve played it] to millions of people. I know for a fact that that's how many people around the world still see our country—not as a land of fear, not as a land of divisiveness, not of government censorship, not of hatred. And I basically believe that's an America worth fighting for."

These statements, of course, were made against a noteworthy backdrop, as Kimmel was recently embroiled in a free-speech controversy involving the FCC, President Trump, ABC, Disney, and affiliated stations. (In case you somehow missed the news: He was pulled off the air for just under a week, following a controversial monologue joke. He was then reinstated—including, eventually, by the local station owners that previously preempted his show.)

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Springsteen has long voiced his disapproval of the Trump administration, often criticizing the president on stage. In May, during a concert in Manchester, England that opened his fittingly titled "Land of Hope and Dreams" tour, he delivered an admittedly "heavy" monologue: “In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years," he argued, "is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous Administration.”

But just like on Kimmel, he also tried to offer words of unifying comfort. "The America l’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real and, regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people," he said, introducing his song "My City of Ruins." "So we’ll survive this moment. Now I have hope because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, 'In this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like, but there’s enough.' Let’s pray."

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