10 Awesome Bruce Springsteen Stories That Prove He's The Boss

6. Playing 41 Shots In New York City (Despite Police Protest)

The shooting of 22-year-old Amadou Diallo by plain-clothes New York City Police Officers caused widespread outrage in February 1999. Among those who were effected by the story was Bruce Springsteen, who penned the song American Skin (41 Shots) (a reference to the total amount of shots fired at Amadou).

Springsteen took the song on the road for the E Street Band Reunion Tour in 1999. American Skin was a hit in Atlanta, where it was met with rapturous applause by the audience. But not everyone was happy with the content of the song. New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir and Patrick J. Lynch (the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association) urged New York police officers to boycott Springsteen shows. New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani even got in on the act, condemning the song and Springsteen himself.

Fans speculated about whether or not Springsteen would play the song during the E Street Band's sold out ten-date run at Madison Square Garden. Springsteen did play American Skin the first night at the Garden. The crowd were initially but began to applaud and shout cries of 'Bruuuuuuce'. It was an example of Bruce not buckling to political pressure and doing what he thought was right.

After the show, Bruce met Amadou Diallo's parents, who praised the singer and thanked him for writing the song.