Bruce Springsteen - American Skin (41 Shots)

"You can get killed just for living in your American skin."

Album: Live in New York City
Recorded: Live in New York at Madison Square Garden
Genre: Rock
Album Release: March 27th 2001
Single Release:
Length: 7:23
Producer: Ron Aniello & Bruce Springsteen
Vocalist: Bruce Springsteen
Label: Columbia

Live in New York from 2009


Official Audio

Charts, Streams & Sales

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Credits

Bass, drums, horns, guitar [x3], organ [x2], saxophone, synthesizer 

Details

• 'American Skin (41 shots)' was made to commemorate the death of Amadou Diallo, who was shot 41 times by police after they mistook his wallet for a gun. The incident, which took place in New York city during 1999, was another in a long line of killings carried out by police against ethnic minorities. The officers involved were never convicted.
  
  In the aftermath, many musicians released work dedicated to Diallo. Most of them were black rappers already known for having an anti-government stance (see Dead Prez - Propaganda) and while their songs ruffled a few feathers they were largely preaching to the converted. Bruce Springsteen's involvement elevated the matter because his music reached millions of people. The singer had, at that point, won seven Grammy Awards and an Oscar, as well as having had several #1 albums in the US.
  
  When the then mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, learned of Springsteen's intent to play 'American Skin' in the very city where Diallo was killed he did everything in his power to stop it. He failed. Springsteen, joined by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, played the song at the sold-out Madison Square Garden every night for ten nights straight.
  
  Over the years, Springsteen would play the record after deaths such as those of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, making it a symbol of resistance against police brutality (See Sault - Wildfires).
  
  
• Springsteen counts the song as one of the best he ever made.
• Springsteen is the 27th highest selling recording artist of all-time [as of 2025].
  
  
• As of 2025, Springsteen has had 12 US #1 albums. None of his singles have reached number one.
  
  
• 'American Skin', written in reponse to the death of Amadou Diallo, features the line "you can get killed just for living in your American skin." Diallo, who was from Guinea, was not an American citizen at the time of his death, and was in the country illegally, as he falsely claimed on his asylum forms that he was from the African country Mauritania.

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