Bruce Springsteen blasts border policy, performs "Ghost of Tom Joad"

From a stage on Broadway, Bruce Springsteen blasted the Trump administration’s border policy last night and played an unplanned performance of "The Ghost of Tom Joad."

Springsteen, after 146 shows sharing the same story, broke script and slammed the policy of separating children from their parents at the border, calling it “inhumane and enraging:

"...we are seeing things right now on our American borders that are so shockingly and disgracefully inhumane and un-American that it is simply enraging. And we have heard people in high position in the American government blaspheme in the name of God and country that it is a moral thing to assault the children amongst us. May God save our souls."

An Unplanned Performance

After his remarks (you can find a full transcript here), he played his song "The Ghost of Tom Joad," which tells the story of desperation for a better life and a fierce desire to protect others from harm. It contains the stanzas:

Now Tom said, "Mom, wherever there's a cop beating a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me, Mom, I'll be there

Wherever somebody's fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes, Ma, and you'll see me.

Listen to the full song below.

Springsteen has had a concert residency on Broadway since October of last year, aptly titled Springsteen on Broadway. His show was honored with a Tony Award this year for “a once-in-a-lifetime theater going experience for the Broadway stage, allowing fans an intimate look at a music idol.”