In 1994, Bruce Springsteen wrote “Streets of Philadelphia” for Philadelphia, one of the first films to focus on the HIV/AIDS crisis. Now he’s repurposing the track’s title to address a new horror. Springsteen released “Streets of Minneapolis” just days after ICE agents fatally shot Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti. “I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” Springsteen wrote on Bluesky. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free.”
The song is a direct response to the protests and killings of Pretti and Good, a mother of three, in Minneapolis. “King Trump’s private army from the DHS / Guns belted to their coats / Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law / Or so their story goes,” Springsteen sings on the track. He directly name-checks the victims, saying, “And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” and adds, “We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis.” Springsteen even calls out White House officials by name, singing, “Their claim was self-defense, sir / Just don’t believe your eyes / It’s our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies,” referring to Someland security adviser Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
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Springsteen has a long history of responding to American tragedies through song. He wrote his 2002 album, The Rising, about 9/11 and in May 2025 released a full EP of anti-Trump protest songs, titled Land of Hope and Dreams. On January 18, Springsteen dedicated a performance of “The Promised Land” to Good and decried ICE’s “Gestapo tactics.” That’s why he’s the Boss.
