Bruce Springsteen opened up to Stephen Colbert like fans rarely see

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Bruce Springsteen is a legendary figure, and his songs are sometimes misinterpreted. He’s also never shied away from sharing his political opinions. A famous example of this happened in 1984 when President Ronald Reagan, during a campaign stop in New Jersey, completely missed the meaning behind Springsteen’s hit song, “Born in the U.S.A.”

Look, Springsteen’s always been pretty upfront about where he stands politically, but he’s really made it clear in recent years. I caught his interview with Stephen Colbert this week – it was one of the last shows Colbert was doing, and he was really open about everything. It was cool to see Springsteen just lay it all out there.

The New Jersey native explained to the audience and Stephen Colbert that he was there to support him because Colbert was the first late-night host to lose his show due to a president who couldn’t handle being joked about. He added that the owners of CBS, Larry and David Ellison, seemed to be prioritizing pleasing the president to achieve their goals, calling them shortsighted and saying they didn’t understand the value of free speech in America.

Bruce Springsteen drops poignant magic on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The music legend also performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” a song from 2026 that honors Renée Good and Alex Pretti, who died during encounters with ICE officers. He performed solo, just as he did on the original recording.

Bruce Springsteen’s performance matches the serious tone of the song, feeling restrained and well-crafted. It clearly echoes the style of his Nebraska album, while also bringing to mind the powerful protest songs of Bob Dylan from the 1960s. This is a musical direction Springsteen has been exploring since the 1980s, and he executes it well. You can hear similar elements throughout his Nebraska album.

Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show on CBS will air on Thursday, May 21st, and he’s keeping the details a secret – only he and his team know what to expect. It’s sure to be a memorable send-off, like many of his shows have been. After that, he’s planning to write the screenplay for a new Lord of the Rings movie titled Shadow of the Past.

As for Bruce Springsteen, he has several tour dates remaining in May. Those include the following:

  • 05/22 — Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
  • 05/24 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
  • 05/27 — Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
  • 05/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
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2026-05-21 15:30