Article 2017-02-02 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia

Bruce Springsteen trolls Trump all the way from Australia by covering “Don’t Hang Up”

A not so subtle jab about the President's heated phone call with the Australian Prime Minister

This morning, headlines in America and Australia are dominated by stories of President Trump’s very aggressive phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Trump reportedly hung up on Turnbull after yelling at him about a refugee transfer deal Obama struck with Australia before leaving office. It just so happens that one of Trump’s staunchest critics, Bruce Springsteen, is touring Australia at the moment, and he opened last night’s show in Melbourne by mocking the now infamous phone call.

“We stand before you embarrassed Americans tonight,” Springsteen told the crowd as he strapped on an acoustic guitar. “This is a song from 1965 by The Orlons. We’re going to use this to send a letter back home.”

He then went into a cover of “Don’t Hang Up”, a lovely little song with the ironically appropriate lyrics, “Don’t hang up/ Oh no, pretty darling, baby/ Don’t hang up/ Don’t hang up like you always do/ I know you think our love is true/ I’ll explain the facts to you/ Don’t hang up.” Interestingly enough, Kellyanne Conway had always heard that last part as, “I’ve got alternative facts for you.”

After he finished trolling Trump, Springsteen and the E Street Band continued to throw shade at the administration’s policies. “We come from a land of immigrants!” Springsteen bellowed as the band went into Wrecking Ball bonus track “American Land”. “This is an immigrant song!” Watch video of both songs (plus a few more from the early part of the set) above.

Members of the E Street band were taking their shots at Trump offstage, as well. Prior to the Melbourne show, Stevie Van Zandt tweeted out an apologetic message to the entire country of Australia for what he called a “temporary embarrassment.”

@StevieVanZandt
Australia is, was, and always will be one of the USA's best friends and closest allies. Apologies for today's temporary embarrassment.

By Ben Kaye via Consequences Of Sound.
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