Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen

From the 2004 film NATIONAL ANTHEM: Inside the Vote for Change Concert Tour. Filmed by DA Pennebaker.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0818687/
phfilms.com/

[@Fatherjohn76]

Two of my favourite American musicians. This clip made me happy

[@teresabeatriz1]

2:25 Michel is very happy :) Beautiful, tahnks!

[@CPSJSMSUUMUGA]

This is so very, very, very cool. I saw two of the six or seven concerts, and they were among the greatest of the well over a hundred Big Time rock shows I've experienced. The second was in Orlando on October 8, 2004. Traci Chapman opened, followed by REM who was joined by Bruce for their last couple of songs. Then Bruce played a 12-string solo version of the National Anthem, followed by the entire E Street Band playing some hard rock. Born in the USA, No Surrender. Prove it All Night - hard rock, hard rock, hard rock. Then John Fogarty, backed by Bruce and the band, played Centerfield, Bad Moon Rising, and IMO, the greatest anti-war rock song ever written, Fortune Son. What's not shown was how they presented the order the bands would play. Of course the less famous or "smaller" individuals or bands go first, building to the headliner. The tickets said the show would start at 7:30, but that usually means 8:15. However this show lasted over four hours; thus at 7:30 sharp Michael Stipe and Bruce appeared on the stage, catching probably half the audience by surprise. In 2004 REM was one of the biggest bands in the world. They announced that they had flipped a coin and Bruce would follow Traci Chapman and REM. This appeared to be to be announced tongue-in-cheek. Bruce Springsteen had been a legend for 30 years. There was zero doubt who the "star" was. This video hints at his status, and at the respect other world-class musicians have for him. Bruce was in his first band at 16, in 1965. His first two albums came out in 1973. His third, "Born to Run," was released in August, 1975. Born to Run landed him on the cover of Time and Newsweek magazines the same week in October, 1975. "Born in the USA" (1984) sold over 30 million copies. His peers would be the Rolling Stones and probably Paul McCartney. Bob Dylan might be viewed as Bruce's songwriting equal, but I don't know if there is any individual or band that is a better performer. IMHO, of course.

[@humboldtus]

Two of the five (I can't just pick four) on my Mount Rushmore of 80s rock musicians (the other three are Bono, Sting and Prince).

[@MrSimone120]

two great singers!!!

[@peternolan4855]

It’s always wonderful to see artists celebrating their

[@Slugline]

This video makes me really happy.

[@Mr.dinoShorts]

Wonderful!!! Thankyou for posting!!!!

[@DavidRobertBridgeMusic]

I really, really, really, really, really wanna hear a REM cover of Born To Run now!

[@JStarStar00]

There are bootlegs of them doing versions at early gigs, they're not real good, just screwing around. In the mid-80s, Bruce was considered very uncool by much of the college-rock scene that spawned R.E.M.

[@MysticTrickk]

Ah, Michael's smiling so cute :)

[@zander3738]

Somebody else's= sting?

[@alejandrofigueroa6441]

Al parecer no hay buena onda con Sting.

[@deborahchasteen3206]

IRS record label mates back in the day: they opened for the Police on a huge US tour...

[@jonathanlee8930]

#20 on this R.E.M. rarities jukebox is a cover they did of "Born To Run" on the Pageantry tour back in '86. onlineathens.com/rem-hall/jukebox.shtml

[@AndrewDunnesq]

One of the secrets of REM's synergy was that Michael is terrible guitar player and Peter is not really good singer so they complement each other perfectly