As it turns out, Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 6 did encourage people to do at least one thing: download Bruce Springsteen's song "We Take Care Of Our Own," which played immediately following the president's remarks.
According to Billboard, sales for "We Take Care Of Our Own" jumped a ridiculous 409 percent during the weekend ending Sept. 9, which coincided with Obama's speech. The song was downloaded 2,000 times, a total that Billboard points out is its best since March. "We Take Care of Our Own," part of Springsteen's 2012 album Wrecking Ball, was first released as single in January of this year.
As Forbes noted upon its release, "We Take Care Of Our Own" is like Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A.": a searing critique of American policies masquerading as a fist-pumping arena anthem. During one part of the song, Springsteen sings: "I been stumbling on good hearts turned to stone / The road of good intentions has gone dry as bone."
While the Obama campaign immediately placed the song on its campaign playlist, Springsteen said he wasn't planning to officially stump for the president during the 2012 election.
“I prefer to stay on the sidelines," Springsteen, who did campaign in 2008, told ABC News in January. "I genuinely believe an artist [is] supposed to be the canary in the coal mine, and you’re better off with a certain distance from the seat of power."
Springsteen said he would have liked to see "more activism in job creation sooner than it came," but that Obama has done a good job as president thus far.
He kept GM alive, which was incredibly important to Detroit and Michigan, and he got the health care law passed, although I wish there had been a public option and didn’t leave the citizens victims of the insurance companies. He killed Osama bin Laden, which was extremely important. He brought some sanity to the top level of government.
For more on the sales bump Springsteen received after the DNC, head over to Billboard.com.
[via Billboard.com]
