Eddie Vedder and Bruce Springsteen connection explored as Pearl Jam rocker covers ‘My City of Ruins’ in solidarity after Trump comments

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder recently expressed his support for Bruce Springsteen by performing the latter’s “My City of Ruins” song at a concert in Pittsburgh. This came hours after US President Donald Trump attacked Springsteen on his Truth Social social media platform.

This is just one of the many instances that showcase the connection between Vedder and Springsteen. According to E Street Shuffle, they first became friends during the 2004 “Vote for Change” tour, a series of concerts that urged people to vote in that year’s presidential election. The duo was seen performing songs like No Surrender and Pearl Jam’s own Better Man.

Eddie Vedder has frequently looked to Springsteen for more than just collaboration. Appearing on the “Daddy Issues” podcast, Vedder remembered the time when Springsteen offered him advice that would change his career before he started playing solo shows.

"He gave this one gem of advice that just changed everything – because I was saying I was making mistakes in those first few mini-gigs. He said, ‘There’s real power when there’s just one person up there." Vedder recalled.

This conversation supposedly allowed Eddie Vedder to accept the vulnerability of standing alone onstage and perform better in his future shows.

Bruce Springsteen has also expressed his admiration for Vedder’s lyrics and highlighted the line “We’re invincible when we love” from Vedder’s solo song Invincible as particularly moving.

"Fabulous, it starts the album. Incredible album opener and has the great couplet, ‘We’re invincible when we love’. Those are the lines, as simple as that seems, that you pay money for." Springsteen told Vedder.

More about Pearl Jam’s recent performance in response to Trump's controversy involving Bruce Springsteen

Trump’s remarks followed some politically charged remarks made by Springsteen during a show in Manchester, England, where he talked about the erosion of free speech and growing social inequality in America.

"In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now." Springsteen told the Crowd.

His statement has sparked both applause and outrage on social media, with Donald Trump mocking him as “Highly Overrated” and threatening to prevent his return to the US after his European tour (Rolling Stone).

"Not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK," Trump wrote.

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Eddie Vedder, who has been active in advocating for progressive causes, responded to the situation with his music. Starting off Pearl Jam’s encore set alone onstage at PPG Paints Arena, Vedder gave a stripped-down version of Springsteen’s My City of Ruins.

Though he did not refer directly to the controversy, the crowd at the Pearl Jam concert supposedly made the connection and started chanting “Bruuuuuce!” in recognition. Since Trump's statement, Bruce Springsteen has also received support from the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), which issued a statement defending Springsteen.

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