Bono recently ribbed Bruce Springsteen for turning down a request to license his song "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" for a Gap commercial benefiting Bono's AIDS foundation (RED).
Bono's Praise and Request
During the Tribeca Festival, where Springsteen was awarded the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award, Bono lauded Springsteen's ability to infuse pop radio with Woody Guthrie's sensibility. Bono recalled his unsuccessful endeavor to have Springsteen allow the song for a TV advertisement.
Bono, who was collaborating with Gap for a clothing line supporting his nonprofit, recounted, "I tried to get you to give… I said, ‘Bruce, this song “Girls in Their Summer Clothes,” this is like one of the great pop songs ever… Would you think about using it for a commercial, for (RED) and the Gap?’ And you said, ‘No.'”
Springsteen's Regret
Springsteen, eliciting laughter from the audience, admitted, “That was a big mistake. I should have said yes.” He described the 2008 song as one of his “personal favorites” but noted that the “audience doesn’t really care” about it.
Springsteen continued, “That was just a song that I love. Damn it, I still think back: ‘Bono asked you to put this thing on a commercial on television.’ I should have fucking done it! People would hear it like a hit, you know? So I have to apologize.”
Tribeca Festival Highlights
The event commenced with Tribeca Festival founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal introducing Bono, who offered heartfelt accolades for the “Born to Run” legend. “Bruce Springsteen is America,” the U2 frontman stated. “Bruce made poetry from the voices of the people and set that poetry to music. We honor him tonight as a musician and poet and as an activist and a patriot.”
In a brief dialogue, the pair discussed bringing resistance on tour for Springsteen’s Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour, during which he criticized President Donald Trump and performed his recent ICE protest song, “Streets of Minneapolis.”
Musical Tribute
The evening concluded with Patti Smith, backed by Tony Shanahan, performing her 1988 song “People Have the Power” in honor of Springsteen. Subsequently, Springsteen and Bono joined in, delighting the audience with their backup vocals on the chorus.
Springsteen remained on stage to deliver an acoustic rendition of the fan favorite “Land of Hope and Dreams” for an enthusiastic crowd in Lower Manhattan.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/music/news/bruce-springsteen-apologizes-to-bono-refusing-commercial-1236780748/
