Pitchfork

Photo by Minh Tran

The NFL announced last night that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will distract television viewers waiting for the next commercial break during the Super Bowl XLIII Halftime Show, taking place February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Via The New York Times)

You know what would be funny? If Springsteen plays "Born in the U.S.A." and there's all kinds of confetti and fireworks and cheerleaders and stuff, and everybody's all "Woo! Go America! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! Woo! Best country ever!" You know that song is actually all about how much America sucks, right? Yay, irony!

Actually, here's my dream Springsteen Super Bowl setlist:

"Born in the U.S.A." (about the crushed dreams of Vietnam veterans)
"American Skin (41 Shots)" (about the crushed dreams of Amadou Diallo, who was shot 41 times by New York City police officers in 1999)
"The River" (about the crushed dreams of a teenager who gets his girlfriend pregnant)
"Sinaloa Cowboys" (about the crushed dreams of illegal immigrants-turned-meth dealers)
"Reno" (about the crushed dreams of a guy who does a hooker up the ass)
"Reason to Believe" (about the crushed dreams of everybody)
"Dream Baby Dream" (Suicide cover)