Billboard.com reports: It was "Born to Run" meets "New York State of Mind" -- with a little bit of "Hail to the Chief" thrown in for good measure, as Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel joined forces in a concert to raise money for Barack Obama's presidential campaign and the Democratic Party (Oct. 16) at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.
They got a little help from India.Arie, John Legend and Springsteen's wife, Patti Scialfa, as they tore through the rock legends' long list of hits. When they launched into "Born to Run," Springsteen said, "This is for the senator."
As the show concluded, Obama made an appearance onstage. He called the event "a magical evening" and said he wouldn't ruin it with a long speech. Then he delivered a speech comparing the struggling, everyday people in Joel's and Springsteen's songs to the people he's met on the campaign trail.
He warned supporters not to get overconfident because he leads in the polls. "Don't underestimate the capacity of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Don't underestimate our ability to screw it up," Obama said. "I want everybody running scared."
Obama also offered a new explanation for his decision to seek the White House. "I was sitting offstage with (his wife) Michelle, and I ... said, 'Honey, the reason I'm running for president is I can't be Bruce Springsteen. I can't be Billy Joel,'" Obama said.
Springsteen and Joel focused more on music than politics, alternating between each other's songs and clearly having fun.
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