Bruce Springsteen and the Dropkick Murphys are releasing a re-recording of the band’s song, “Rose Tattoo” on a special charity EP — “Rose Tattoo: For Boston” — benefiting the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings on iTunes May 15, the band announced.
The three song EP, including live acoustic versions of the songs “Jimmy Collins’s Wake” and “Don’t Tear Us Apart,” will be available in a $1.29 bundle.
“Our friend Bruce Springsteen joins us for a new version of ‘Rose Tattoo,’ featuring his vocals, plus two live acoustic tracks recorded at the Gibson Showroom in Las Vegas just four days after those tragic events,” the band said in a release.
Springsteen, who has worked with the Boston band previously on their album, Going Out in Style, joined the group for a re-recording of the song the minute he heard of the tragedy, relayed guitarist James Lynch in an interview with Backstreets.
“Bruce actually called us up the day of the bombing and asked what he could do to help,” Lynch said. “We didn’t have to reach out. He was there for us.”
The Dropkick Murphys are longtime fans of Springsteen. Singer Ken Casey has said in interviews that the group has covered the New Jersey rocker’s song “Badlands” in their live sets.
The band has also joined Springsteen on stage.
“As soon as we figured out what we were going to do, Bruce went into the studio, recorded his parts and nailed them right away,” he said of Springsteen.
The funds will be disbursed directly The Claddagh Fund, a nationally-recognized official 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to serve “the most vulnerable in our communities.”
“Innocent people being hurt by terrorists fits the core of that mission and we are proud to be able to help,” the band said.
Springsteen is currently overseas promoting his “Wrecking Ball” tour. He recently played the entire “Born to Run” album at a stop in Copenhagen, Denmark, and all of “Born in the USA” in Stockholm, Sweden.