Critic’s Notebook: Bruce Springsteen sings “Land of Hope and Dreams” to open the inaugural special.

When President Barack Obama gave his farewell address to the nation on January 10, 2017, he walked off the stage for a recording of Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams,” hugging his family as Mr. Springsteen sang. to offer unwavering support to her broken friends and the power to travel together towards a common future.

So it was a warm and learned closing moment of the circle that Mr. Springsteen himself performed “Land of Hope and Dreams” to open the special Wednesday night “Celebrating America” in prime time, which marked the inauguration. from President Biden. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Springsteen stood alone, clad in a pea coat and navy blue jeans, and holding a very old guitar.

Its vocals were gritty and a bit strained, reflecting the song’s determined optimism in the face of challenges. “Leave your sorrows behind / May this be the last,” he purred. “Tomorrow there will be sun / And all this past darkness.

The next performer – Jon Bon Jovi, another son of New Jersey – also marked the arrival of the light, with a cover of “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. But against the backdrop of the pandemic and the recent political turmoil that has ravaged the country, his joyous glee has felt fragile and reckless, especially after Mr Springsteen acknowledged that the cold season had just ended.