The Power of Prayer

2020 Bruce Springsteen song

"The Power of Prayer"
Promotional single by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
from the album Letter to You
Language	English
Released	October 23, 2020 (album) November 23, 2020 (music video)
Studio	Thrill Hill Recording, Colts Neck, New Jersey, United States
Genre	Rock^[1]
Length	3:36
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Bruce Springsteen
Producer(s)	Ron Aniello Bruce Springsteen

"The Power of Prayer" is a 2020 song by Bruce Springsteen from his album Letter to You. It was only released as a radio single, and a promotional video was released on November 23, a month after the release of the album.^[2]

Song facts and release

The song has a spiritual language. Springsteen was born in a Roman Catholic household, and that turned him off religion, but he didn't lose his faith.^[3] The video features archival footage from his youth and clips of Springsteen and the E Street Band working on the song in the studio. The message of the video is about old friends he’s lost and the optimism of that era, reflected in the footage of Jersey Shore in the summertime during Springsteen’s youth.^[2] The song gained radio airplay since December 4 in Italy,^[4] where it hit #1; besides radio airplay, "The Power of Prayer" reached high positions on streaming platforms: iTunes (#7) and Apple Music (#5), respectively in the United Kingdom and Norway.^[5] Surprisingly^{[according to whom?]}, it did not chart in the United States.^[6]

Reception

NJ.com criticized the song, describing it as too similar to the precedent song on the album, "Last Man Standing".^[7] Ultimate Classic Rock described the song negatively (as a forgettable song that could be a leftover from any Springsteen album from the past 15 years) as well.^[8] Rolling Stone's review was better, describing the song as a "lilting, gentle rocker, where he praises Ben E. King and the Drifters' "This Magic Moment" as an answered prayer and exclaims I’m reachin’ for heaven, we’ll make it there to his lover".^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Grow, Kory (October 15, 2020). "Bruce Springsteen Confronts His Ghosts on the Rousing 'Letter to You'". Rolling Stone.
^ ^a ^b "Bruce Springsteen Unearths Vintage Footage in 'The Power of Prayer' Video". Spin. November 23, 2020.
^ "The Power Of Prayer by Bruce Springsteen - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com.
^ ""The Power Of Prayer", il nuovo singolo di BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN". December 1, 2020.
^ "The Power Of Prayer". www.top-charts.com.
^ "The Power Of Prayer by Bruce Springsteen from USA". Popnable.com.
^ NJ.com, Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for (October 23, 2020). "All 12 of Springsteen's new 'Letter to You' tracks, ranked best to worst". nj.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "Bruce Springsteen, 'Letter to You': Album Review". Ultimate Classic Rock. 15 October 2020.

Bruce Springsteen songs

1970s

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.	"Blinded by the Light" "Growin' Up" "Mary Queen of Arkansas" "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" "Lost in the Flood" "The Angel" "For You" "Spirit in the Night" "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City"
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle	"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" "Incident on 57th Street" "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"
Born to Run	"Thunder Road" "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" "Night" "Backstreets" "Born to Run" "She's the One" "Meeting Across the River" "Jungleland"
Darkness on the Edge of Town	"Badlands" "Adam Raised a Cain" "Racing in the Street" "The Promised Land" "Prove It All Night" "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

1980s

The River	"The Ties That Bind" "Sherry Darling" "Independence Day" "Hungry Heart" "Out in the Street" "The River" "Point Blank" "Cadillac Ranch" "Fade Away" "Stolen Car" "Ramrod" "Wreck on the Highway"
Nebraska	"Nebraska" "Atlantic City" "Johnny 99" "Highway Patrolman" "Open All Night"
Born in the U.S.A.	"Born in the U.S.A." "Cover Me" "Darlington County" "Working on the Highway" "Downbound Train" "I'm on Fire" "No Surrender" "Bobby Jean" "I'm Goin' Down" "Glory Days" "Dancing in the Dark" "My Hometown"
Tunnel of Love	"Tougher Than the Rest" "Spare Parts" "Tunnel of Love" "Brilliant Disguise" "One Step Up"

1990s

Human Touch	"Human Touch " "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" "Pony Boy"
Lucky Town	"Better Days" "If I Should Fall Behind"
The Ghost of Tom Joad	"The Ghost of Tom Joad" "Youngstown" "The New Timer"

2000s

The Rising	"Lonesome Day" "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" "The Rising" "My City of Ruins"
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions	"Old Dan Tucker" "Jesse James" "Mrs. McGrath" "O Mary Don't You Weep" "John Henry" "Erie Canal" "Jacob's Ladder" "Eyes on the Prize" "Shenandoah" "Pay Me My Money Down" "We Shall Overcome" "Froggie Went A-Courtin'" "Buffalo Gals" "How Can I Keep from Singing?" "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?"
Magic	"Radio Nowhere" "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" "Long Walk Home"
Working on a Dream	"Outlaw Pete" "My Lucky Day" "Working on a Dream" "The Wrestler"

2010s

Wrecking Ball	"We Take Care of Our Own" "Shackled and Drawn" "Death to My Hometown" "Wrecking Ball" "Rocky Ground" "Land of Hope and Dreams"
High Hopes	"High Hopes" "American Skin (41 Shots)" "Just Like Fire Would" "Hunter of Invisible Game" "Dream Baby Dream"
Western Stars	"Tucson Train" "Western Stars" "There Goes My Miracle" "Hello Sunshine"

2020s

Letter to You	"Letter to You" "The Power of Prayer" "Ghosts" "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Only the Strong Survive	"Only the Strong Survive" "Nightshift" "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" "Turn Back the Hands of Time" "When She Was My Girl" "Hey, Western Union Man" "I Wish It Would Rain" "Don't Play That Song" "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" "7 Rooms of Gloom" "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" "Someday We'll Be Together"