Springsteen apologizes to Bono for refusing GAP/RED song

Bruce Springsteen publicly apologized to Bono for refusing to let him use the song "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" in a charity advertisement, calling his past decision a "big mistake." The apology occurred on Saturday, June 13, at the Tribeca Festival in New York, where Bono presented Springsteen with the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award.

During the presentation, Bono recalled asking Springsteen years ago to license the 2007 track for a commercial partnership between the clothing brand Gap and (RED), the AIDS foundation he co-founded with Bobby Shriver. The campaign aimed to raise money to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. Springsteen, 76, responded directly from the stage. "That was a big mistake. I should have said yes," he said. He described the song as a personal favorite and expressed regret that turning down the opportunity might have prevented it from reaching a wider audience. "Damn it, I still think back... I should have fucking done it! People would hear it like a hit, you know? So I have to apologize," Springsteen stated.

The event, introduced by Tribeca Festival founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, served as a celebration of Springsteen's artistic and...