| "Born in the U.S.A." | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byBruce Springsteen | ||||
| from the albumBorn in the U.S.A. | ||||
| B-side | "Shut Out the Light" | |||
| Released | October 1984 | |||
| Recorded | April 1982 | |||
| Studio | Power Station, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:38 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Producers |
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| Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio sample | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Born in the U.S.A." onYouTube | ||||
"Born in the U.S.A." is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriterBruce Springsteen and released in 1984 on thealbum of the same name as its opening track. One of Springsteen's best-known songs, it was ranked 275th onRolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and in 2001, theRIAA'sSongs of the Century placed the song 59th (out of 365). The song's "anthemic chorus contrasted with the verses' desperate narrative"[4] portrays a disillusionedVietnam veteran's alienation after the war.
This song was written in 1981 as the title song for a film thatPaul Schrader was contemplating making and in which Springsteen was considering starring (Light of Day starringMichael J. Fox).[5] Springsteen thanks Schrader in the liner notes of the albumBorn in the U.S.A.[6]
Casual home demos were made later that year, following the completion ofThe River Tour. A more formal solo acoustic guitar demo was made on January 3, 1982, at Springsteen's home inColts Neck, New Jersey during the long session that constituted most of theNebraska album released later that year. Acoustic versions of several other songs that eventually appeared on theBorn in the U.S.A. album were also on this demo, including "Child Bride" (an early version of "Working on the Highway") and "Downbound Train". However, Springsteen's manager/producerJon Landau and others felt that the song did not have the right melody or music to match the lyrics, and also did not fit in well with the rest of the nascentNebraska material. As a result, the song was shelved, although the recording later surfaced in the late 1990s on theTracks and18 Tracksouttake collections.
FullE Street Band versions were recorded during theElectric Nebraska sessions, with theBorn in the U.S.A. album take 4 completed on April 27, 1982, atPower Station studios.[7][8] Much of the arrangement was made up on the spot, includingRoy Bittan's opening synthesizer riff and what producer Chuck Plotkin nicknamedMax Weinberg's "exploding drums".[9] The famoussnare drum sound on this record, notable for itsgated reverb, was obtained by engineer Toby Scott running the top snare microphone through a broken reverb plate with a fixed four-second decay and into a Kepexnoise gate.[9] This is the version that appeared on theBorn in the U.S.A. album, a full two years later. The studio recording also originally ended with a lengthy jam session, which was later edited for the song's commercial release.
"Born in the U.S.A." has been widely misunderstood.[10][11][12] It has been treated as a flag-wavingpaean to America byright-wing politicians likeRonald Reagan andPat Buchanan, reacting to the patriotic tone of the song's chorus, without seeming to acknowledge the bitter critique of American policy and society present in the lyrics.[12][10] The song presents a disillusionedVietnam veteran as a tragic figure alienated upon his return from the war.
Historians Jefferson Cowie and Lauren Boehm, writing inAmerican Quarterly journal, identified three main themes. First, the emotional structure of the song with tension between a repetitive chorus ofjingoism and narrative verses of resentful disillusionment. Second, theVietnam War as symbols, "to the social and economic siege of Americanblue-collar communities." Third, "economic devastation, which uproots the material basis of working-class identity only to replant it in the acidic soil ofnationalism." The article quotes Springsteen saying that the working-class man was facing,
"a spiritual crisis, in which [he] is left lost. It's like he has nothing left to tie him into society anymore. He's isolated from the government. Isolated from his job. Isolated from his family ... to the point where nothing makes sense."[4]
In late August 1984, theBorn in the U.S.A. album was selling very well, its songs were frequently aired on radio stations, and the associated tour was drawing considerable press. Springsteen shows at theCapital Centre outside of Washington, D.C. thus attracted even more media attention, in particular fromCBS Evening News correspondentBernard Goldberg, who saw Springsteen as a modern-dayHoratio Alger story.Conservative columnistGeorge Will, after attending a show, published a piece on September 13, 1984, titled "A Yankee Doodle Springsteen", in which he praised Springsteen as an exemplar of classic American values.[13] He wrote: "I have not got a clue about Springsteen's politics, if any, but flags get waved at his concerts while he sings songs about hard times. He is no whiner, and the recitation of closed factories and other problems always seems punctuated by a grand, cheerful affirmation: 'Born in the U.S.A.!'"[14] The1984 presidential campaign was in full stride at the time, and Will had connections to PresidentRonald Reagan's re-election organization. Will thought that Springsteen might endorse Reagan (not knowing that Springsteen did not support him), and got the notion pushed up to high-level Reagan advisorMichael Deaver. His staffers made inquiries to Springsteen's management, which were politely rebuffed.
Nevertheless, at a campaign stop inHammonton, New Jersey, on September 19, 1984, Reagan added the following to his speech:
America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about.[15]
The press immediately expressed skepticism that Reagan knew anything about Springsteen, and asked what his favorite Springsteen song was; "Born to Run" was the response from staffers.Johnny Carson then joked onThe Tonight Show, "If you believe that, I've got a couple of tickets to theMondale–Ferraroinaugural ball I'd like to sell you."[16]
During a September 21 concert inPittsburgh, Springsteen responded negatively by introducing his song "Johnny 99", a song about an unemployed auto worker who turns to murder, "The President was mentioning my name the other day, and I kinda got to wondering what his favorite album musta been. I don't think it was theNebraska album. I don't think he's been listening to this one."[17]
A few days after that, presidential challengerWalter Mondale said, "Bruce Springsteen may have been born to run but he wasn't born yesterday", and then claimed to have been endorsed by Springsteen.[18] Springsteen manager Jon Landau denied any such endorsement, and the Mondale campaign issued a correction.
In 2000,Reason editor and libertarian journalistBrian Doherty, noting that political song lyrics are often either misunderstood or not understood at all by fans, wrote, "But who's to say Reagan wasn't right to insist the song was an upper? When I hear those notes and that drumbeat, and the Boss' best arena-stentorian, shout-groan vocals come over the speakers, I feel like I'm hearing the national anthem."[19]
"Born in the U.S.A." was heard at rallies for presidentDonald Trump and outside the hospital where he was being treated forCOVID-19 in October 2020. On this topic, Josh Terry ofVice wrote: "That 'Born in the U.S.A.' has been used for decades in political rallies for right-wing causes for four decades is confusing. Springsteen himself has gone on record calling Trump 'a flagrant, toxic narcissist,' a 'moron,' and a 'threat to our democracy.' But more than the Boss' own views, the song is the furthest thing from a nationalist anthem."[20]
"Born in the U.S.A." peaked at No. 9 on theBillboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on theCashbox Top 100 in January 1985. It was the third of arecord-tying seven Top 10 hit singles to be released from theBorn in the U.S.A. album. In addition it made the top 10 of Billboard'sRock Tracks chart, indicating solid play onalbum-oriented rock stations. The physical single was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 23, 1999,[21] and additionally it has sold over a million digital copies in the U.S. by July 2016 after becoming available for downloads.[22] The song became a hit in the UK in 1985, when it was released as adouble A-side single withI'm On Fire, reaching No. 5 on theUK Singles Chart.
Beyond the 1984 presidential campaign, "Born in the U.S.A." was widely misinterpreted as purelynationalistic by those who heard the anthemic chorus but not the bitter verses.[11] For example,Cash Box called it a "straight-ahead anthem that celebrates America’s traditional values and the common man."[23]
The music video for "Born in the U.S.A." was directed by noted filmmakerJohn Sayles. It consisted of video concert footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band performing the song, synchronized with audio from the studio recording. This footage was intermixed with compelling mid-1980s scenes ofworking-class America, emphasizing images that had some connection with the song, including Vietnam veterans,Amerasian children, assembly lines, oil refineries, cemeteries, and the like, finishing with a recreation of the album's cover, with Springsteen posing in front of an American flag.[24]
On Springsteen's 1984–1985Born in the U.S.A. Tour, "Born in the U.S.A." almost always opened the concerts. One such version is included on theLive/1975–85 album.
On the 1988Tunnel of Love Express Tour, "Born in the U.S.A." generally closed the first set, and on the 1992–1993"Other Band" Tour, it appeared frequently at the end of the second set. These were both full-band versions, although the latter stressed guitar parts more than the familiar synthesizer line.
Beginning with the 1995–1997 solo acousticGhost of Tom Joad Tour and associated promotional media appearances, Springsteen radically recast "Born in the U.S.A." once again, playing an acoustic guitar version that was unlike both the originalNebraska and full-band performances. This was a stinging, snarling rendition that only included the title phrase twice. This was both in connection with the Tom Joad Tour's wan mood as well as Springsteen's attempt to make clear the song's original and only purpose; in his introduction to the song, he said he still wasn't convinced the song had been misinterpreted, but now as the songwriter he was "going to get the last say." Fan reaction was divided, with some greatly liking the new arrangement and others thinking the song's musical ironies had been lost.
During the 1999–2000Reunion Tour, "Born in the U.S.A." was played relatively frequently, but only in the solo acoustic version, now on12-string slide guitar. Such a performance is included on the DVD and CDLive in New York City. Not until 2002'sthe Rising Tour and 2004's politicalVote for Change tour did the full-band "Born in the U.S.A." make a regular comeback; the song is featured on theLive in Barcelona DVD, in which the full-band version is heard.
Towards the end of Springsteen's soloDevils & Dust Tour in 2005, another version of "Born in the U.S.A." was unveiled, with Springsteen performing it using an amplified "stomping board" and an ultra-distorting vocal "bullet microphone", two devices designed to render any song utterly incomprehensible to all but the sharpest of ears. This slot was normally reserved for the dourest ofNebraska material, and "Born in the U.S.A."'s appearance in it solidified the impression that its origins in those sessions had not been an accident after all.
During theMagic andWorking on a Dream tours, the song was played only 15 times, even though other songs from the album, such as "Dancing in the Dark", "Bobby Jean", and "Glory Days" continued to be regulars. It was used as an opener on the radio broadcast July 4, 2008, show in Gothenburg, Sweden.[25]
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon, and the album's liner notes:[26][6]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[53] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[54] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[55] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[56] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP)[57] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[58] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[59] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[21] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
The song has appeared on recordings ranging from instrumentalbluegrass collections tochildren's music albums (sung by groups of children). Even theLondon Symphony Orchestra has performed their take on the song.[60]
In 1985,Patti LaBelle covered the song on her live album.Jazz-funk bassistStanley Clarke recorded the song for his 1985 release,Find Out!. TheAllmusic describes this version as "a black man's parody of white arena rock, with Springsteen's bitter lyric ground out rap-style by Clarke."[61]Eric Rigler has recorded an instrumentalbagpipe version of the song that has appeared on various Springsteen tribute albums since 2001.[62] Swedish-Argentinian singer-songwriterJosé González performed a solo acoustic version for a time, choosing not to sing the song's title refrain. Singer-songwriterRichard Shindell covered the song in concerts, performing solo and playingbouzouki. Shindell recorded the song for his albumSouth of Delia.This Morning presenterMatt Johnson performed the song as Bruce Springsteen on week 6 of the ITV show'Your Face Sounds Familiar'. At the 2013MusiCares Person of the Year ceremony, the song was covered byNeil Young & Crazy Horse with the help of Nils Lofgren; this is ironic for two reasons: one, Neil Young was born in Canada and Lofgren was a member of both Crazy Horse and the E Street Band.
There are a number of "Born in the U.S.A."parodies. For example,Cheech and Chong's 1985 comic-political "Born in East L.A." andMad featured a parody written byFrank Jacobs in its July 1985 issue, called "Porn in the U.S.A.". A group ofSesame Street characters (billed as "Bruce Stringbean and the S. Street Band") performed a version of the song called "Barn in the U.S.A." for the albumBorn to Add.[60] InCanadian Bacon, aMichael Moore film about a Cold War scenario between Canada and the United States, a group of Americans are travelling across Canada while singing along to "Born in the U.S.A.". In an apparent nod to the widespread misunderstanding of the lyrics, the characters are only capable of singing the chorus of the song and trail off during the verse. With Springsteen's permission, rap group2 Live Crew released "Banned in the U.S.A.", a parody of "Born in the U.S.A." released to draw attention to 2 Live Crew's First Amendment troubles.
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