“Born in the U.S.A”

The title track of the chart-topping follow-up to Nebraska, it would be “Born in the U.S.A.” which would launch Bruce Springsteen into the upper stratosphere of artists across the globe. Originally written during the Nebraska sessions, it was an anomaly from the start. As Jon Landau put it, “It was a real odd thing, and it was not like anything else on the Nebraska album. And it was not like any other thing I’ve ever heard from Bruce---it sounded alien” (Marsh 343). This cryptic description of the early version of the song would prove to be prophetic as it would go on to become the top nomination for the most popular, and the most misunderstood, Springsteen song of all time.

When looked at from a basic lyrical level it is not difficult to see why “Born in the U.S.A.” doesn’t fit on Nebraska: on an album of intensely dark and personal songs from the minds of twisted, isolated, individuals, it would stand out as a song of bitter protest, and although the album certainly follows many American folk traditions, it does not lend itself to traditional protest songs (Marsh 343). As a result of this the song was shelved until Bruce and the E-street Band could grab a hold of it and, in what is still one of the most legendary recording sessions of all time, just ask Max Weinberg, create the enigmatic masterpiece that it is today. Ironically, it would be this shelved protest song turned electrified anthem that would cause Bruce to suffer a fate similar to an artist with whom he was becoming acquainted during the time of recording Nebraska, Woody Guthrie.

With the sudden propulsion to super-star status Bruce Springsteen began to lose control of his public image. The anthemic quality of the track and it’s heraldic chorus, combined with it’s endorsement by Ronald Reagan, pushed it into the upper echelon of patriotic songs, right along songs like Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” Sadly, this is one instance where Springsteen and Guthrie’s songwriting intentions share a large plot of common ground. Like “Born in the U.S.A.” Guthrie’s song of an intelligent, questioning, patriotism was edited and appropriated by the government, turning it into just another mindless, obedient, 4^th of July anthem. Despite, or perhaps to spite, the governments attempt to corrupt them, in recent years Springsteen has made a strong attempt at reclaiming and reinvigorating the songs by playing them live, in the case of “Born in the U.S.A.” in both traditional and folk arrangements.