Born in the U.S.A. Introduction
In a Nutshell
It's one of the most iconic—and most misunderstood—songs in rock and roll history.Is it the ultimate patriotic (or even jingoistic) anthem, the perfect accompaniment to roaring "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" chants? Or is it a bitter protest record, its famous chorus meant as an ironic commentary on a shattered American Dream?
The answer to that question depends on whether you want to hear the song that Bruce Springsteen wrote, or the one that his fans tended to hear.
Never has the distance between chorus and verses been so great.
About the Song
| Artist | Bruce Springsteen | Musician(s) | Bruce Springsteen (vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar), Roy Bittan (piano, synthesizer), Clarence Clemons (saxophone, percussion), Danny Federici (organ, glockenspiel, piano), Gay Tallent (bass), Little Steven Van Zandt (rhythm guitar, mandolin, harmony vocals), Max Weinberg (drums) |
| Album | Born in the U.S.A | ||
| Year | 1984 | ||
| Label | Columbia Records | ||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen | ||
| Producer(s) | Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt | ||
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Music Video
Shmoop Connections
From the moment of its release in 1984, "Born in the U.S.A." became a signature song of the Reagan Era. Red, white, and blue-clad fans at that year's Summer Olympics in Los Angeles belted out the tune with glee and President Reagan himself asked for permission to use it in TV ads for his reelection campaign.It seemed like the perfect anthem for an era of renewed American patriotism and confidence.
But if you listen to the words of the verses as well as the chorus, you might notice something about this famous song: it's not about the Reagan Era at all.
It's a sad song, really, one meant to explore the human miseries of the Vietnam War and its aftermath. What does it mean that the song that Springsteen wrote, and the one that most of us heard,were so different?
On the Charts
"Born in the U.S.A." peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 U.S. singles chart in late 1984. It was one of seven Top 10 singles to emerge from the Born in the U.S.A. album.The Born in the U.S.A. album reached the #1 position on the Billboard albums chart in 1984, knocking Michael Jackson's Thriller out of the top spot.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Born in the U.S.A. album #86 on its list of the Top 500 Albums of All Time, and the song "Born in the U.S.A." #280 out of the Top 500 Songs of All Time.