Bruce Springsteen (1984)
Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen is often misunderstood as a patriotic anthem, but it actually critiques the treatment of Vietnam veterans and the struggles of working-class Americans during the Reagan era. The song expresses both pride in American identity and deep disillusionment with the American Dream, highlighting the economic hardships faced by veterans returning home.
It’s perhaps one of the most misconstrued pop songs of all time. Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. was thought by many to be the sort of pro-American anthem that would’ve felt right at home during the 1980s. However, a deeper listen to the lyrics would reveal that Born in the U.S.A. actually possesses a very melancholic attitude towards life for a working class man in a post-Vietnam America. Springsteen has never shied away from personal and political messages in his songs, even in the modern day, but this 1984 mega-hit was an example of Bruce’s sound firing on both critical and commercial cylinders.
“Born in the U.S.A. is about a working class man in the midst of a spiritual crisis, in which a man is left lost. It’s like he has nothing left to tie him to society anymore.”
