July 4

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Born down in a dead man’s town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
End up like a dog that’s been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up
Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man
Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said “son if it was up to me”
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said “son, don’t you understand”
I had a brother at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They’re still there, he’s all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I’m ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go
Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., I’m a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., I’m a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.
-Bruce Springsteen

9 thoughts on “July 4”

  1. I like the tune and the “Born In The U.S.A” album, though sadly it is one of the most misunderstood songs. While that obviously wasn’t Springsteen’s intention, he didn’t help himself by choosing an anthem-like melody and main lines in the chorus a casual listener could easily misinterpret.

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    1. I must admit I’ve never thought of it in terms of Bruce sort of asking for it with the title and melody, but I see what you’re saying. I imagine there’s no way he could’ve known what the impact was going to be. Was there a precedent for misunderstood songs used for misbegotten political purposes prior to this one?

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  2. I read somewhere years ago that he had that album made and didn’t know what to do with it because he knew it was going to be huge– so while he was thinking it over he made Nebraska— then released the Born In The USA album- which exploded as he and the people around him thought it would. I wonder how many fans jumped on with Born In The USA and quickly jumped back off the bandwagon with Tunnel of Love?

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    1. I have to admit the “Born in the U.S.A.” album was very seductive to me at the time and really brought Springsteen on my radar screen. It took me a while to get used to “Tunnel of Love.” I’ve listened to “Nebraska” a few times but somehow never warmed to that record.

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      1. Nebraska is on my Bruce Mt. Rushmore- along with The River- Darkness On The Edge of Town and I guess Born To Run.

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      2. I know many Springsteen fans are fond of “Nebraska.” I listened to it again yesterday, and I liked it better than I had remembered it.

        Maybe if I keep listening to it, I’m going to come around after all. It wouldn’t be the first time for me where an album/artist/band was an acquired taste and eventually turned me into a fan!

        Pink Floyd (beyond “Wish You Were Here” and “Dark Side,” which I liked from the beginning) and the mighty Led Zeppelin are such examples!

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