40 years of “Born in the USA”

Published in June 1984, Born in the USA. Of Bruce Springsteen it is the symbol of an era. Not only because it is the most famous album – even if not the best – of the New Jersey “boss” with over 28 million copies sold all over the world and the impressive figure of seven singles finishing in the top 10 on a set list of 14 songs, including immortal classics recorded with the E-Street Band as Glory Days, Dancing in the Dark, I’m on Fire: but above all because it is one of those rare works capable of capturing him Zeitgeist of an era, starting with the legendary one title track and the album cover signed by the famous rock photographer, Annie Leibovitz, which portrays Springsteen standing with his back turned, in front of the stripes of an American flag. In this iconic shot, the American singer-songwriter wears a white t-shirt and jeans, with a red baseball cap tucked into his right back pocket.

A (misunderstood) anti-war anthem

The track of the same name that opens Springsteen’s seventh album, which was initially supposed to be titled Vietnamis also one of the most misunderstood anthems in the history of music: the iconography and that legendary shouted refrain might make you think it’s apatriotic exaltation which celebrates the gift of being born an American citizen. In reality it is theexact oppositebecause the song tells how America has failed and abandoned the veterans of war in Vietnam to their fate, expressing a disenchanted vision of American foreign policy. The second stanza begins with a soldier who enlists as an alternative to prison: “So they put a rifle in my hand / They sent me to a foreign land / To go kill the yellow man” sings Springsteen.

The song was inspired by meeting the war veteran Ron Kovicconfined to a wheelchair after being hit by a bullet while fighting in Vietnam: he later became one of the leaders of the anti-war movement and, in 1976, published a book, Born On The Fourth Of Julywhich told his story that inspired the film with Tom Cruise. The singer-songwriter bought the book in 1980: two weeks later, the two – Springsteen and Kovic – both casually stayed at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Los Angeles. They met by the pool and Kovic invited Springsteen to visit the veterans center near Venice. The boss accepted and the meeting profoundly affected the singer-songwriter. “Talking about my life to these kids seemed frivolous. There was homelessness, drug problems and post-traumatic stress – kids my age dealing with life-changing physical injuries.” Their stories inspired the writing of the song. “The lyrics are just an account of events,” Springsteen said. “The chorus is a declaration of your birthplace and the right to all the pride, confusion, shame and grace that comes with it.”

Reagan’s words

“Bruce would start every show with a really rousing, anthemic version of Born in the USA.”, remember Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey at NPR. “With the bandana and the cut-off shirt and the fists, it seemed like a celebration of being born in the United States, when in reality it’s a song of defiance that says, ‘I was born in the United States and I deserve better than what I’m getting. ”. I think a lot of people didn’t understand what it was about, including the President of the United States.” Christie is referring to the rally on September 19, 1984, in which the then Republican president Ronald Reagan he quoted Springsteen himself, completely misunderstanding the meaning of the song that was popular on MTV and on the radio: “The future of America lies in a thousand dreams in your hearts; lies in the message of hope contained in the songs that so many young Americans admire: Bruce Springsteen, citizen of New Jersey. And helping you make those dreams come true is the purpose of this job of mine.” The president believed that the song had a nationalist tone but, as explained above, it was a sensational misunderstanding.

The working class singer-songwriter

Years later, Springsteen would recall, in a video interview, that that “song, in particular, was part of a certain social context. The country had veered to the right, and Republicans at the time were basically trying to co-opt everything American. ‘Born in the USA’ was a song of rebellion.” Springsteen was inspired, among others, by the writer John Steinbeck and to his monumental work “Furore” and to sacred monsters of American music such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and naturally, Bob Dylan. Stories of the working class, for the working class. It’s no exception Born in the USA, still one of the Boss’s most beloved albums today, and the one that led him to be one of the most famous rockers in the world.