On This Day in 1984, Bruce Springsteen Released His Most Successful Album Featuring a Widely Misunderstood Song

On this day (June 4) in 1984, Bruce Springsteen released his seventh studio album, Born in the U.S.A. It was a huge success, spawning hit singles and becoming his best-selling album. More than that, the album’s success brought the singer/songwriter worldwide acclaim. The title track has become one of the most misunderstood songs in rock and roll.

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While the lyrical content of Born in the U.S.A. matches that of Springsteen’s previous releases, it marked a sonic shift in his catalog. The album’s pop-leaning production, which prominently featured synthesizers, gave the collection a more accessible sound. Additionally, the album came with a massive promotional campaign. Springsteen released seven singles and multiple music videos from the record. Dance mixes of some of the songs made their way into clubs and introduced the music to a different audience. All of this led to it being one of the best-selling albums of the 1980s.

[RELATED: The Song That Took Bruce Springsteen Nearly 50 Years to Finish]

The album helped popularize Heartland Rock and went on to inspire countless musicians. However, it produced one of the most widely misunderstood tracks in the history of rock and roll.

Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” Isn’t a Patriotic Anthem

“Born in the U.S.A.” often finds itself on Fourth of July playlists and lists of patriotic rock songs. Some have even accused Bruce Springsteen of releasing a nationalistic or jingoistic anthem. However, that’s not the case. While the chorus seems to fall into the chest-beating, flag-waving category, they’re more ironic than patriotic. The song’s verses reveal its real sentiment. Unfortunately, many listeners ignore the verses in favor of the bombastic refrain.

“Born in the U.S.A.” tells the story of a man who is born in a dead-end town and faces adversity throughout his life. The first kick I took was when I hit the ground. / End up like a dog that’s been beat too much, he sings in the opening verse. After getting into some legal trouble, the song’s protagonist has to choose between going to jail and fighting in the Vietnam War. He chooses the latter.

Like many Vietnam veterans, the protagonist comes home to an ungrateful country. He spent time in the jungle fighting for Uncle Sam and lost his brother to the Viet Cong. When he makes it back to the States, he can’t get a job, and the Veterans Affairs office won’t help him.

By the end of the song, the veteran has found a dead-end job and knows he’ll die in the “dead man’s town” where he was born. So, keep that in mind as the song plays while fireworks burst in the sky next month.

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