An artist has no control over how someone uses their song after it’s released. Different interpretations are an inevitability, and they often differ from the artist’s original intent. Take the three songs below. These songs had one idea in mind and were later completely transformed thanks to major world events. Revisit these classic tracks that were turned on their heads below.
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“Born in the U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen
“Born in the U.S.A.” was Bruce Springsteen’s answer to the breakdown of the “American Dream.” A cleverly coded protest song, Springsteen bottled up his blue-collar frustrations into this mammoth hit. But, because of the explicit U.S. imagery, patriotic listeners adopted this song, flipped the meaning, and made it a flag-waving anthem—especially after 9/11. After those attacks, the nation needed something to hold onto. Though there were many pro-American songs they could’ve picked from, it somehow ended up being this Springsteen hit that offered assuage. It may not have been what Springsteen intended, but it has kept this song in rotation at least.
“This Land Is Your Land” – Woody Guthrie
In a similar vein, Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” is a protest song turned pro-America anthem. Over the years, as nationalism has grown to new heights—thanks to countless events including 9/11 and the Gulf War—this folk standard has become a pseudo-national anthem. Guthrie delivered vivid imagery, painting a portrait of the country as a whole. That kind of imagery can’t help but instill a sense of pride in listeners. However, Guthrie meant to relay an unrealized dream of unity. This land should be for you and for me, he sang. Many listeners missed the subtle digs at the U.S. in this folkie ballad, completely changing the meaning of this song.
“I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor
The meaning of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” wasn’t changed with one event, but molded by a prolonged cultural movement. Though Gaynor meant this song as a decree of personal freedom, the LGBTQ+ community has adopted it as a personal anthem about the struggles of being pushed to the fringes of society. It wasn’t Gaynor’s original goal, but it’s earned her icon status within that community.
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