"Born in the U.S.A."

The Meaning Behind "Born in the U.S.A"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPhWR4d3FJQ

     “Born in the U.S.A.,” released in 1984, is one of the major rock hit songs of the 1980’s.  Written and performed by rock legend Bruce Springsteen, the song focuses on the Vietnam War and the poor treatment of the returning Vietnam veterans.

                  Many of Springsteen’s songs focused on blue collar/working class people and their daily struggles.  New Jersey native Springsteen did not himself serve in the Vietnam War, having been found medically ineligible for service.  However, many of his generation, including some of his friends, were Vietnam veterans, so he wrote the song from the perspective of the issues they faced.  When this song came out, over a decade had passed since the end of the war.  The American public, in a time where conservatism and patriotism were flourishing, had become more aware of how Vietnam veterans were mistreated and their tragic hardships.

                  Springsteen, as one of music’s most prominent voices for the working man, used the song to illustrate, for example, the difficulties faced by Vietnam veterans in finding employment upon their return to civilian life.  The imagery he uses in the song reflects not only the frustrations of the Vietnam veteran, but also the increasing economic difficulties in the 1970’s and 1980’s for the working class.