50 Years Burning Down the Road: Reviewing Every Springsteen Album From Worst to Best

Coming in a #9: Born in the USA

Only in Bruce Springsteen’s discography can you rank an album in the nine slot that has gone 15x platinum, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums upon its release, and yielded seven Top 100 singles to match Michael Jackson’s Thriller for the most songs from a single album on the charts at one time. Not to mention this is the album that catapulted Bruce into a global icon and took the E Street Band from arenas to stadiums all around the world. The type of success and popularity that Born in the USA brought Bruce was once in a lifetime. It was full Brucemania, and by the way, the crazy part is at the same time, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna reached this same level of sensation. This turned off many hardcore fans at the time—seeing their guy go from a scraggly, modest, rock and roll showman to an unrecognizable full-blown, muscled-out, blue-jean-clad, larger-than-life pop star. Some fans harbored resentment toward the album because its popularity morphed Bruce into something different than the version of him that they fell in love with. There is a great deal of context which does not do this album any favors in terms of how it was received and continues to be interpreted by fans. If I were to look at this album from the standpoint of a casual Bruce fan or even not a Bruce fan at all, it would be a very different review. Instead, I am going to continue to review albums from my own Bruce-obsessed viewpoint, which brings forth a lot of criticism that does not necessarily relate to the actual tracklist on the album; but I feel it is important to discuss if I am really going to review this thing.

Fame is a major part of the context of the album for the reasons I mentioned. It turned a lot of people onto Bruce, but there is no doubt that it turned people off. Were fans bothered by the demographic shift in the audience? Probably, but I am not sure that grievance holds merit. I think the idea of being turned off by an artist because they got super famous and you were there for the part of the ride where that was not the case can be valid, but that is a you-problem and has nothing to do with Bruce himself. Maybe for some fans, going to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band became not as enjoyable as it once was because of the shift of the audience and the bigger buildings (and at times just massive open fields). I can accept that but can you really blame the art for that? I ask you to just zero in on the music like I am attempting to do with the review.

Bruce did not sell out with Born in the USA, he just sold well…to put it mildly. Sure, there were big drums and synthesizers, and Bruce leaned more into a pop sound than he ever had previously, but people forget that the 80s pop rock characteristics of Born in the USA were in large part invented by the E Street Band and were less so co-opted existing 80s musical trends. Most of the album was recorded in 1982. It was not released until 1984 and in that interim music was beginning to shift. Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg just recently did an in-depth interview about Born in the USA with Rolling Stone. Roy introduced the synthesizer into the band because he felt it supported the lyrics and themes that Bruce was writing about. He always analyzed Bruce’s lyrics and examined how his keyboard parts can support and elevate them. Roy used synthesizers to create atmosphere and texture within the arrangements and I will cite specific examples in the rundown. The keyboards on Born in the USA have gone on to inspire generations of rock music in the 80s and then a revival in the 2000s and 2010s with bands like Arcade Fire, The War on Drugs, The Killers, and The Hold Steady. Meanwhile, Max Weinberg’s drums are massive, but as he mentioned in the Rolling Stone interview, they predated the signature 80s gated drum sound used famously by Phil Collins, Duran Duran, and countless others. Legendary mixer, Bob Clearmountain mixed Born in the USA without using gated reverb. Countless bands have gone after that sound. Also, while the E Street Band did sound poppier than before, almost the whole record was recorded live at The Power Station, and when it was all but done, Bruce’s manager Jon Landau did not even hear a hit. Boy, was he wrong, but no one on the inside initially realized the lightning in the bottle that this record captured.

Another aspect of criticism is due to the misinterpretation of the song “Born in the USA”. Bruce and his fans were not happy then and are not happy now because of how much the real message of the song does not come through; and that generations of morons co-opt it as some jingoistic bullshit. It is almost cliché to mention this misinterpretation at this point because it is so well-documented, but trust me, many people still get it wrong today. I take just a small amount of pity on these people because I do believe the cover of Born in the USA with an American flag backdrop and Bruce in a white t-shirt, his butt in blue jeans with a red hat in his back pocket can imply a veiled layer of patriotism. However, there is plenty of patriotism within the album’s tracklist, even if it is not the kind of shameless rah-rah that it can be for which it can be mistaken. The whole record examines what living in America is like and prominently features the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The last bit of context that can contaminate the hardcore fan’s attitude toward Born in the USA is the sheer amount of songs that were recorded and then subsequently left off. The sessions for Born in the USA started with full band recordings of the Nebraska songs before Bruce realized that the TASCAM four-track home demos contained the finished product and none of those versions have come to light. Eight out of the 12 Born in the USA tracks were recorded in 1982, but between 1982 and 1984, Bruce and the band recorded 70-80 songs. We are lucky to have recordings of many of those songs, and they show how prolific and red-hot Bruce was as a songwriter during that time. The issue is, while Born in the USA undeniably shows that off, it also does not. “My Love Will Not Let You Down”, “Murder Incorporated”, “None But the Brave”, “Cynthia”, “Shut Out the Light”, “Frankie”, “This Hard Land”, “Wages of Sin”, “Lion’s Den”, and more should not be the deep cuts that they are. Most of them are even better than the songs that made the album. Even if they did not fit in with what Bruce wanted to convey, it is hard for me personally, and other hardcore fans to glance at the Born in the USA tracklist and not think about what could have been.

Here’s the Rundown:

I mentioned that I do understand a tiny bit how “Born in the USA” can be misunderstood, but if “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/’til you spend half your life covering up” does not clearly convey that this is a song about the dark side of America, maybe I do not take any pity on anyone anymore. I always loved this recording. Max’s snare drum seems like it could decimate a small village and the synth sound has been unable to be replicated live. Roy said he tried to dial up a sound with Asian influence since the song invokes the Vietnam War. Bruce is fully yelling and the growl of his voice is a vehicle for the passion and anger at the foundation of the song. My favorite part is at the end of the song where it breaks down and Max rips a drum solo as the instruments start to descend atonally and it really feels like the entire song is falling apart until Bruce emphatically shouts “1!2!3!4!” and whips the band back in before the fade-out.

“Cover Me” was a song intended for Donna Summer until Jon Landau convinced Bruce to keep it for himself and give Donna “Protection”, another fantastic track. It is hard to complain about that decision because Cover Me is one of my favorite tracks on the album. However, the lyrics are non-descript and rather surface-level like Bruce tended to write when he was writing a song for someone else. It is a testimony to Bruce’s songwriting skill that even lyrics as basic as these almost do not even register as anything less than quality because of how dynamic the whole arrangement is. It took a deep analysis for me to even diagnose it. The band sounds incredibly tight on this song and Bruce’s guitar playing is delightfully front and center. He rips solos all over the track. Garry Tallent’s bassline also stands out holding the whole band together. I am surprised this song was not even a bigger hit—it is pop music at its finest.

Then we embark on a road trip following two buddies from New York City heading south on the Dixie highway to Darlington County. Bruce and the E Street Band dust off their bar band shoes with this boisterous romp beginning with a clang of a cowbell and maybe one of Bruce’s most signature guitar intros of all time. Danny Fedirici’s organ harkons back to the old-school rock and soul that blared loudly at fraternity parties everywhere. It is hard to deny how fun of a track it is, and Bruce clearly feels the same as he audibly directs the band, laughs, and even mimics a drum fill vocally as the song fades out. It is a good reminder that this was all recorded live. It feels like you are in the room. Clarence Clemons generally does not have a whole lot to do over the course of the album, but his sax is as galvanizing as ever as he delivers a triumphant solo. The jury is out on whether Wayne is arrested for unkosher solicitation (I happen to think he is), but after all they were “two big spenders.” Perhaps a reason for some negative feelings among fans toward this album is how drawn out live versions have become recently, but the recorded versions are concise and played at a tempo where not one moment feels extraneous. I joke that the live versions of “Darlington County” have me until Bruce exclaims “Come on, Soozie!”. It is unnecessary.

There is no better example of how energetic and concise the Born in the USA recordings are than on “Working on the Highway.” A song that only lasts a mere three minutes and 12 seconds on the album is often stretched past 5 minutes live. The E Street Band tends to transform and elevate most songs live, but this is an example of when the recorded version is actually better. I like how sparse it starts out with just Max’s chugging country beat, Bruce’s surf rock guitar riffage, and the song’s hook played high up on a clean electric guitar between the lines of Bruce’s vocal. Once the whole band comes in, it feels again like we are in some small-town bar after a long week of blue-collar work. The lyrics tell a blue-collar story of men…well…working on the highway. One of them decides to involve himself with an underage girl and at the end of the song Bruce exclaims “the judge got mad and put me straight away.” The guy is thrown in prison and sings “I get up every morning to the work bell clang/Me and the warden go swinging on that Charlotte County road gang.” I always loved that lyric. It annoys me that Bruce occasionally sings “church bell clang” instead of “work bell clang.” Church bells don’t clang, and are there even churches in prison?

“Downbound Train” was not a hit, yet many including myself name it as their favorite track from Born in the USA. “Downbound Train” like “Born in the USA” was originally recorded by Bruce, accompanying his vocals with acoustic guitar during the Nebraska sessions. The darkness of the lyrics would have made the song fit in very well on that album, but the Born in the USA version is an excellent example of the E Street Band elevating an already amazing song, and I am glad the rock version worked out. This song is much more in the vein of The River and Darkness on the Edge of Town than the rest of the Born in the USA tracklist. The lyrics tell of a collapsing working-class romance, with a signature Springsteen down-on-his-luck protagonist as he loses his job and his wife and his life is beginning to fall apart. It spotlights Bruce’s ability to create an enthralling visual with his lyrics that capture you right from the jump without being heavy-handed on imagery. The quasi-bridge in the middle where the character runs through the woods to his and his estranged wife’s wedding house has me feeling like I am there and watching it all go down. Chalk it up to a songwriting clinic, but also what Roy Bittan brings to the table. In my opinion, this is the best use of synthesizers in Bruce’s entire discography. The eerie, yet serene atmosphere of the synths is a stunning backdrop to Bruce’s story. Max Weinberg also deserves a shoutout. His drumming on Born in the USA in general is fantastic (Max said in the recent interview that this album was the first time he felt like a professional drummer), but I love his fills on “Downbound Train” the most— especially the one to open the song.

If “Downbound Train” had not made it onto Born in the USA, then “I’m on Fire” would be the best use of synthesizers on the album. The arrangement is sparse as it only includes Bruce on guitar, Max on Drums, and Roy on keyboards, but it feels textural and full. Max recently told a story of how the song organically came together as the other bandmates were taking a break and Bruce was messing around with the guitar arpeggio in the studio. Max and Roy walked into the room and immediately laid down their parts. It is an example of the E Street Band being so in tune with not only Bruce, but each other as the parts of this song weave together in a beautiful, tasteful way. While “I’m on Fire” likely wins the prize of most covered Bruce Springsteen song, many people misunderstand it or take it for something a lot less innocent than I believe it to be. I think the Rock and Roll vernacular is misunderstood, as neither “little girl” or “daddy” should be taken the way non-Rock and Roll singers interpret those terms. Is it all the way innocent? No, Bruce is lusting after someone who is taken. Still, it is a song that continues to inspire people. I must say, I heard it for the first time live in 2023, and I gained a new appreciation for it, but the album cut is strong in and of itself.

I should have mentioned it earlier, but the sequencing of this album is top-notch. I have been critical of that in past reviews, but this tracklist hit it out of the park. After two of the more somber songs on the album, the second half opens with the triumphant “No Surrender”. The story goes that Bruce was uncomfortable with the song and wanted to leave it off the album because it was too idealistic and romantic, and was not realistic. Bruce recalls, “You don’t hold out and triumph all the time in life. You compromise, you suffer defeat, you slip into life’s gray areas.” However, Steve Van Zandt convinced Bruce to keep it on the album and enjoyed the celebration of rock and roll music and friendship. The song is power pop perfection on the album. The steamroll of drums and guitars (no pun intended) makes it a driving rocker, and I always liked the singing in the beginning layered on top of the main riff. I think Bruce has recently sucked the air out of this song live. It is played at a much slower tempo and features a breakdown in the third verse. However, “No Surrender” has taken a handful of different shapes which I enjoy. The acoustic version he played on the Born in the USA Tour is gorgeous. Bruce and the band also did a unique country-inspired arrangement on the Reunion Tour.

The friendship theme continues, but now Bruce is grieving the sudden, unforeseen departure of a best friend. “Bobby Jean” is the most sentimental song on the album as Bruce embodies a characteristic human craving for closure. Although Bruce laments his friend denying him the opportunity to say a proper goodbye, he is not bitter about it. Instead, he tells us about how much he loved his friend and everything they shared including experiences and similar personalities, and that they “liked the same music, liked the same bands, liked the same clothes.” I used to love that line when I was a little kid. “Bobby Jean” features the premiere Clarence moment on Born in the USA. Bruce sings “good luck, goodbye Bobby Jean” and then Clarence busts through the door and delivers an epic and underrated sax solo. He holds that last note for so long and it never fails to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I will always have a soft spot for “Bobby Jean.” I think Bruce likes it too as it has been played consistently across E Street Band tours, Other Band tours, and acoustic tours since its release.

“Bobby Jean” is rumored to be about Steve Van Zandt who decided to leave the E Street Band ahead of Born in the USA’s completion. That interpretation pads the sentimentality of the lyrics, and whether or not the song was solely inspired by Steve leaving the band (my opinion is that it actually was not), it is hard for me to listen to it and not think about Stevie.

I also loved “I’m Goin’ Down” as a kid. That song is just fun. I do not even have too much to say about it. Bruce playfully sings about a relationship going downhill in a manner that invites the listener to proudly say, “Hell yeah! We have all been through that, man.” It is fraternal. Clarence delivers another great saxophone solo.

“Glory Days” certainly gives “Bobby Jean” a run for its money in regards to sentimentality, and while it is one of Bruce’s biggest hits, it is sentimental to the point of corny. “Glory Days” always bothered me because it is what all non-Bruce fans think all of Bruce’s music and lyrics sound like, and it is not a good representation of his greater style. With that being said, the song is fairly undeniable especially when it is played during the third hour of a wedding and everyone is loosened up on the dance floor. It is fun to hear Bruce hooting and hollering on the recording shouting to the band “Alright boys! Keep on rockin, now.” And you know what—yeah, we all do long for our Glory Days, and however young or old you are, everyone can agree that our human perception is that the glory days are not right now. We all long for the past to some degree, and in that sense, this song is relatable as hell. It is also relatable to a person who grew up in the suburbs because we can all draw similarities between the characters in “Glory Days” and people we actually know.

The lesson that record companies and managers learned quickly about Bruce is that if they want him to write a hit, they just have to ask him. That was the case on his first album with “Blinded By The Light” and “Spirit in the Night” which were taken to the top of the charts by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and remain Springsteen staples. It was also the case for “Dancing in the Dark” when Jon Landau heard the Born in the USA album and was not confident that there was a hit song on it, so he asked Bruce to write one and this is what he came back with; his biggest ever Billboard Hot 100 hit. Now, “Dancing in the Dark” wins the award for most relatable song on Born in the USA because I believe it is a common human experience to figuratively and literally look into the mirror at one point and want to change everything about yourself. Bruce illustrates that beautifully while also alluding to the backbreaking nature of writing and squeezing out every inch of your soul and creativity to craft a compelling piece of art. I like when Bruce sings “I get up in the evening and I ain’t got nothing to say/I come home in the morning/I go to bed feeling the same way.” In my head, I am like “Shouldn’t that be reversed?” Then I think, “No of course not! Bruce is a rockstar. That is his schedule.” The 80sness of “Dancing in the Dark” is why I think it grabbed so many people right away—the massive drums and the layers of synthesizers. However, I enjoy the sparseness of the recording which I think becomes inflated when Bruce plays it live with his massive band.

“My Hometown” closes out Born in the USA which hits at another incredibly relatable aspect of the human experience. Bruce discusses in his Broadway show intro to this song the love-hate relationships we all have with our hometowns. Bruce sings about sitting on his father’s lap as a child as his father encourages him to take it all in. It is a lesson in what you owe to your hometown and the inevitable imprint your environment leaves on you when you are growing up. You can fight it, but it is a lot easier to embrace it and think about the perspective it can give you. Over Max’s deep kick drum and Roy Bittan’s smooth synthesizers, Bruce sings about racism, poverty, and the industry being sucked out of the town where he grew up. It is a great example of what happens to the middle class and the poor without any support from the leaders we heavily rely on, and how sometimes our country can pour gasoline on its fires. However, with all the violence and desolation that Bruce describes, the character in the song thinks about leaving once he is grown up and has his own family, but never does. It shows that through all the hard times, and all the criticism that he lays forth, he loves where he came from.

“My Hometown”’s message is an outlook that Americans should apply not only to their hometowns but to the entire country. I think over time, people confuse criticism and sometimes harsh criticism of the United States as hating America. There is a reason why we have freedom of speech and freedom of protest to voice our displeasures and have an opportunity to change them. The solicitation of ideas and analysis is built into our constitution. In my mind, truly loving America means examining its shortcomings and determining what we can do to make it better. No matter the president, the government, or the court, America is always moving forward despite whatever efforts you can make to slow it down or bring it backward. Denying progression directly hurts or even kills people, while being progressive only makes close-minded people safely uncomfortable. Born in the USA as a whole embodies this message as it captures the nature of American identity—the combination of pride, nostalgia, joy, anger, suffering, and vigor. If wanting to create a safer and fairer America for all people is hating America, then I guess Bruce, myself, and all the people who connect with what I just outlined are America’s biggest haters.