about themselves. The title song of the album told
the story of an impoverished American forced to
fight in the Vietnam War and beaten at every turn by
an uncaring nation. However, the refrain, “I was
born in the U.S.A.” (meant to represent the charac-
ter’s protest against his treatment), was misunder-
stood by some to be a patriotic anthem. Other songs,
also complaints about the economic woes of working-
class Americans, similarly resonated with both those
working-class individuals for whom they spoke and
those others for whom the titles (such as “No Sur-
render” and “My Hometown”) struck a patriotic
chord.
The album was a worldwide hit. Springsteen
looked heroic, and pundits and politicians—includ-
ing President Ronald Reagan—soon seized on
Springsteen as proof that America was the land of
opportunity, much to the singer’s chagrin. By Octo-
ber, 1984, Springsteen was more than just a chart-
topping musician: He was a symbol of America itself.
For politicians and patriots, the album’s title seemed
to support their agenda. For the working Americans
left behind by the nation’s economic growth, Spring-
steen was a powerful voice of protest and musical
activism.
In a sense, Springsteen spent the second half of
the 1980’s living down the image he had acquired in
1984 and 1985. He struggled to correct misinterpre-
tations ofBorn in the U.S.A., advising listeners to pay
closer attention to the lyrics. He connected audi-
ences to charitable groups, arguing that too many
Americans were neglected by government agencies.
During this time, he also married model Julianne
Phillips in an extremely high-profile wedding. Me-
dia scrutiny only increased when Springsteen, un-
happy with the marriage, began an affair with his
backup singer, Patti Scialfa. In the midst of these per-
sonal travails, Springsteen scaled down his music, re-
leasing a low-key album (1987’sTunnel of Love) that
was dominated by confessional love songs. In 1989,
as if to draw a curtain on the turbulent 1980’s,
Springsteen dissolved the E Street Band and filed for
divorce from Phillips.Impact Bruce Springsteen’s vision of America was
enormously influential. Distancing himself from the
flag-waving patriotism characteristic of the Reagan
era, Springsteen in the 1980’s espoused an alternate
patriotism, one celebrating America not for its mili-
tary prowess or economic might but for its compas-
sion. He sought with his music to reactivate that
compassion and put it to work, striving to counteract
the tendencies that led his compatriots to be labeled
the “Me generation.”Further Reading
Alterman, Eric.It Ain’t No Sin to Be Glad You’re Alive:
The Promise of Bruce Springsteen. Boston: Little
Brown, 1999.
George-Warren, Holly, ed.Bruce Springsteen: The
“Rolling Stone” Files. New York: Hyperion, 1996.
Marsh, Dave.Glor y Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980’s.
New York: Pantheon, 1987.
Matt BrillingerSee also Elections in the United States, 1984; Jack-
son, Michael; MTV; Music; Music videos; Olympic
Games of 1984; Pop music; Prince; Reagan, Ronald;
USA for Africa.910 Springsteen, Bruce The Eighties in America
Bruce Springsteen performs in Dallas, Texas, on September 14,
1985.(AP/Wide World Photos)