‘Born In The USA’: Bruce Springsteen’s anthem still resonates 40 years later in Donald Trump’s America
When I tell you that Anfield shook, you have to believe me. Bruce Springsteen had already delivered two speeches about his disdain towards the current President of the United States during the show in Liverpool, and those speeches had been well-received, but he proved that nothing delivers a message better than music when the first few notes of his classic track ‘Born In The USA’ rang through those Merseyside speakers.
The iconic album that this song fronted was released 41 years ago, and its message still rings true to this day. It is often misinterpreted as a patriotic track, but it’s actually the total opposite. The song was inspired by Vietnam veterans who struggled with their physical and mental health upon returning from war, as well as the economic hardships they underwent as a result of serving their country. Springsteen tears apart the misguided concept of patriotism throughout the song, essentially saying that his country won’t look after the people who devote their lives to upholding its values.
“I’m usually pretty easy with people, but once we were at the centre, I didn’t know how to respond to what I was seeing,” said Springsteen. He recounts the moment he met Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who inspired the track. When the two of them met, Kovic invited Springsteen to a veterans centre, a visit which Springsteen appreciated but also struggled with. “Talking about my own life to these guys seemed frivolous,” he said, “There was homelessness and drug problems and post-traumatic stress – guys my age dealing with life-changing physical injuries.”
While the Vietnam War is decades behind us, the message in this song is still upheld somewhat. The way Springsteen sings it today is more of a reflection on American citizens that the country continues to turn its back on. He wasn’t afraid to talk about these issues during his show at Anfield, as he delivered a very poignant speech about injustice throughout America that he can’t stand idly by and watch.
“In my country they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers, we’re ruling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just society, we’re abandoning our great allies, and we are siding with dictators,” he said to a cheer-filled Anfield, “They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological commands. They’re removing residents off American streets, and without due process of law, they are deporting them to foreign detention centres and prisons. This is all happening now.”
While the theme of the song shifts, it’s clear to Springsteen that its message remains persistent. In fact, this is clear throughout the whole night. While the band perform to their usual high standard, there is a pain, energy and anger present in every song that seems to have been amplified compared to other performances. It was incredibly moving and a reminder that the messages Bruce Springsteen sings about remain timeless even as the song (and the man who wrote it) age.
Regardless of whether you agree with Springsteen’s sentiment or not, there is no escaping the power that lies within the words he writes. The powerful inclination of the chorus hits just as hard now as it did when the track was first released, and Springsteen continues to deliver the song, recognising it as one of the most powerful tracks in his catalogue. You need more proof? I don’t have it, but believe me when I say that Anfield shook.
