Born in the U.S.A.

This album probably wouldn’t have been anything without the production, but also I hate the production.

I had some of his stuff in the 70s, but then I started listening to King Crimson or whatever so I never looked back. But while post-1980 Bruce never really penetrated into my little punk/prog bubble, I have new respect for him because of the song he released last year, "Streets of Minneapolis." So here goes.

This is fun good-time rock music with some introspective, sometimes dark lyrics. Still not really the kind of thing that I like anymore, but I can see why it's popular.

3 stars

Do I really have to give THIS a 5 star? Honestly, there was not one song that i did not enjoy. It's cheesy, it's way too patriotic, but damn... it's bangers on bangers. Low 5

You can tell how successful an album is when you know most of the tunes having never listened to it before.
But It's only when listening to it from start to finish that it struck me how simplistic and repetitive Bruce Springsteen songs are.
It doesn't seem to have done him any harm though and it's an album i'll listen to again.

The inclusion of this album on the list does not surprise me in the slightest

The highs are very high here, but albums tracks just don't grip me at all, they seem to be quite a week, so I expected this would get 5 stars, but maybe not after all… Definitely a strong 4 though! Also I think this is the first record on the list which made me think of writing about current US politics here lol

Great combination of bomastic production and cynical content. The big gated drums, the cheesy keyboards, the corny sax, big dumb classic rock sound and hoarse vocals pointing out how crap everything's become but also that the good old days are a stupid myth.

yeah man, idk. I guess you had to be there.

Pretty iconic stamp of a record that defines the American mid-80s and the headspace of the people at that time, from its iconic Annie Leibovitz cover photo to its infusion of synthesizers and maximalist 80s production (which may not be perfect but certainly recognizable). A pretty huge risk on Bruce's part to really take a bite out of the trendy sounds of the time, but he really gets them correct, especially on the synthpop "Dancing in the Dark," proto-Orbison revival "I'm on Fire," and the tejano rock "I'm Goin' Down."

RAHHH🦅🦅🦅 FREEDOM RAHHH🦅🦅🦅🦅 AMERICA BEST COUNTRY RAHHH🦅🦅🦅🦅 WE ARE THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WORLD

Party in the U.S.A. is miles ahead of Born in the U.S.A. I hate that song with a passion. It makes me hate that country even more. IT'S NOT EVEN THE HIT ON THIS GODFORSAKEN ALBUM???? Damn, I’ve lived a lie. Words cannot begin to describe how much I hate Bruce Springsteen, so I will not even attempt to do that. This is so American it makes me want to puke.

Am I too European for this? Maybe. But I hate America with the utmost passion. Come after me; come to Romania if you even know where that is. Transylvania, to be as specific as possible. No, it’s not a country of its own, and no, it wasn't invented for Hotel Transylvania.

With all of this out of the way, "Downbound Train" is fine; hands down the best song on this album. "I'm on Fire" is really eh on lyrics. What's the men's obsession with calling every woman "little girl"? Or maybe she was a little girl, who knows? Or he is the little girl, since he "wakes up with the sheets soaking wet." It's okay, Bruce; many men wet the bed at your big boy age. I don't even know which possibility is worse: that one, or the fact that he's cumming on the bed... ohhh, sweat. Yeah, that's a possibility too. A boring one at that.

Is "Bobby Jean" also a girl's name? Or a nickname? Or is he crying over a man? It would make more sense for the Republican crowd. Okay, I'm on "Glory Days" now, and I have a theory. There's this Bobby guy mentioned who got divorced from that girl in the song who has two kids with him. What if, now stay with me, what if it's the same Bobby as the one in "Bobby Jean"? What if they were having a secret, scandalous, illicit affair, then Bobby got caught and left town out of pure shame and possibly death threats, since this is the South?

"Dancing in the Dark" is the hit on this album? I've never heard it, but again, I'm Romanian. It's kinda eh. It's fine but so boring; it sounds so Bruce Springsteen, I don't know what else I can say. Is it sampling something, or is that something sampling it? I swear I recognize that tuh nu nu nu.

In conclusion: I hate Bruce Springsteen, I hate America, and I hate country music. This album is fine, I guess, if you like country, but otherwise, no, just no. It's not unbearable; I don't want to outright somehow explode my eardrums, but I would never in a million years actually put any of these songs on. NEVER.

I know we’re supposed to say that the people who think Born in the USA is a flag-waving anthem haven’t listened to the lyrics, but I think on some level Springsteen wanted to have his air-punching, MTV-conquering, stadium-filling cake and eat it with this album. And fair play to him, he totally pulled it off. (Also, you know how Todd Rundgren said he always thought Bat Out of Hell was a Born to Run parody? No Surrender suggests the influence went both ways.)

3/5. I admittedly am just not the biggest fan of this specific Springsteen album, but there’s still enough good songs and strong storytelling here to where it’s an enjoyable experience overall. There is of course the title track “Born in the USA” about the struggles of returning Vietnam veterans, which for decades now has been misused at Republican rallies as a patriotic anthem despite it not being one. But I honestly do not like the song very much at all, I find the production to be a bit much and Springsteens vocals are a bit grating to me on it. In terms of the singles I prefer “glory days” and “dancing in the dark.” the production of the album is probably its biggest setback in general for me, it just suffers a bit from that 80’s over-production that I’m not the biggest fan of.

It’s way more nuanced than the 80s sheen suggests and it’s a good album.

It’s not his finest work, but it’s still well worth a listen.
3

Great pop rock album. Most of the songs here do sound kinda similar but i didn't mind it too much. Loved the contrast between the super up beat sound of the songs and the lyrics which are mostly about how much life in America sucks. Can't imagine i'd return to the whole album in full but individually, these songs are great and there's definitely a good number that I will be returning to.

Fav Songs: No Surrender, Dancing In The Dark, Born In The U.S.A, Cover Me

Least Fav: Working on the Highway

8.0/10

Sé que es un clásico, pero simplemente no conectó conmigo. En primer lugar, detesto ese patriotismo yankee tan exagerado, por lo que eso condicionó mucho mi escucha. Si bien tiene algunas canciones entretenidas o que me parecieron buenas, me aburrió bastante la escucha y sentí que era eterno, sumado a que de por sí la voz Springsteen no es muy de mi agrado.
Honestamente no me llegó y no creo que me llegue en algún momento. Dancing in the dark fue la más rescatable para mí

1st song was great the rest was kind of eh.

I've heard the singles off this album before. Lots of good stuff here, mayhaps a touch samey when played as an album. Best song of the new ones to me is Working on the Highway.

Some absolute bangers but a little too star spangled for me

Favorite track(s): Born in the U.S.A., Cover Me, Dancing in the Dark

Heard before
Previous rating: 6/10

Probably in the top 5 most iconic albums of the early 80's. It's Americana that isn't shoved up it's own ass. It's regretful and analytical and solemn and wild. I don't even truly care for Springsteen's music as a listener but I respect the hell out of what he did here. Culturally, the fact that it flew so far over the heads of the jingoistic crowd boggles the mind. Bruce has ever been on the side of kindness, the worker, the family, the dream of what America could be and not the feckless nonsense we are sold. This album is also extremely well-paced and varied.