10 Songs That Definitely Don't Mean What You Thought

2. Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen

Thanks to a number of embarrassing gaffes made by conservative commentators and politicians (including the President of the United States himself) upon this song's release, its true message is actually known by a solid amount of people. However, it's not uncommon to come across people who believe that this song is exactly what it appears to be at first listen, namely, a gung-ho, America-can-do-no-wrong anthem. While that's certainly what the chorus seems to convey, the rest of the lyrics tell a much more serious story. Springsteen's lyrics tell the story of a young man who comes from a working-class family. Both he and his brother go off to Vietnam; his brother as a result of being drafted (one assumes) and the singer as a result of getting into a "hometown jam" and being sent off to "a foreign land" instead of to prison. The singer's brother dies in the Battle of Khe Sanh, leaving behind a Vietnamese wife. Meanwhile, our protagonist returns home, but not to the hero's welcome most veterans receive. Instead, the singer finds it impossible to find a job due to social attitudes against Vietnam vets. In the end, our protagonist ends up in prison, serving a lengthy sentence ("I'm ten years burnin' down the road"). In this context, the chorus of "I was born in the U.S.A." takes on a double meaning. In one level, it seems to be an angry, sarcastic statement, but on a deeper level, the protagonist seems to be saying, "I was born in the U.S.A.. I served my country; isn't that supposed to be good? Why am I being hated by my own people?" It's a powerful message, one that's even more striking when one considers the shameful treatment that Vietnam vets were subjected to by civilians upon their return home. Springsteen's song is profound and thought-provoking, so much so that it's almost a sacrilege to transform such a powerful song into a simple, jingoistic anthem. Unfortunately, that's what a lot of news commentators set out to do upon the song's release. The most humorous gaffe that resulted from "U.S.A."came at the hand of the then-President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. During a campaign rally, Reagan stated, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen." Reagan's campaign crew, most of which had heard "U.S.A." and understood its true meaning, immediately set about covering for their boss's mistake. Springsteen responded to Reagan's comment by playing his song "Johnny 99" (which is about an unemployed man who, out of desperation, shoots and kills a clerk) at his next concert, and then stating that, while Reagan claimed to be a huge fan, he probably hadn't liked "99." However, all this stuff about Reagan is beside the point. Springsteen's tune is far more powerful than its reputation as a gung-ho rallying cry suggests. If you haven't listened to the song for a while, you owe it to yourself to do so right now. I dare you to come out of the listening experience and not feel moved.