11 Songs With Hidden Meanings
5. Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA
One of Bruce Springsteen’s biggest hits was released in 1984 and is featured on an album of the same name. The iconic Born in the USA is often regarded as a patriotic anthem, not only because of the lyrics but because the cover features an American flag. Even politicians, such as Ronald Reagan, have used this song in their campaigns.
Ironically, the song is actually anti-USA. Bruce Springsteen has stated that it is about the US poorly treating its veterans, namely from the Vietnam War: “Sent me off to a foreign land to kill the yellow man”.
The song also touches on the later years of a retired veteran’s life - “Down in the shadow of the penitentiary, out by the gas fires of the refinery, I'm ten years burning down the road. Nowhere to run, ain’t got nowhere to go” - condemning the way the US government ignores those who risked their lives for their country.