"Born in the U.S.A" by Bruce Springstein

"Born in the U.S.A" by Bruce Springstein is considered one of the most misinterpreted songs ever. Many people believe that Springstein is showing his national pride with this rock anthem, but he actually is showing how shamefully Americans treated the Vietnam veterans after they did not win the war. Springstein says, "So they put a rifle in my hand, Sent me off to a foreign land." He is expressing how people were given a gun and were sent to Vietnam to fight in the war. He is publically criticizing the way the veterens were treated and how America should be ashamed for what they did. The song relates to my theme/genre because it talks about the despair the veterens had to face when they cam home from the war and were treated with no respect. This song clearly cast a shameful eye on Americans, and it is not a song about national pride as most people think.

"Born in the U.S.A."

Born down in a dead mans town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog thats been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
I was born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the u.s..a....

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said son if it was up to me
Went down to see my v.a. man
He said son, dont you understand

I had a brother at khe sahn
Fighting off the viet cong
Theyre still there, hes all gone

He had a woman he loved in saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
Im ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run aint got nowhere to go

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., Im a long gone daddy in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., Im a cool rocking daddy in the u.s.a.