Born In The USA

Jim Adams, aka Newepicauthor, the creator of A Unique Title For Me, is hosting SONG-LYRIC-SUNDAY and this week he has chosen the theme: AMERICAN MUSIC

I have lots and lots of Indian friends and relatives…and I find it hard not to say Amrica because so many of my friends pronounce America with three syllables instead of four. In fact we all laughed so much when we watched “Bride And Prejudice” and heard Mr Kohli describe his life over in the US. If you don’t know what I am talking about…I have tagged a video at the end of this post.

Which song should I pick today from the contributions the US have made to the musical world? Country music? Rap? Bluegrass? Rock ‘n’ Roll?

Come on – it has to be Springsteen surely!! An iconic American song with some rather satirical lyrics about some of the more baffling aspects of American culture – guns, warring overseas, falling in love with a girl in the land they are stationed. I guess this song is about how disillusioned and confused the protagonist is at this stage.

Born down in a dead man’s town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that’s 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.
I was 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.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says “Son if it was up to me”
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said “Son, don’t you understand”

I had a brother at Khe Sanh fighting off the Viet Cong
They’re still there, he’s 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
I’m ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I’m 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.
I’m a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.

Written By: Bruce Springsteen