"Born In The USA" Album: Thirty Year Anniversary (1 Viewer)

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Released on June 4th 1984. It was the top selling album of the year (outselling Purple Rain).

I know there are a lot of strong opinions about this album, both negative and positive, particularly when it comes to Springsteen fans.

From a cultural standpoint, I just remember how thunderously it hit MTV. It was everywhere, re-energizing Bruce's career, putting him on a level he had never been before. Courtney Cox turns fifty this year, and of course she starred on one of the all-time top TV shows, but to me she will always be the girl who Bruce pulled out of the audience.

 

[Tom Servo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

 

[FUBAR]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

Seems this way, but really that's just showing our age.

Thriller is the only album you listed that belongs in the all-time best tier.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

Seems this way, but really that's just showing our age.

Thriller is the only album you listed that belongs in the all-time best tier.

Don't know about that, but I meant more in a cross-cultural way than in terms of quality. I can remember the Police getting airplay on black radio stations and they didn't work in a primarily "black" style (like Eminem). All of those guys were massive cultural presences in a way that musicians these days aren't due to the industry's fragmentation.

 

[Ghost Rider]

It's a good album, and very good for Springsteen (whom I've never held in very high regard). This, Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town are the only albums of his I like enough to give the occasional listen.

Favorite songs from this are Dancing in the Dark and No Surrender.

 

[Christo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

Did it stir the gay in you?

 

[simey]

I voted Good, Good, and I'm Going Down.

 

[Jefferson the Caregiver]

Not the biggest Springsteen fan but I do like Asbury Park, Born To Run and Nebraska more than others. I really never liked this album much.

Voted Meh, Okay, Cover Me

 

[lakerstan]

A little off topic, but I never really cared for Springsteen until I saw him live. He puts on a GREAT performance, and it seems like a lot of his social commentary songs don't get airplay. Born in the USA was a big hit because of the chorus. I doubt half the listeners take the time to listen to the rest of the lyrics.

 

[Christo]

A little off topic, but I never really cared for Springsteen until I saw him live. He puts on a GREAT performance, and it seems like a lot of his social commentary songs don't get airplay.

Because they're boring.

Born in the USA was a big hit because of the chorus. I doubt half the listeners take the time to listen to the rest of the lyrics.

Well, yeah. It wasn't meant to be a "Murica, #### Yeah!" anthem.

 

[Kumerica]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

Seems this way, but really that's just showing our age.

Thriller is the only album you listed that belongs in the all-time best tier.

Such a wrong statement. Purple Rain and Synchronicity were and are absolute masterpieces.

 

[Chaos Commish]

I voted Good, Good, and I'm Going Down.

I voted good, sell out and I'm Going Down. You almost got it right.

 

[Tom Servo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

Did it stir the gay in you?

You offering?

 

[fatness]

Downbound Train is the best song on the album. The album's OK, but not as good as Born to Run or The River.

 

[Christo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

Did it stir the gay in you?

You offering?

No, but your curiosity doesn't surprise me.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Downbound Train is the best song on the album. The album's OK, but not as good as Born to Run or The River.

 

[Tom Servo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

Did it stir the gay in you?

You offering?

No, but your curiosity doesn't surprise me.

And your curiousity about me and being gay doesn't surprise me either.

 

[Tau837]

Born to Run is one if the top 20 rock albums of all time and is easily Bruce's best. Born in the USA is a solid album but does not compare.

 

[Christo]

Courtney Cox looked hideous in short hair.

Did it stir the gay in you?

You offering?

No, but your curiosity doesn't surprise me.

And your curiousity about me and being gay doesn't surprise me either.

Why?

 

[Juxtatarot]

1. Born to Run

2. Asbury Park

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town

4. Nebraska

5. Born in the USA

6. The River

 

[tdoss]

Don't forget that Bruce and Courtney spawned that Carlton dance from Fresh Prince.

#ThisAlbumChangedTheNation

 

[tdoss]

And to be honest...I cannot see the title of that song/album without hearing Cheech Marin singing, "Man I wuz...borrrrrn in East L.A." in my head.

 

[kutta]

I graduated high school in 1984 and absolutely loved this album. No surrender is my favorite song from it. This is one album that really stirs a lot of memories for me. It seems like I can relate almost every song to some weird stupid thing going on in my life at that time.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Good/Good/No Surrender

 

[Herb]

I think this album suffers some from the massive over-saturation it got on radio at the time. There were what, six top 40 singles on this record? At least two top 10s? If you were to go twenty years without hearing any of these tunes and then listened to the album, you'd be blown away by it if you had any appreciation for Springsteen whatsoever.

Voted all time/ one of the best (Darkness on the Edge of Town will forever be my favorite Springsteen record) and Born In the USA.

And also, Purple Rain is an absolute masterpiece in the same vein, suffering from overplay. I'd take either of these over Thriller.

 

[FUBAR]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

Seems this way, but really that's just showing our age.

Thriller is the only album you listed that belongs in the all-time best tier.

Such a wrong statement. Purple Rain and Synchronicity were and are absolute masterpieces.

Purple rain was extremely good but short of all time bests imo. It's in the next group.

Your tier would have to be huge to include synch in the top tier.

 

[beer 30]

1. Born to Run

2. Asbury Park

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town

4. Nebraska

5. Born in the USA

6. The River

Close to mine but I was never a fan of Nebraska and I'd flop The River & Born In the USA. To me the top three are interchangeable (throw in the Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle). I wore those cassettes out. The River was the start of his "sell out", Born In The USA was the total immersion. I think a girlfriend bought me Tunnel of Love, listened to it once and haven't listen to anything he's done since. Born In The USA was his commercial success that put him on the map but to me it was a major departure from his earlier stuff. I've never listened to a musician that could pull yo into a song like Springsteen could. Every song on Born To Run & all but Factory on Darkness were anthems to me and the guys I hung with. Depending on the night & your mood there was a song on one of those albums that nailed it. Love the old Bruce, his shows were epic.

 

[Kumerica]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

Seems this way, but really that's just showing our age.

Thriller is the only album you listed that belongs in the all-time best tier.

Such a wrong statement. Purple Rain and Synchronicity were and are absolute masterpieces.

Purple rain was extremely good but short of all time bests imo. It's in the next group.

Your tier would have to be huge to include synch in the top tier.

Very curious to know what would go in your tier? And how many albums are allowed in this tier? Are you going by sales, thus allowing Eagles Greatest Hits and Shania Twain into said tier?

Actually, I don't really care—your earlier statement already exposed your madness.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

21 y.o. club hopping BL agrees.

 

[McGarnicle]

1. Born to Run

2. Asbury Park

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town

4. Nebraska

5. Born in the USA

6. The River

Close to mine but I was never a fan of Nebraska and I'd flop The River & Born In the USA. To me the top three are interchangeable (throw in the Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle). I wore those cassettes out. The River was the start of his "sell out", Born In The USA was the total immersion. I think a girlfriend bought me Tunnel of Love, listened to it once and haven't listen to anything he's done since. Born In The USA was his commercial success that put him on the map but to me it was a major departure from his earlier stuff. I've never listened to a musician that could pull yo into a song like Springsteen could. Every song on Born To Run & all but Factory on Darkness were anthems to me and the guys I hung with. Depending on the night & your mood there was a song on one of those albums that nailed it. Love the old Bruce, his shows were epic.

I tend to agree, but I played the crap out of The Rising. Very powerful album for anyone who was affected by 9/11.

 

[Premier]

I feel like The Rising and Wrecking Ball are two great Bruce albums and they've come out in the last 15 years.

 

[simey]

I feel like The Rising and Wrecking Ball are two great Bruce albums and they've come out in the last 15 years.

I think his We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is a very good album.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

21 y.o. club hopping BL agrees.

I was 23 when BITUSA came out

 

[BobbyLayne]

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

21 y.o. club hopping BL agrees.

I was 23 when BITUSA came out

Can't Slow Down led me to discover the Commodores catalog. Quite the revelation after a decade of prog rock and AOR radio. That summer I saw Cindi Lauper, Prince and Yes in the same month.

 

[Parrothead]

Downbound Train is the best song on the album. The album's OK, but not as good as Born to Run or The River.

 

[JaxBill]

Thirty years since they "picked" Courtney Coxe out of audience in the 'Dancing in the Dark" video.

 

[Premier]

I feel like The Rising and Wrecking Ball are two great Bruce albums and they've come out in the last 15 years.

I think his We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is a very good album.

It is. Forgot about that one.

High Hopes is not a great album, but the version of Tom Joad on there is absolutely awesome.

 

[Rove!]

I voted "good" (if there had been a "very good" I would've gone with that, but I don't think it's "great"), "best", and "Cover Me".

I think this album is where Bruce's lyrics and music mixed the best. A lot of his earlier stuff, while maybe more adventurous musically, could also be excessive (especially lyrically). He's tighter here, while still providing an emotional punch.

Man, the superstars were throwing haymakers around this time weren't they? Thriller, Synchronicity, Purple Rain, Born In The USA, Can't Slow Down,etc.....It was probably the last time so many acts were so frigging huge across so many cultural lines.

the last time frame when you had everybody listening to the same stations and radio formats...the market has splintered...

 

[Ghost Rider]

Thirty years since they "picked" Courtney Coxe out of audience in the 'Dancing in the Dark" video.

How many years now since she destroyed her face with botox, plastic surgery or whatever?