Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” is one of his biggest and most beloved songs, but it’s also the most misunderstood. Its upbeat, bombastic sound masks its lyrics about the Vietnam War and the experiences of a veteran after returning home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Born in the U.S.A.”<\/a> began as a demo called “Vietnam,”<\/a> written in 1981 and recorded as part of the Electric Nebraska<\/em> sessions. Springsteen felt the song didn’t fit with the album, however, and instead, the final version ended up on Born in the U.S.A.<\/em>, Springsteen’s acclaimed seventh album released in 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the lyrics have been misinterpreted, the song has often been misused as a patriotic anthem, especially in political campaigns. Instead, Springsteen himself has called it a protest song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n