Bruce Springsteen lyrics -- Bruce Springsteen shows -- Bruce Springsteen records

Song title: Born in the USA


Born in the USA

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....

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, don’t you understand”

I had a brother at Khe Sahn
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.

Born in the USA - Nebraska - time version

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

Chorus:

Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man

(Chorus)

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

(Chorus)

I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They’re still there, he’s all gone
He had a little girl in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I’m ten years down the road
Nowhere to run, ain’t got nowhere to go
I’m a long gone daddy in the USA
Born in the USA.
I’m a cool rocking daddy in the USA
Born in the USA

Notes: These lyrics refers to the “Tracks” version, recorded at Thrill Hill Recording in January 1982. Slightly different from the album version.

Statistics from the KILLING FLOOR (www.brucespringsteen.it) database

Published on the following official releases:

First known live performance: 08/06/1984 Stone Pony, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Last known live performance: 15/12/2018 Walter Kerr Theatre, New York,NY ,USA

Song 'history':


Originally recorded acoustically for the NEBRASKA album, but then left out of the album ,to be inserted, two years later, in the well-known full band version, on BORN IN THE U.S.A.
A stable inclusion in each Born in the U.S.A. tour show
The song (in live version) was then included in the 'LIVE 1975-85' box set
Played at the Bridge Benefit show, 13-Oct-1986.
Played during the '1987 bar tour', which is the name under which I group the 1987 shows Bruce played with various small bands, or guesting, in small NJ clubs.
During the Tunnel of Love tour, the song was regularly included in every show
Performed 20 times during the 1988 Amnesty International tour
Performed pratically every night of the Human Touch tour, being left out only two times
The song was then included in the GREATEST HITS compilation, released in 1995.
Played each night of the Ghost of Tom Joad tour
The TRACKS studio out-take collection included an alternate version of the song. Also included in the TRACKS 'greatest hits', '18-TRACKS'.
A frequent number (52 apparitions) of renderings during the Reunion tour
The last NY show(s) of the Reunion Tour were released in both CD and DVD (more songs) 'LIVE IN NYC', which included also this song
A frequent number (73 apparitions) of renderings during the Rising tour
The Barcelona show of the Rising tour was broadcast and released on DVD 'LIVE IN BARCELONA', which included also this song
Played during the 'Double Take' shows in 2002
The song was then included in the ESSENTIAL compilation, released in 2003.
Played during the Vote For Change tour, in October 2004.
Not much used during the Devils and Dust tour, deserving only less than a dozen renderings
Played during the rehearsals for the Magic tour, in Sep 2007.
It only saw the light 3 times in the whole Magic tour
It only saw the light less than a dozen times in the whole Working on a Dream tour
A discrete number of performances (64) was given during the Wrecking Ball tour
Often played during the High Hopes tour (12 times)
Often played during the 2016 The River tour (26 times)
Published in live soundtrack of 'Springsteen on Broadway' show
A real milestone of each setlist of the Springsteen on Broadway tour

The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database