Born In the USA #1
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics

Born down in a dead man's town
I was born in a place where there wasn't much hope or opportunity.

The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
Life hit me hard from the very start.

You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
The constant struggles and hardships can wear you down mentally and physically.

Till you spend half your life just covering up
Trying to hide who you truly are becomes a way of life when you feel like you don't fit in.

Got in a little hometown jam
I got into some trouble in my small town.

So they put a rifle in my hand
As a result, I was drafted to fight in a war.

Sent me off to a foreign land
I was sent to fight in Vietnam, far away from everything I knew.

To go and kill the yellow man
I was told to kill people who I didn't know simply because they were from Vietnam.

Come back home to the refinery
When I returned from the war, I couldn't find a job and had to work at a factory.

Hiring man said "son if it was up to me"
Even though I was a veteran, discrimination and prejudice made it hard for me to find work.

Went down to see my V.A. man
I went to the Department of Veterans Affairs to try to get help for my physical and emotional wounds from the war.

He said "son, don't you understand"
But I didn't receive the support and help I needed, and felt like nobody cared.

I had a brother at Khe Sahn
My brother was also in Vietnam, stationed at Khe Sahn.

Fighting off the Viet Cong
He was fighting against the enemy, the Viet Cong.

They're still there, he's all gone
My brother died in the war, and I feel like his sacrifice was for nothing since the war was still ongoing.

He had a woman he loved in Saigon
My brother had a Vietnamese girlfriend who he loved during his time in Saigon.

I got a picture of him in her arms now
I have a picture of my brother in the arms of his girlfriend, which is a reminder of his humanity and the pointless war he died in.

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
I live near a prison, which is a symbol of the oppressive and unjust system I live in.

Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I work in a dangerous and dirty factory to make a living.

I'm ten years burning down the road
I have been struggling and suffering for a long time, trying to find meaning and purpose in my life.

Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
I feel trapped and lost, with no escape from my circumstances.

I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
I'm a man who feels disconnected from his society and culture, and cannot relate to those around him.

Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
I was born in America, but it has not been a land of opportunity or freedom for me.

Born in the U.S.A., I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.
Despite my struggles, I am still proud to be an American and express my pain and frustration through my music and art.