Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
End up like a dog that's been beat too much
'Til you spend half your life just to cover it up now

Born in the USA
I was born in the USA
I was born in the USA
Born in the USA now

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the USA
I was born in the USA
I was born in the USA
I was born in the USA

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said, "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my VA man
He said, "Son, don't you understand now?"
(Ok)
(No, no)
(No, no, no)

I had a brother at Khe Sanh
Fighting off all 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 USA
I was born in the USA now
Born in the USA
I'm a long gone Daddy in the USA now
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
Born in the USA
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the USA now

(Oh, no)
(Oh, no, no, no)
(Oh, no, no)
(Oh, no, no, no)
Hey
(Oh, no, no)
Woo


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Born in the U.S.A. Lyrics as written by Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Born in the U.S.A. song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    Much like a lot of people, when I first heard this song I was also under the impression that it was patriotic and joyful. It wasn't until I was 17 or 18 that I really understood it.

    He's talking about the country that he was born into, raised in, touted as the greatest in the world. He's talking about it in context to the Vietnam War. The character in the song has a brother and a lover of his brother, both whom are killed during this meaningless conflict. The lines "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"

    show that these vets are living dead-end lives with little or no positive change in their future. Even the line where he talks about the woman and his brother "They're long gone" shows that some peopel really didn't pay any attention to the people returning from Vietnam.

    ryfall101on August 10, 2012   Link

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