Lyric discussion by patsfanmass 

Cover art for Independence Day lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

To me, its about a son who has grown to a man its time to leave the house, leave the home his father raised him in, leave his father's life. Not completely, not what I mean. Just that he's going to follow different footsteps, follow a different path than his dad. They're just different people. Nothing his father says about where the son wants to go will change the son's mind. And I think the son is telling him its okay. Its okay he's leaving, its okay he's following a different path in life. To me, there is still love conveyed there for his father even if he's not going exactly where the father wanted him to go.