“You can’t start a fire without a spark”: Born In The USA (Bruce Springsteen)

[singlepic id=2 w=320 h=240 float=left]

 

 

Year: 1984

Genre: Heartland Rock

Preceded by: Nebraska (1982)

Followed by: Tunnel of Love (1987)

Related to: not available yet

 

 

Real album lovers as we are all over the world, we don’t buy ourselves any ‘greatest hits’ discs. Real album lover as I am, I won’t discuss any of such discs over here. A studio album that sounds like a greatest hits disc is no problem. Certainly when it actually delivered seven hit singles.

That’s exactly why Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen’s seventh studio album, has that misleading commercial sound which makes it a very accessible rock album. This sound was in great contrast with Springsteen’s preceding album Nebraska, containing dark, pessimistic and acoustic songs. But Born in the USA does in fact not differ that much from this introspective album. As a matter of fact, most of the album was already recorded before the release of Nebraska. That’s why it has at least as much heart and soul in it.

Springsteen just decided not to include songs like ‘Born in the USA’ and many others as they did not coincide with the rest of the album. Springsteen wanted to bundle these songs on another album, which had to express a more optimistic and positive sound. So out of a large collection recorded songs he chose the ones that sounded best, introduced some synthesized arrangements and conquered all radio stations.

The first monster hit of the album was ‘Dancing in the Dark’, a song about getting frustrated because you can’t write a hit single. Yeah, irony. Other personal favorites are hit singles ‘I’m on Fire’ and ‘Glory Days’, and ‘Bobby Jean’, an ode to E-Street Band member Steven Van Zandt. Just put on the record and sing along for 47 minutes.

Top Tracks:
1. I’m on Fire
2. Bobby Jean
3. Dancing In The Dark