Note: After working on a final album sequence for two days, Bruce called the band in to the Hit Factory on July 28, 1983 to record a new song, "Bobby Jean". After playing into the wee hours of the next morning, eight takes had been recorded. Overdubs and mixing completed the track on October 10, 1983. Though it was not known at the time, this was the tenth track that would eventually comprise the Born In The U.S.A. album, with "No Surrender" and "Dancing In the Dark" still to come. Bruce said, ""Bobby Jean" and "No Surrender" were great tributes to the bonding power of rock and my friendship with Steve." Just the one outtake of "Bobby Jean" circulates, said to be from a March 1984 rough mix of the album. Seemingly identical to the final album cut, it however includes the full "ah-1-2-3-4" count-in that was shortened to "2-3-4" on the album.
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V1 |
2:22 |
FFOD / HNWB / MT2 |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V2 |
0:30 |
FFOD / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V3 |
4:45 |
FFOD / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V4 |
3:10 |
FFOD / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V5 |
2:55 |
FFOD / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V6 |
4:00 |
FFOD / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V7a (take 1) |
3:06 |
LM-1 / HNWB |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V7b (take 1 mix 2) |
3:06 |
TRACKS |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8 (take 2) |
|
private |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V9 (take 3) |
|
private |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V10 (take 4) |
|
private |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V11 (takes 5-8) |
|
uncirculating |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12 (take 9) |
8:09 |
THLBB / UH / GS / BUERM / MI |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12a (take 9 edit 1) |
4:34 |
BITUSA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / GREATEST: 2009 / CHAPTER / BESTOF |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12b (take 9 edit 2) |
4:52 |
LM-19 / THLBP |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V13 (take 10) |
|
uncirculating |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14a freedom mix |
7:20 |
1984 EP |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14b radio mix |
6:10 |
1984 EP |
| BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14c dub mix |
7:36 |
1984 EP |
Note: Writing and recording began at Springsteen's house in Colts Neck, NJ during the fall of 1981 with a set of acoustic demos. V1 evolved, both musically and lyrically, from the bluesy demo "Vietnam". V1 includes the chorus "born in the USA" that Springsteen lifted from the title of a script of a Paul Schrader movie given to him by Jon Landau, as well as many lyrical elements that would remain in the final released version. The demo begins its transition with V2, a brief snippet of the "Born In The U.S.A." riff, the opening verse, and then the sardonic chorus "Born baby in the USA / I believe in the American way". V3-V6 were all recorded soon after, and see Springsteen developing the lyrics with every take. V7 was recorded between December 17, 1981 and January 3, 1982 on the TEAC Portastudio that Mike Batlan had set up in Bruce's home, and was included on the demo cassette tape sent to Jon Landau. In his notes to Landau, Bruce described the song as "a little ditty. should be done very hard rockin." A copy leaked to bootleggers via Batlan and was pressed on 'Lost Masters I' in 1996, before V7b was mixed in 1998 and officially released on Tracks.
When Bruce and the E Street Band entered Power Station on April 26, 1982, the aim was to re-record the songs on his demo tape in a professional studio environment. Logs indicate that work on "Born In The U.S.A." began on the second day, and continued on April 28 and May 3. What work was done on what day is unclear, but it appears that the bulk of the song was recorded across ten takes on a single night, most likely May 3. A Power Station mixsheet dated to May 3 exists, which supports this position. We know that Springsteen initially attempted to re-record his demo tape alone, which may have occurred on April 27 and 28.
On May 3, Springsteen and the band cut a number of takes of a rocking electric reimagining of that original acoustic demo. In take 2 Bruce sung the first verse over his electric guitar, before bass and drum joined in. Take 3 sees Max accompanying Bruce right from the opening, yet the famous organ riff is nowhere to be found. Take 4 begins with Springsteen singing the first verse a cappella, before the band join in. We now skip ahead to take 9, where the riff is now in place alongside other new elements, some of which did not make the final track. Brief audio of the opening verse of takes 2, 3, 4, and the multitracks of take 9 first emerged in April 2022, played by Toby Scott at a public event in Mexico City. Recollections vary as to the origin of the riff; Roy Bittan remembers Springsteen demonstrating the song on acoustic guitar before he improvised the organ riff on a new Yamaha CS-80 synth, and the first take evolved from there. Max Weinberg, however, recalls the first recording was as "a country trio" with a country beat (Max may have been referring to the arrangement found in takes 2-4 above), and the main riff came from Springsteen's guitar. Weinberg doesn't dispute Bittan's memories though.
The eight minute V12 is the full length of take 9. With some edits, including using all or parts of take 10 (V13) for the ending, this take eventually became the first song on side one of Born In The U.S.A (V12b). V12c continues where V12b fades out with an extended synthesizer ending. Toby Scott recalls a total of eight to ten takes, with take six (or nine, recollections seem to vary) as the master. V14a-V14c are 12" dance remixes by Arthur Baker that were recorded at Shakedown Studios in New York City in September 1984. Toby Scott was the recording engineer for the remixes (which include additional vocals by The Latin Rascals), and all were mixed by Bob Clearmountain. The remixes were first released in December 1984. Baker utilized several aspects of the original mixes that were removed for the final album take.
| COVER ME - V1a |
3:15 |
THLBB / RTT |
| COVER ME - V1b |
3:36 |
1984AC / BUERM |
| COVER ME - V1c |
3:28 |
BITUSA |
| COVER ME - V2 |
|
uncirculating |
| COVER ME (Undercover Mix) - V3a |
6:11 |
1984 EP |
| COVER ME (Radio) - V3b |
3:46 |
1984 EP |
| COVER ME (Dub I) - V3c |
4:11 |
1984 EP |
| COVER ME (Dub II) - V3d |
4:14 |
1984 EP |
Note: "Cover Me" was recorded at The Hit Factory on January 25, 1982. Earlier that month, David Geffen had approached Jon Landau to ask if Springsteen would write a song for Donna Summer. In response, Bruce wrote "Cover Me", but after Landau heard the January 25 tape, he told Bruce to come up with another song, because "we're keeping this one". In response, Bruce wrote "Protection". The January 25 session was recorded by Neil Dorfsman, who was also working on the Gary U.S. Bonds On the Line sessions. A copyright was filed on February 8, 1982.
The two circulating outtakes appear to be the same vocal. V1a is an alternative mix that lacks Springsteen's lead guitar overdubs, but has the count-in and full ending chopped off the released track. Note that the take found on the 'This Hard Land' vinyl bootleg runs very fast. V1b is believed to date from a March 1984 rough mix of the album, and includes Springsteen's lead guitar overdubs, the full ending and no fade-out. V1c, the final album track, cuts the ending short with a fade-out, and features background vocals by Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg. On May 12, 1982, Springsteen cut nine additional takes (V2) at the Power Station, but those recordings remain in the vault. It is possible that these takes relate to the guitar overdubs.
V3a thru V3d are dance/disco remixes cut at The Hit Factory in July 1984 by Arthur Baker. The recording engineer was Toby Scott, and they were released in early September 1984. Baker was requested to remix "Cover Me" following the success of his "Dancing In The Dark" remixes. A far more radical remix than "Dancing In The Dark" was, Baker's Undercover Mix added a new bassline from Moja Nya bassist Brian Rock, replaced much of the guitar with organ and keyboards by Gary Henry, and added percussion by session legend Bashiri Johnson. The backing vocals are courtesy of Jocelyn Brown, which were previously unused tracks recorded before Baker started work. According to Baker, Springsteen took influence from his mix for the intro and bassline in live performances.
| DANCING IN THE DARK - V1a |
4:31 |
BUERM / 1984AC |
| DANCING IN THE DARK - V1b |
3:57 |
BITUSA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / GREATEST: 2009 / BESTOF |
| DANCING IN THE DARK - V2a blaster mix |
6:09 |
1984 EP |
| DANCING IN THE DARK - V2b radio mix |
4:50 |
1984 EP |
| DANCING IN THE DARK - V2c dub mix |
5:30 |
1984 EP |
Note: The last song on Born In The U.S.A. to be recorded. Written after Jon Landau convinced Bruce that the album needed a single. According to Dave Marsh in Glory Days, Bruce was not impressed with Landau's approach. "Look," he snarled, "I've written seventy songs. You want another one, you write it." Despite this reaction, Bruce sat in his hotel room and wrote the song in a single night, essentially writing about his frustrations, sick of "trying to write this book." Six takes were cut on February 14, 1984 at The Hit Factory, utilizing a new Yamaha synthesizer, but the track was not completed until March 8, after 58 mixes. Just the one outtake of "Dancing In The Dark" circulates, V1a, that contains a longer sax solo and a hard-ending (no fade-out) at the end that was cut short for the official album version. Curiously, the final synthesizer note is held for a few seconds at the conclusion of the song. This take is sourced from a March 1984 rough cut of the album. The 7" and 12" singles were released on May 9, 1984, and the 12" finished as the biggest seller in the U.S.A. that year.
V2a thru V2c are extended, radio friendly dance/disco remixes cut at the Power Station in April or early May 1984 by Arthur Baker, at the request of Columbia Records. The recording engineer for the remixes was Chris Lord-Alge. Providing the backing female vocals are Cindy Mizelle, Jocelyn Brown, and Baker's then-wife Tina B. Mizelle would later join the Sessions Band in 2006, and then become an E Street regular as a member of the E Street Choir between 2009 and 2014. These remixes were released on June 29, 1984.
| DARLINGTON COUNTY - V1 |
|
uncirculating |
| DARLINGTON COUNTY - V2 |
5:04 |
private |
| DARLINGTON COUNTY - V3a |
5:20 |
LM-19 / THLRR |
| DARLINGTON COUNTY - V3b |
4:44 |
BITUSA |
Note: The title "Darlington County" is first known from the early days of the Darkness On The Edge Of Town sessions, where it can be found on a worksheet that is believed to date from late June 1977. The worksheet is reproduced in the facsimile book included in the Darkness box set, and "Darlington County" is the first item on the list, with the note "notice structure of tape." That suggests "Darlington County" was worked on during the sessions, but it does not appear in any session logs, and aside from the title it is unknown how it relates to the Born In The U.S.A. cut. Also found in the book is the familiar couplet "My eyes have seen the glory of the comin' of the Lord / He was peelin' down the alley in a black and yellow Ford," not too dissimilar than what could be found in the version that was recorded some five years later during the Born In The U.S.A. sessions.
At some point, it was set aside and not picked up again until 1981. V2 is a band rehearsal from Colts Neck, New Jersey, probably recorded some time in late 1981; a rather pedestrian take, as noted by both Max and Bruce at the conclusion of the song. V3 was recorded in a single take at Power Station, New York on May 13, 1982. V3a, which appears to be a slightly longer, slower take on 'Lost Masters XIX' is actually the released version V4b, before vocal overdubs, fixed-up intro, and the use of varispeed to speed the track up. Track 8 on 'Lost Masters Volume 7', titled "Untitled Harmonies #1", is a short clip from January 1980 of Springsteen singing a tune that bears some resemblance to "Darlington County".
Note: V1 and V2 are brief acoustic demos that were recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ in late 1981. V1 includes the closing line used in both the Nebraska take and the final Born In The U.S.A. album version: "don't it feel like you're a rider [baby], on a downbound train." V2 is just harmonies, with no lyrical content. A demo was recorded and dubbed to a cassette tape on December 2, 1981 - nothing else is known about this particular recording, but it may be related to V3, a full acoustic run-through of the song recorded at some point between mid-December 1981 and January 3, 1982, with the patented Nebraska ending. Described by Springsteen in his notes to Jon Landau as an "uptempo rocker for full effect / needs band / could be exciting."
Power Station logs show sessions took place on April 27 and 28 and May 3, 5 and 6, 1982, the result of which provided the base track, V4. V4a features Springsteen's count-in, a small lyrical variation in the first verse left over from the acoustic demo ("laid off down at the auto yard" rather than "lumber yard"), some vocal howls in the mid-section, more up-front acoustic guitar over the final verse, and a shorter fade-out. Nearly a year later Bruce returned to "Downbound Train" on February 3, 1983 (V5) at Thrill Hill West, his Hollywood Hills garage studio. However, it was the 1982 cut that was issued on Born In The U.S.A. in 1984.
Note: V1 is a very early solo acoustic demo recorded sometime between September 1981 and April 1982. It includes an early version of the verse about Springsteen's father that was cut from the final album version but appears in most circulating bootlegs. V2 is a Colts Neck band rehearsal that can be dated to around the same period, but after V1. The verse about his father is there, Bruce can be heard calling out instructions occasionally, there are minor lyrical variations throughout, and it lacks the entire call-and-response ending. V3 is recorded at Power Station on May 5, 1982; four different mixes are known. V3a only appears on 'This Hard Land' issues and 'Roll The Tapes', and is unique because of the serious audio distortion that runs throughout. V3b is unedited and contains the extra verse cut from the officially released version. The wild variations in track length appear to be due to tape speed, and there are two variations in the count-in. An alternative source of V3b includes an engineer identifying the take as #11.
Note: Original title was "Down, Down, Down". All the above were recorded at the Power Station on May 12–13, 1982, with over ten takes on the latter date, including the album cut. V1 is often timed at 3:29, due to a circulating ultra-fast version (Castaway and This Hard Land vinyl boots). V2a, which 'Lost Masters' says was recorded November 9, 1983, was also from the 13th - November 9 may have been the date it was mixed. V2 lacks the extra guitar over the introduction and the saxophone solo. V2 is take #9.
Note: Rumored to have been initially recorded at The Hit Factory in January 1982, but the Born In The U.S.A. track was completed on May 11, 1982 at the Power Station. V1a and 1b have slightly different vocals and arrangements, and longer fade-outs than the officially released V1d. V1c, believed to be a track from a March 1984 rough mix of the album, has the complete ending to a hard-stop (i.e. no fade-out), as well as some small changes to the vocals over the closing coda.
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V1 |
3:30 |
LM-17 / MT1 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V2 |
3:14 |
LM-17 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V3 |
3:23 |
LM-17 / GS#1 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V4 |
3:16 |
LM-17 / GS#2 |
| MY HOMETOWN - V5 take 1 |
6:47 |
uncirculating |
| MY HOMETOWN - V6 take 2 |
6:22 |
uncirculating |
| MY HOMETOWN - V7 take 3 |
4:25 |
BITUSA / GREATEST |
| MY HOMETOWN - V8 take 4 |
4:54 |
LM-19 |
Note: Written in late 1982 as a rockabilly song called "Your Hometown", with many of the album version lyrics finished by late January 1983. The second verse tells the real-life story of events in Springsteen's hometown of Freehold in May 1969, when a shoot-out between cars of white and black kids turned almost fatal, and the racial tensions and violence in the aftermath. V1–V4 were early takes recorded by Bruce and Toby Scott at his new home, at 7965 Fareholm Drive, Los Angeles, California 90046, on January 29 and 30, and February 9 and 17, 1983. The demos are of good quality, probably prepared to aid in teaching the song to the band. Instead, Bruce set it aside for a few months, and came back with a new title, "My Hometown", and an arrangement for the band. On June 29, 1983 at The Hit Factory, four complete takes were recorded, but the first two were discarded because they both exceeded six minutes. Takes 3 and 4, which both featuring Ruth Jackson (wife of sound engineer Bruce Jackson) on background vocals, were the final result, with take 3 (V7) chosen for Born In The U.S.A..
| NO SURRENDER - V1 |
3:57 |
BITUSA |
| NO SURRENDER - V2 |
|
uncirculating |
Note: Near the end of the Born In the U.S.A. sessions, Bruce brings in a new composition, "No Surrender", and the band goes to work on it for three days, October 25–27, 1983, with the album arrangement (V1) recorded October 27 at The Hit Factory. Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg contributes background vocals. Springsteen would return on November 29, 1983 to cut an acoustic version (V2). The song almost didn't make the album, and was only added after Steve Van Zandt convinced Springsteen that it should be included. At the time CBS had an eleven-song album without "No Surrender" ready to go. Van Zandt argued that "Dancing In The Dark" should be cut in favor of "No Surrender", but in the end there was space on the album for both.
| WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V1 |
3:25 |
private |
| WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V2 |
3:18 |
MI / THLRR / BUERM / TDB |
| WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V3 |
3:35 |
private cdr |
| WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V4a |
3:09 |
LM-19 / UH / GS |
| WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V4b |
3:10 |
BITUSA |
Note: Springsteen took the lyrics of January 1982's "Child Bride" and wrote an entirely new rock melody to create "Working On The Highway". V1 is a Colts Neck full band performance that appears to predate the "Child Bride" recording, since it has a completely different final verse from both "Child Bride" and the final studio take of "Working On The Highway". This song lacks the "We lit out down to Florida" verse entirely, and replaces it with the protagonist suggesting that he wants to see her father to say "my love is pure and true," but first he must "drop a two lane blacktop from here to Timbuktu." There are also a few minor lyrical elements closer to "Child Bride", for example parts of lines three and four are reversed, as they are in the Nebraska outtake. V2–V4 recorded at Power Station on April 30 and May 6, 1982.
