Born In The U.S.A.

Home » Statistical Information » Songs » Songs =- B -= » Born In The U.S.A.

Track 1 of Born In The U.S.A., 1984.

Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: synthesizer, backing vocals
- Clarence Clemons: percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: piano, glockenspiel
- Garry Tallent: bass, backing vocals
- Steven Van Zandt: guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums, backing vocals

Tracks (1998)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, acoustic guitar

Arthur Baker Remixes (1984)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: synthesizer, backing vocals
- Albert Cabrera: tom toms, dulcimer, glockenspiel, backing vocals, bass synthesizer, horn synthesizer, gunshots
- Clarence Clemons: percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: piano, glockenspiel
- Tony Moran: tom toms, dulcimer, glockenspiel, backing vocals, bass synthesizer, horn synthesizer, gunshots
- Garry Tallent: bass, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums, backing vocals
- Steve Van Zandt: guitar, mandolin, backing vocals

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	3:06	LM-1 / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V7b	3:06	TRACKS
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8a	8:09	THLBB / UH / GS / BUERM / MI
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8b	5:00	LM-19 / THLBP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8c - take 9	4:36	BITUSA
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8d - freedom mix	7:20	1984 EP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8e - radio mix	6:10	1984 EP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8f - dub mix	7:36	1984 EP

^{Track-sheet from a recording of 'Born In The U.S.A.', dated May 3, 1982.}

Note: V1 is wildly different from subsequent takes. V2 is when things start to get familiar, featuring the lyrics "Born baby in the USA, I believe in the American way". A fascinating glimpse at the development of a classic. Recorded at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September to December 1981. V3 Only one recording was made - the two variants above are merely alternate mixes. Written after Jon Landau sent Springsteen a Paul Schrader script with the same title in 1981, evolving from an earlier song called "Vietnam". In his notes to Landau, Bruce describes the song as "[a] little ditty.[that] should be done very hard rockin'." V8 recorded in just four takes (two complete) at The Power Station on April 27-28 and May 3, 1982, with the E Street Band during the "Electric Nebraska Session". V8a contains a different Springsteen vocal overdub and a very long, extended jam ending, and V8b leaked out of the sessions, and was released unofficially on one of the permutations of the bootleg, "This Hard Land". V8c (take 9) was completed on May 3, and became the first song on side one of the album, "Born In the USA". V8d thru V8f were dance remixes of V8c, undertaken by Producer/Mixer Arthur Baker, and recorded at Shakedown Studio in New York City around September 1984. The recording engineer for the remixes was Toby Scott; the remixes (which include additional vocals by The Latin Rascals) were first released in December 1984.

^{Studio Sessions: Born In The U.S.A.}

Born In The U.S.A.

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up now

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., now

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

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A., yeah
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says, "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said, "Son don't you understand now"

Oh yeah
Oh no
No no no

I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off them 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 U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A., now
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A., now
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A., now

No no no
No no no no
No no no
No no no no

Whoa!
Oh no no
Whoa!
Yeahhh…
Whoa!

One, two, three, four!

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}

Born In The U.S.A. (Tracks)

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.

I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.

Come back home to the refineries
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
I go down to see the V.A. man
He says "Son don't you understand"

Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A., born in the U.S.A.

I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone
He had a little girl in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms

Hoo hoo hoo!
Hoo!

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years down the road
Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go
Hoo!

I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Hoo hoo hoo!
Hoo hoo

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}