“Born in the U.S.A.” Bruce SpringsteenBruce Springsteen - LyricsLyrics / Works CitedWorks Cited Visit His Website From the “Born in the U.S.A.” album Presentation By: Russ Smith, 7 th Block

“Born in the USA” Lyrics 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 you life just covering up Born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A. Main Menu Next

“Born in the U.S.A.” Lyrics Got in a little hometown jam So they put a rifle in my handhand Sent me off to a foreign landforeignland To go and kill the yellow manman Born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A. Main Menu Next Back

“Born in the USA” Lyrics Come back home to the refineryrefinery 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” I had a brother at Khe SahnKhe Sahn fighting off the Viet CongViet Cong They’re still there, he’s all gone. Main Menu Next Back

“Born in the U.S.A” Lyrics He had a woman he loved in SaigonSaigon I got a picture of him in her arms now Down in the shadow of the penitentiarypenitentiary 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 Main Menu Next Back

“Born in the U.S.A.” Lyrics Born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A. 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. Main MenuBack

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen is a largely popular rock artist that rose to fame in the A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in-text citation goes here), Springsteen produced multiple hit albums and singles that focused on issues such as the war in Vietnam or 9/11. He was born on September 23, 1949 in Freehold, NJ to a poor family. His parents struggled to make ends meet while supporting Springsteen and his two sisters. He was finally given a guitar for his 16 th birthday. He taught himself to play and the rest would prove to be history. Springsteen started his musical career playing for various bands before Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. His first album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” was released in 1973 with other material also released during that year. His most famous album was “Born in the USA” featuring the hit single “Born in the U.S.” that discussed the Vietnam War. He is also well-known for his concert performances with highly attended stadium tours appearances at events like the Super Bowl. Main MenuNext Listen to more of Springsteen’s music

Refinery A refinery is an industrial facility that turns crude oil into products such as Kerosene, Diesel, and Gasoline. The process includes heating up the oil. Refineries aren’t very desirable places to be as referenced in the song. They represent a bad area to be in the song. For more information: Main MenuBack to Lyrics

Foreign Man This term refers to the North Vietnamese, the communist army. Foreign means to be from a different country. The American soldiers went to war to fight “foreign men” Main MenuBack to Lyrics

Khe Sahn The American base in Vietnam would come under siege from North Vietnam forces. The Americans set out to defend the base/ and repel the North Vietnam forces. The siege lasted 77 days and 250 American troop died but the Americans were successful in holding the base. Main MenuBack to Lyrics For more info - PBS.org Vietnam History

Viet Cong The Viet Cong (National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam) was one of the communist groups in North Vietnam. The People’s Liberation Armed Forces fought on behalf of the Viet Cong. They fought for the North in opposition of the United States. Main MenuBack to Lyrics For more info about the Viet Cong

Saigon This city was the capital of South Vietnam during the Vietnam conflict. It was the base of operations for the American forces. The conflict ended when Saigon was taken over by North Vietnamese forces. Main MenuBack to Lyrics

Penitentiary They were a type of prison that came about the with the need to reform prisoners before being reintroduced into society. The idea was established England, but with help from several other countries including the United States. Solitary confinement from other convicts was used in conjunction with trade education to help prepare the convicts for their release or parole. Main Menu Back to Lyrics

Simile This line describes the problems that the Vietnam veterans had once they came back home. Public approval for the war had almost disappeared and the veterans were left behind. This simile compares them to dogs that have been mistreated or abandoned. It means that the veterans weren’t embraced back into society, and they faced challenges in returning to their old lives. Main MenuBack to Lyrics “You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much ”

Theme The theme of the song is when the soldiers went off to war they were patriotic Americans defending their country. When they came back after a long war, they weren’t honored as the heroes that they were. They were left to blend back into society during tough economic times. They weren’t taken care of upon their return to normal society and many faced trouble in getting a new job and reconnecting with family. Main MenuBack to Lyrics “Born in the U.S.A.”

Ryhming This verse is just one example of the rhyming that Springsteen uses throughout the song. Main Menu Back to Lyrics “So they put a rifle in my hand, sent me off to a foreign land, to go and kill the yellow man”

Imagery “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”? This section of the song provides imagery to show what it was like to be a Vietnam veteran after the war. It shows that for some the situation after the war wasn’t unlike the war itself. They had trouble finding work. They had left their families, jobs, and friends for ten years and now have to start over again. Main MenuBack to Lyrics

Repetition Springsteen uses this as the chorus of the song and its repeated message shows the theme song Main Menu Back to Lyrics “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.

Irony This section of the song provides imagery to show what it was like to be a Vietnam veteran after the war. It shows that for some the situation after the war wasn’t unlike the war itself. They had trouble finding work. They had left their families, jobs, and friends for ten years and now have to start over again. Main Menu Back to Lyrics “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”?

Works Cited “Viet Cong,” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, Web 31 May http://library.eb.com/eb/article “petroleum refining ” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition, Encyclopedia Britannica, Web 31 May "prison." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, Web. 1 June "Viet Cong." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, Web. 1 June "Vietnam War." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, Web. 1 June National Archives. Aftermath of Tet Offensive in Cho Lon, Saigon. N.d. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 1 June Main MenuNext

Works Cited Khe Sanh. N.d. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 1 June Viet Cong Soldier. N.d. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 1 June "The Siege at Khe Sanh." Battlefield:Vietnam. PBS, n.d. Web. 31 May U.S. Deparment of Defense. Disabled Vietnam Veteran. N.d. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 1 June Main MenuPrevious