Born in the U.S.A.
{{Album infobox |
Name = Born in the U.S.A. |
Type =
Album | Artist =
Bruce Springsteen |
Cover = BornInTheUSA.jpg |
Background = Orange |
Released =
June 4,
1984 | Recorded = 1984 at
The Power Station and
The Hit Factory in
New York | Genre =
Rock |
Length = 46:19 |
Label =
Columbia Records | Producer =
Jon Landau,
Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen,
Steve Van Zandt | Reviews =
*
All Music Guide link*
Robert Christgau (A+)
linkRolling Stone link | Last album =
Nebraska(1982)| This album =
Born in the U.S.A.(1984) | Next album =
Live/1975-85(1986) |
Born in the U.S.A. is the seventh studio album by
Bruce Springsteen, released in 1984 (see
1984 in music).
In contrast to his previous album, the critical favorite
Nebraska,
Born in the U.S.A. featured anthemic and radio-friendly arrangements and 1980s production incorporating Springsteen's first use of
synthesizers and the
Phil Collins drum sound then the rage. It spawned a record-tying seven hit Top 10 hit singles in the United States, and is by far the best-selling album of Springsteen's career. It was also a critical success, being voted as the best album of the year in
The Village Voice's
Pazz & Jop critics poll.
Born in the U.S.A. was the first
CD pressed in the United States for commercial release.
"
Dancing in the Dark" was Springsteen's first major hit single, reaching #2 on the
Billboard Hot 100. (It was kept out of the top spot by
Prince's "
When Doves Cry".) The song featured up-tempo
synthesizer riffs and noticeable
syncopation, both a first for Springsteen. A dance-oriented
remix was even made for it, by
Arthur Baker. The accompanying
music video to the single, directed by
Brian De Palma, helped launch the career of
Courteney Cox, who appeared in it.
"Cover Me" was a dance track originally intended for
Donna Summer. "My Hometown" is based on 1960s racial and economic tensions in Springsteen's hometown of
Freehold. "
No Surrender" and "Bobby Jean" reflected in part the departure of
Steven Van Zandt from
The E Street Band.
In all there were seven top 10 hit singles from this album, tying the
record for most hit singles from an album also held by
Michael Jackson's
Thriller and
Janet Jackson's
Rhythm Nation 1814.
The title track, "
Born in the U.S.A.", a stinging tale of the hardships suffered by returning
Vietnam veterans, is one of Springsteen's best known songs, and has attracted
considerable folklore around it.
Born in the U.S.A. was notably the first
compact disc to be manufactured in the
United States, when
CBS Records opened its CD manufacturing plant in
Terre Haute, Indiana in 1984. CDs sold in the U.S. since the format was introduced there in early 1983 had been imported from
Japan.
In 2004, Senator
John Kerry used "No Surrender" as his campaign theme song during his
2004 presidential campaign.
#"
Born in the U.S.A." â€" 4:39#"
Cover Me" â€" 3:26#"
Darlington County" â€" 4:48#"Working on the Highway" â€" 3:11#"Downbound Train" â€" 3:35#"
I'm on Fire" â€" 2:36#"
No Surrender" â€" 4:00#"Bobby Jean" â€" 3:46#"
I'm Goin' Down" â€" 3:29#"
Glory Days" â€" 4:15#"
Dancing in the Dark" â€" 4:01#"
My Hometown" â€" 4:33
All songs written by Bruce Springsteen.
The E Street Band
*
Roy Bittan â€"
synthesizer,
piano, background
vocals*
Clarence Clemons â€"
saxophone,
percussion, background vocals
*
Danny Federici â€"
organ,
glockenspiel, piano on "Born in the U.S.A."
*
Bruce Springsteen â€"
guitar, vocals
*
Garry Tallent â€"
bass guitar, background vocals
*
Steven Van Zandt â€" guitar,
mandolin, harmony vocals
*
Max Weinberg â€"
drums, background vocals
Additional musicians
*
Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg - background vocals on "Cover Me" and "No Surrender"
*
Ruth Jackson - background vocals on "My Hometown"
Production
*
Bob Clearmountain â€" mixing
*John Davenport â€" assistant
engineer*Jeff Hendrickson â€" assistant engineer
*Andrea Klein â€" art direction, design, cover design
*Bruce Lampcov â€" assistant engineer
*
Annie Leibowitz â€"
photography*Bob Ludwig â€" mastering
*Bill Scheniman â€" engineer
*Toby Scott â€" engineer
*Billy Straus â€" assistant engineer
*Zoe Yanakis â€" assistant engineer
Album -
Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position | | 1984 | The Billboard 200 | 1 |
|
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | | 1984 | "Dancing In The Dark" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 7 |
| 1984 | "Dancing In The Dark" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| 1984 | "Cover Me" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 11 |
| 1984 | "Cover Me" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| 1984 | "Cover Me" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| 1984 | "Born In The U.S.A." | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 8 |
| 1984 | "Born In The U.S.A." | The Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| 1985 | "I'm On Fire" | Adult Contemporary | 6 |
| 1985 | "I'm On Fire" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 4 |
| 1985 | "I'm On Fire" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| 1985 | "Glory Days" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| 1985 | "Glory Days" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| 1985 | "I'm Goin' Down" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 9 |
| 1985 | "I'm Goin' Down" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| 1985 | "My Hometown" | Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| 1985 | "My Hometown" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 6 |
| 1985 | "My Hometown" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
|
Non-single tracks - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | | 1984 | "No Surrender" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 40 |
|
*
Album lyrics and samples
