Not only did I lip-sync to “Dancing In the Dark” in a 7th grade “talent” show, the Born in the USA tour was one of my first-ish real concerts. I sat in the LA Sports Arena in a giant cloud of weed smoke for five hours as Springsteen slid across the stage and Clarence Clemons sweat all over Little Stevie. This was really the coming out for Bruce (in a big pop way), and introduced the thematic “Born In the U.S.A.” to dimwitted conservative politicians the country over. Listen to lyrics much, folks? In addition to the decidedly dark title track are folksy tunes about broken American towns, life in the rearview mirror and various other deceptively depressing themes. But who am I telling this to? This album was like Thriller and Purple Rain–everyone had it or a taped copy of it in his glove compartment, or knew someone who did.
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