From the new york times opinion section the story of bruce springsteen’s father shows what is obscured by the nostalgic narrative about a lost golden age of american manhood, mitchell duneier writes in a guest essay. When born in the u.s.a Landed in 1984, it roared like a firecracker across american airwaves Furious drumbeats, soaring synths, and a chorus that sounded like a fourth of july chant But beneath its bombastic polish lay a narrative steeped in despair. In the case of bruce springsteen, so much of the american songwriter’s greatest work has risen from difficult themes and periods in his life
Even some of his most recognisable tracks, like ‘born in the usa’, are set with a backdrop of agony and internal struggles. Like the american dream, the work ethic has long been a concept associated with national identity In recent decades, however, it has become a source of unease. In his new book “there was nothing you could do,” published may 28, steven hyden unpacks bruce springsteen’s 1984 album “born in the u.s.a.”
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