This week, the album that means more to me than any other turns 35. On June 4th, 1984 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band released Born in the USA. My Mom and my Auntie Margaret were huge Bruce fans so that album spent more time on the record player than any other. It was the first album I ever really listened to start to finish, over-and-over. To this day there’s a few lyrics that I still sing incorrectly that were misheard by that little boy.
Born in the USA was a smash hit in our house and around the world. So much so, that for Halloween in 1985 I went dressed up as Bruce. I wore the t-shirt my mom brought back for me from the concert she went to in Toronto, a bandanna, jeans, and sported my Uncle Bill’s guitar. We did the parade of costumes around the school and I was walking on sunshine, so proud to look so Boss, until an older banger said “Cool man, Willie Nelson!” Slightly crushing but I chose to focus on the “cool” part more than the “Willie Nelson” part.
That album lit a life-long love of Bruce’s music. I’ve owned every one of his albums since, gone back to get the older ones, and gone to several concerts. I’ve been to a lot of shows by a lot of different artists over the years, but nobody has ever stacked up live to The Boss. His energy, work-ethic, connection with the crowd and charisma are unmatched. I’ll never forget the feeling I got the first time I saw Bruce and E Street live. My mom came to visit me in Calgary and we got floor seats. When they hit the stage I felt glee. A full grown man feeling absolutely gleeful. You’d think it would be hard for following shows to live up to the first one but every Springsteen concert I’ve been to since has been absolutely phenomenal. My Mom and I were lucky to get to travel to Scotland for her 60th birthday and see a show there. I told her I wanted to make a sign saying she traveled however many miles to dance with Bruce on her 60th. Never wanting to be the centre of attention, she refused. Well, what happens? Dancing in the Dark comes on, and he plucks the lady right beside us up to dance with him! It could have been my Mom! The woman ended up falling off the stage though, so maybe it was for the best. For posterity’s sake, here’s a pic of my face the moment the lady took the plunge. Oh the horror! The good news, Hazel was okay and a side benefit, we didn’t feel as bad about my Mom not getting up there!
One more note I’d like to make about the Born in the USA album. That is a red ball cap in Bruce’s back pocket on the cover. I’ve had debates with friends who remember it as a bandanna or handkerchief. Nope. It’s a hat! You can check the album cover at the start of the blog or watch for it at the end of the official video below. Clearly a hat!
