Repetitive. One of his least inspired hit

Sucks as hard today as it did 25 years ago.

This was the song that killed Springsteen for me.

gawd how i hated that annoying song when it came out.
he shoulda stopped after The River, on which he was already showing signs of uninspired repetition and bombast.

Never really did understand the appeal of the Boss. But cool for those who liked him in his heyday.

Song sucks, band are dorks, Springsteen sucks. That's all.

I saw him in 2000 - he sucks balls. The venue wasn't even sold out.

Saw Springsteen on both the Darkness and Born in the USA tours. Hate all you want, both were amazing shows. Not saying he didn't go all stupid after he broke up the E Street Band but for a few years there he was The Boss.

/Silvio fan

Saw him over 20 times back in the day and don't want to hear
Born to Run for another 25 years.

'The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle' ftw
(but NOT that POC "Rosalita")

Is it just me or does Max Weinberg look a lot like Steve Carell in that video?

Fark all you haters. Nobody puts on a show like The Boss. I saw that tour in '84, he played 2 hours, took a break, and played 2 more hours. Ticket cost me $17. Best deal I ever made.

James brown was not the hardest working man in showbiz. It's Bruce Springsteen.

That album is a disgrace to his career.

Oh to live in a world where Rush and Rob Zombie matter but Springsteen is an untalented hack.

Ah, Fark. Ah, humanity.

johnsmith99: James brown was not the hardest working man in showbiz. It's Bruce Springsteen.

YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH!

mcgreggers99: Never really did understand the appeal of the Boss.

The first :30 seconds of "The E Street Shuffle" will explain all you need to know. The horns coalesce into a little funeral-type dirge, leading into a nice strummy little guitar riff, which itself leads into a Synclavier -- a friggin' Synclavier! -- bit that is the very essence of the early '70s sound, and then all of a sudden the whole band is in there wiggling away -- the Chicago blues-style horn hits, a funky little bass line popping around, it's beautiful.

The rest of the song chugs along on a nice little groove (and Bruce's voice breaks when he tries to hit a high note around 2:50, and again when he tries to do a bluesman-style yelp at 3:07). It's got a false ending with a furious little outro jam (more Synclavier, yay!), and even if you can't take Bruce's "singing," there's some nice imagery and some clever rhyming in the lyrics ("The kids down there are either dancing or hooked up in a scuffle/dressed in snakeskin suits packed with Detroit muscle").

Anybody who forms ideas about Bruce's music based only on what gets played on the radio is missing out on some really terrific songs. At least on the first couple of albums. I agree with mrEdude, things started to go downhill with "The River."

johnsmith99: Fark all you haters. Nobody puts on a show like The Boss. I saw that tour in '84, he played 2 hours, took a break, and played 2 more hours. Ticket cost me $17. Best deal I ever made.

James brown was not the hardest working man in showbiz. It's Bruce Springsteen.

Fark Springsteen. He sat his tired ass on a stool for 90 minutes, sang like crap, did a half-hearted born to run for an encore and fled to his tour bus. I watched the recent super bowl and he wasn't any better then. If he was so damned Boss, he'd make every show wow worthy. He didn't.

People were walking out during the show after paying #70 for tickets, too.

(My bad. Not "synclavier" but "clavinet.")

If only Ronnie Raygun were still alive

it's hard for our kids to understand what the "Boss" was, what with all their hippity-hop and such

viva la bruce and get off my lawn! (including all you Bruce haters - hearing this was 25 years ago makes me feel way old)

I liked the album, but this song is the weakest of them all.

1985 was wierd that way. Small Town, Centerfield, and Money for Nothing are all the worst songs on their respective albums.

While I'll admit that he is a good showman, I can't even entertain the idea of liking his music. My 60-something year old mother is a huge Springsteen fan... When this song came out she played it over and over and over and over for weeks on end. I was 15 at the time, heavy into mid-80s black metal and couldn't stand the sound of it. And I still can't.

Your obscure music sucks balls no matter how much time you spend in threads like these telling us how great it is.

MIguy: Your obscure music sucks balls no matter how much time you spend in threads like these telling us how great it is.

Yeah, stupid obscure Springsteen.

The problem with Born in the USA is that it's not a song - it's a five note riff. Played over. And over. And over. Again.

Nothing wrong with Bruce, but that song is just an abortion.

mrEdude: gawd how i hated that annoying song when it came out.
he shoulda stopped after The River Nebraska.

FTFY

Aaah Fark Music Threads. where people half my age tell me why the music I love sucks, while praising this week's "Next Big Thing".

call me when you've done anything for 25 years.

/Thunder Road alone is reason enough for the Boss's existence. You should all be really farking thankful.

1derful: Song sucks, band are dorks, Springsteen sucks. That's all.

Let me get you a tissue for those tears.

Hebalo: Aaah Fark Music Threads. where people half my age tell me why the music I love sucks, while praising this week's "Next Big Thing".

call me when you've done anything for 25 years.

/Thunder Road alone is reason enough for the Boss's existence. You should all be really farking thankful.

Trolls and children cant hear you. Too much feces packed in their ears.

johnsmith99: Fark all you haters. Nobody puts on a show like The Boss. I saw that tour in '84, he played 2 hours, took a break, and played 2 more hours.

that sounds like the most unspeakable and inhumane torture ive ever heard of.

Uzzah: The first :30 seconds of "The E Street Shuffle" will explain all you need to know. The horns coalesce into a little funeral-type dirge, leading into a nice strummy little guitar riff, which itself leads into a Synclavier -- a friggin' Synclavier! -- bit that is the very essence of the early '70s sound

the synclavier came out in 75 and doesnt sound anything like whatever it is on this song.

Hebalo: Aaah Fark Music Threads. where people half my age tell me why the music I love sucks, while praising this week's "Next Big Thing".

call me when you've done anything for 25 years.

/Thunder Road alone is reason enough for the Boss's existence. You should all be really farking thankful.

Thankful for what? More annoying jock-rock? Hey, thanks!

Southern Atheist: If only Ronnie Raygun were still alive

What does a Garbage Pail Kid have to do with Springsteen?

Born in the USA is great because it's one of those songs that the rah rah USA people gravitate to without understanding the lyrics. It allows you to pick out the dumbasses.

Also see American Woman, Pink Houses, and Fortunate Son.

I think much of his newer work is on par with his older work.

But, what do I know. I'm young.

/Working on a Dream is enjoyable
//Magic is a classic
///Sessions Band was great
///The Rising has a lot of very good songs and moments
////Slashies for The Big Man Clarence!

rcantley: The problem with Born in the USA is that it's not a song - it's a five note riff. Played over. And over. And over. Again.

Nothing wrong with Bruce, but that song is just an abortion.

Actually, it's 6 - (F# E F# G# E F#) x infinity...

It's funny to see people criticize Bruce for not doing what they think he should've done.

/love Born in the U.S.A, song and album

People always seem to forget that Bruce is a pretty mean guitarist. Everybody knows him for his songwriting (which really doesn't suck, btw), the dude can throw down some blues licks with the best of them.

Back in the Asbury Park days, he was the guy to beat in the head cutting contests in the local clubs.

Rapmaster2000: Born in the USA is great because it's one of those songs that the rah rah USA people gravitate to without understanding the lyrics. It allows you to pick out the dumbasses.

Also see American Woman, Pink Houses, and Fortunate Son.

I would like to include Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land".

puckrock2000: rcantley: The problem with Born in the USA is that it's not a song - it's a five note riff. Played over. And over. And over. Again.

Nothing wrong with Bruce, but that song is just an abortion.

Actually, it's 6 - (F# E F# G# E F#) x infinity...

As SOON as I posted it, I realized I'd shorted it by one. I hoped no one would notice...

/Hot Cross Buns is more complex...

PumpUpDaFark: Thankful for what? More annoying jock-rock? Hey, thanks!

Wow, you just outed yourself. You think Thunder Road is jock-rock?

/shakes his head slowly

qsblues: Back in the Asbury Park days, he was the guy to beat in the head cutting contests in the local clubs.

So he claims in interviews. I call bullshiat

Hebalo: PumpUpDaFark: Thankful for what? More annoying jock-rock? Hey, thanks!

Wow, you just outed yourself. You think Thunder Road is jock-rock?

/shakes his head slowly

Yes, I could easily picture a drunk jock singing that. So?

Uzzah
"e street shuffle" song, link

this is my favourite song on the album...
"new york city serenade"
Link (new window)

"incident" is pretty good too...

not a big fan of "wild billy..." though...

/ also "born to run" album ftw
oh and "hammersmith 75"

PumpUpDaFark: Hebalo: PumpUpDaFark: Thankful for what? More annoying jock-rock? Hey, thanks!

Wow, you just outed yourself. You think Thunder Road is jock-rock?

/shakes his head slowly

Yes, I could easily picture a drunk jock singing that. So?

So listen to the words. Get a sense of the song. Then come back and dismiss it as jock rock. It's arguably the most evocative song of the American condition ever written.

Ick. The only song of his that is even more monotonous is "Glory Days".

Hebalo:

So listen to the words. Get a sense of the song. Then come back and dismiss it as jock rock. It's arguably the most evocative song of the American condition ever written.

The American Condition: Getting a high school graduate named Mary to ride in your care one night.


Brilliant.

car, not care

1derful: Hebalo:

So listen to the words. Get a sense of the song. Then come back and dismiss it as jock rock. It's arguably the most evocative song of the American condition ever written.

The American Condition: Getting a high school graduate named Mary to ride in your care one night.


Brilliant.

That's what you took from it, hey? Better stick to the Jonas Brothers.