Springsteen says he wrote “Born in the USA” about former President Barack Obama
NEW YORK -- Over the weekend, rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen confirmed to AmRen, a white supremacist website, that he penned his hit song, "Born in the USA," about former President Barack Obama, describing him as "the quintessential American."
In a fiery email, Springsteen told AmRen that inspiration came to him in 1984 when he found himself stranded on the side of a highway in New Jersey after his motorcycle suddenly broke down during a long return journey from Arkansas, where a married woman had broken his heart.
"Luckily, a few good samaritans stopped to help me," he said, including Columbia University student Barack Obama, who offered to help the Boss.
Springsteen said the students gave him a ride to the Stone Pony where they shared a few beers with the famous New Jersey native. Springsteen opened up to them about his recent heartbreak, and Obama opened up about his biracial upbringing. It was then that Springsteen encouraged Obama to write a memoir, advice that Obama nervously brushed off at the time.
"I thought he didn't understand his own heritage. That was the moment I decided to write 'Born in the USA,'" Springsteen said.
Interestingly, Springsteen also said that "Dancing in the Dark" was inspired by his unrequited love for a Wellesley graduate who became First Lady of Arkansas, a woman who he had traveled to Arkansas to write a book about. Asked whether this person is President Hillary Rodham Clinton, who beat former GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump by 3 million votes, he refused to comment, but sent the following lyrics:
You sit around getting older
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town
And they'll be carving you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey baby I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Hey baby
