Reviews (page 7 of 14)
bruce springsteen good. does suffer from some 80s cheese though and not the kind i’m a fan of lol
4/5
This is definitely one of those road trip albums with songs that make the legs and head bob. I would argue that perhaps the title of The Boss based on this album is a little exaggerated. Overall, this album will receive a rating of 3.5/5 with a bump up to 4 as it definitely deserves to be separated from other ratings of 3s.
Legendary album in terms of impact and lasting influence from The Boss. Some classic anthem type tracks that stood the test of time for the most part. Would go back to some of the songs from time to time but not the full album. Standout tracks other than the title track: Glory Days & No Surrender 3.5/5
Born in the U.S.A. is a great song to start a Friday with, gets you pumped and is a great reminder how lucky I am to have not been Born in the U.S.A. Other standouts are I'm On Fire, Glory Days, and Dancing in the Dark. Wouldn't be a big fan of Bruce in general but with the amount of stand outs on one album and how many bands have made careers off imitating him, looking at you Sam Fender, this deserves a 4/5.
4.5
3.5
This is actually my seventh favorite Springsteen album. As much as I love Bruce Springsteen's material my ranking of his is rather unconventional. My absolute favorite is the one previous to this, Nebraska, and also my top five are his debut and sophomore albums which are usually not very highly looked upon but I find them absolutely a joy to listen to. This one is still good as always his songwriting is in good form I think it's a bit weighted down by the '80s production. In fact I think a few of the songs feel a bit more upbeat considering the lyrics that contain it, including the first single "Dancing in the Dark". Honestly where this album really shines are the darker "I'm on Fire" and "My Hometown". But to me the crown jewel of this album is the title track and as much as it is misunderstood, I think his actual message is clear and concise. It is neither jingoistic or anti-america. It is just basically looking around and asking himself is this the America I bought into. All in all there are some really great tunes on this album "Cover Me", and "I'm Goin' Down", but it is often muddled with some overly bombastic songs that sound very 80s and very dated. The less I talk about "Glory Days" the better. 8.4 ★★★★
Many great songs, but too heavy 80s production. 4 stars
Solid, dependable classic Bruce for the 80s with extra scrummy big arena synthiness and some megaton barnstormers. The opener title song is the key blazing, ultra-raw; out of this world composition but there are other hefty whoppers like Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark and even Downtown Train which is a dead ringer for Dead Ringer by Meat Loaf. Other highlights I’m On Fire and faint sundown closer My Hometown. Strong 4 for the site.
BRUUUUUUUCE
Q demas empezar el día escuchando al bruce 10/10
À réécouter.
This album is a 50/50 split of amazing songs and mediocre filler.
Noen virkelig flotte ikoniske låter på denne platen.
Pretty ironic that this album came up the weekend after the global crisis occurred. Regardless, banger album. Fuck Trump. Fuck war. Roll Bruce.
Dad- 8 Mom- 10 Mike- MA Lori- 7 Michael- 8.5 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 8.38
7/10
An enjoyable album with some highs and lows. Dancing in the dark especially good.
"I'm on fire" is such a beautiful, haunting sounding song.
I had previously heard this album before and I already knew the hits very well. It's a very good album. Bruce Springsteen has a very distinctive voice and sound, which is on full display here. I would listen again for sure.
I think this creates the rock sound of the 80’s
Always down for listening to this one. 4.5/5
Bruce captures small town nj so we’ll
Great to revisit this. Cigar lit, Bourbon drank, and moon illuminating this gem! The epitome of fun. You can smell the sweaty denim and Jersey Northern Red Oaks. Between the raucous GLORY DAYS, BORN IN THE USA, to the subtle I’M ON FIRE, to more rust belty DOWNBOUND TRAIN, the curation on this album masks the true Bruce aesthetic! Closing with MY HOMETOWN seems almost required.
Very close to a 5
When the haters come for me for saying that Bruce Springsteen is not really my thing, this is the Bruce that is my thing...for the most part
The version of Bruce that I vibe with the most, because it's the one I'm most familiar with. Loaded with bangers that evoke the sound of heartland rock in the 80s. Gotta love dipshits still misinterpreting the lyrics to "Born in the USA" 40 years later
Class
O disco mais comercial do Boss. Tem uma produção super acessível e, por mais que tenha o som característico dos anos 80 (o excesso de reverb na caixa e os timbres de teclado, por exemplo), traz uma sonoridade - um pouco - menos datada do que de outros discos contemporâneos a ele, conferindo um status um pouco mais atemporal à obra. Bons refrãos e as letras diretas e certeiras são os destaques em um disco soa divertido e dançante do começo ao fim, com as faixas de "respiro" como My Hometown e I'm On Fire sendo algumas das mais bonitas do catálogo de Springsteen.
A classic. Not my favourite Bruce Springsteen album of all time but still such a good album.
Just an absolute bop all the way through even if it’s sad. Almost tempted to give it 5 but I don’t think it’s quite worth that. 4 stars
The Boss in fine form!!
There are a lot of times throughout I don't like his voice and other times it is okay. The title track is the worst offender. Nice songs throughout, but I personally can't get over his voice.
This is like Brothers In Arms if Mark Knopfler had the fire of a battered, woefully-American spirit
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a big Bruce Springsteen fan. His style and voice never really clicked with me in a major way, but Born in the U.S.A. makes a strong case for why he earned his iconic status. It’s packed with hits, and what’s impressive is that even the overplayed ones still hold up. From the driving pulse of the title track to the reflective tones of “My Hometown,” this album is well-produced and full of energy. Whether you’re a diehard fan or not, it’s hard to deny how solid this album is from front to back. A real high point in his catalog.
8/10 I’ve really enjoyed all the Bruce I’ve heard to date, and this is no exception. Deeply sincere, almost a bit too much so at times. Cool mix of 80s synth and big production with heartland rock. I liked the stuff best where it really sounded like Springsteen: huge production, lots of instruments, saxophone Best: Glory Days
I was already familiar with this album but it has all the makings of an album that sounds like summer to me. Banger album cover.
Not my favorite collection from Bruce but that's more of a me thing. Born in the U.S.A. is a very strong aesthetic that the music lives up to with powerful imagery and themes. There is a lot to unpack and I think that this combination of patriotism, nostalgia, and melancholy makes for a pretty heady listen.
This was a welcome listen after the wannabe folk rock singer album we had last from Bruce. Born in the USA is a certified banger and the supporting tracks on here are foot-tappingly good. I'll bump it up half a star because president orange face coming for Bruce, representing the working class, is an extremely poignant analogy that would go over the head of any red-hat cult members.
I might have gone in with too high of expectations, because giving it a four feels like it underwhelmed. I’ll probably have to give it another listen at some point.
Fav: Born in the U.S.A.; Cover Me; I'm On Fire; Bobby Jean; Glory Days; Dancing In the Dark;
buce pingting...
love it
Starts strong, ends strong, great Boss sound start to finish. So many "greatest hits" tracks on this one album, definitely belongs on this list. Even if you've never spun this one start to finish you probably feel like you have heard it what with all the radio hits on here. This album deserves to me played at loud volumes in a classic car with the windows rolled down. Tough to pick THE one song off this one, but "I'm On Fire" always gets me.
Love Dancers in the Dark and My Hometown but the rest was just good - can see it growing to a 4 maybe but some of it is a bit too 80s and I think the highlights are just good highlights
I have been meaning to listen to Bruce Springsteen for awhile. Literally put his music on the day before this was my suggestion. I really like the message of this album its got some of the classic hits and its so funny listening to the lyrics how it gets used in modern America. Ending on My Hometown is diabolical I think that song really reflects how stuff has changed in small towns based around railways or original highway routes. I've seen it first hand so it hits hard lol
☀︎ça sonne tellement américain (of course) mais i love it ☀︎ “hey little girl is your daddy home” etc. ça me weird out tellement. stop
Pretty good album
There’s no denying the full blown American power in the title track of this album, or the sultry twang of “I’m on fire”. A few other tracks kind of blend together but that’s okay, I am now a patriot!
Iconic album that I've heard LOTS of times. Good stuff.
This album is kinda hard for me. Lots of Bruce seeming to parody himself. Except for I'm On Fire. That song is perfect. I wish it was 20 minutes long.
Oikein makee levy vahvalla aloitusraidalla Born in the USA joka avaa tämän yhteiskuntakriittisenkin kirjan eteesi
- He can be annoyingly saccharine and many of his fans seem to see nothing but the surface of his songs, but Springsteen just hits many of the right buttons for me. - A lot of stellar tracks on here: the rage-filled "Born in the USA." The sensual "I'm On Fire" (great earworm of a guitar riff). The beautiful nostalgia of "Bobby Jean." And the wonderfully hopeful and nervous "Dancing In the Dark." - "My Hometown" may be one of the most subtly depressing songs ever recorded. - A bit too hokey for me to give 5 stars, but an argument can be made for a solid 4.5. I sing too many of these songs at karaoke to say otherwise.
I’ve always ragged on the song ‘Born In The USA’, mainly because it is musically the most boring song ever written - 4 notes looped in a single pattern over the whole song. I’d never really considered the lyrics, although I knew the general gist and that it was often misinterpreted as being a positive theme, but listening to the album as a whole really impressed me. Born In The USA, Dancing in the Dark, and Glory Days are all great, but the album as a whole is also really good, and one I’ll revisit.
I feel like this is probably the most popular and successful album that Bruce put out as it is chock full of radio hits. Born in the USA is always hilarious when played at an event trying to be patriotic even though it is shitting on the US pretty much. Cover Me was a sleeper of a song that I previously knew but never knew the name of it. Was good. The rest is pretty classic Springsteen to me but was all enjoyable. Probably the lower end of a 4
Spruce Springsteen
Not really my type of style of music.
SO so summery, bruce springsteen the man you are!! rip wade walker aka crybaby you would’ve loved born in the usa, all pretty samey but good regardless!!
Ingen dårlige numre, men når heller ikke helt samme højder som Born to Run. Lidt for poleret. I'm on Fire er et af mine yndlingsnumre med dem
It's not hard to understand why Springsteen got the nickname "The Boss". He has presence, and a powerful voice. Some of the tracks on the album did become a bit "samey" in sound, but they always remained distinct songs and didn't flow together. Standouts Born In the USA Cover Me No Surrender Dancing In the Dark 4/5
Good album. I really like earlier Springsteen and trying to decide if I would have liked this album better if it hadn’t gotten so much AirPlay.
Shit vad boss
Terrific!
So good! So many of the songs feel so 80s but I didn't mind how specific to its era it sounded because of how beautiful they were and the amazing lyrics. Even as someone who doesn't register lyrics these were pretty hard to ignore (which makes it all the more insane that a vast majority of America has misunderstood the message of the titular track lol). I definitely liked the songs that had a more explicitly sorrowful and/or dark sonic style ("Cover Me", "I'm On Fire", "Downbound Train") over the ones that leaned more into rockabilly (?) ("Darlington County", "Bobby Jean") but there weren't any that I truly disliked.
So many hits on this so very close to a 5 but the poor songs are very poor. Stand out song - I'm going down
He's the Boss. Of course the album is great.
Good record. My older brother gave me this record back in the day. I think my parents disappeared it at some point, I think because they thought the song I’m on Fire was inappropriate.
Rock, 1984 -> 4
4/5 - This album is more up-beat than the other Springsteen records the generator has provided thus far, but it still has a melancholy edge that gets me teary eyed. (I will always give an extra half a star to any Bruce Springsteen album I get because he was so dreamy LOL). Standout Tracks: - Born in the USA (5/5) - Downbound Train (4.5/5) - Dancing In The Dark (5/5) <3<3<3 perfect for a forever melancholy but optimistic soul <3<3<3 ALSO watching this music video at 12 is the first time I experienced bi panic!!! good times - Bobby Jean (3/5) SO SO SAD and reflective and nostalgic, I cried while washing the dishes
Album comes on: "oh great, another boomer classic on the boomer-classics list," but by the time I'm on Fire starts I'm fully invested. No Surrender, Dancing in the Dark, those are perfect songs.
classic american music. 7.7/10
bra grejer
Dear 1001 Album Generator: As an Anglophile, I object the mandatory listening of this album today due to the automatic result of your album choosing algorithm because I are, of course, an Anglophile, and I shall object America and its dominance of the world as this album is considered the official anthem for white supremacists. wait... so the title track is about how hard American's life are? im sorry. And! the most important thing is that i once saw online a video clip of my favourite singer going to Springsteen's concert and chilling out to "Glory Days". That's a positive sign considering his English influences and him being a Commonwealth citizen. but anyway. a 4/5.
I didn't like Springsteen for like 40 years. Lately though, he has been growing on me, and everything I hear endears his music a little more to me. This was his exception. Solid album.
What can I say? He’s the Boss. Happy to finally listen to this album in its entirety. Downbound Train is probably one of my favorite songs on this album. The saxophone solo on the last half of the album is also wonderful. I feel as I get older I start to resonate more with Bruce’s song writing or can see myself in a similar situation. Overall, a 4/5 album.
sick album, American in a good way.
Not a big Springsteen fan, but hard to deny that this is a great album.
Great Americana. Iconic.
A strong album with many hits on it, but also the non hits are pretty good. Probably Springsteen's best album.
Fantastic record. While I don't own it, I do think it's great. 4.5 for me.
Fun, upbeat songs that contains so many of the radio staples of classic rock. Groovy blues riffs that are reminiscent of 50s feel good jukebox hits. Can't resist it.
4.5
Oohh I know this one. It's a classic, as ever!
Nostalgic for me for sure, but never been the biggest Bruce fan. I prefer Nebraska.
This album was everywhere when it was released. And I mean everywhere. From constant radio play to non-stop MTV presence to mentions by government leaders praising the patriotism, only realizing later they missed the message entirely. Probably why I was never a huge fan of it. And while the overall impact of this was massive for Bruce and the record industry in general, it was not enough to convert me into liking the boss anymore than I already had at the time. This was a very big sounding record for a very big time in music, and sometimes I just wanna chill out to some of his tunes and not have to always reach for the stars with big anthemic numbers. Luckily there was enough on this one to do that. But not quite enough to make me give it top ratings.
This is for sure Bruce at his Bossiest, with what is probably the biggest collection of songs he still plays live (meaning, upbeat ones where he can go “ONE TWO THREE” and then share microphones with people)
Man, this hits so hard when it opens. That snare and synth. I didn’t realize how rough his voice is on that. Shocking he didn’t go the way of Bon Jovi or axel rose and blow out his vocal cords. I freaking love I’m on fire and dancing in the dark (as cheesy as it may sound). Glory Days is also a fun one. Man, a lot to like on this but I’m stingy with the 5s. Just a lil too much filler on here for me to put it higher. 4.25
I think I prefer this over Born to Run… slightly, but I’m rounding up slightly to show preference. I’m on Fire is a song I enjoy but find the lyrics quite questionable. Unless I’m missing something which is very likely. Also gotta give props to the song that brought us that Courtney Cox dance. 4.25/5
Not bad
When this album came out, it was easy to dismiss it as a typical bit of jingoistic, flag waving propaganda. Indeed, Ronald Reagan himself started using the title track as a campaign rally song. However, when you start listening to what Bruce is actually singing the level of disconnect between the bombastic chorus and the verses is enough to give you whiplash. Born In The USA is a bitter and angry song about the fate of American GIs coming back from Vietnam to find that there are no blue collar jobs in their home towns and then ending up broken and in jail from post traumatic stress. Other songs have similarly veiled barbs - Cover Me is again about coping with hidden trauma and Dancing in the Dark is about someone with a crippling lack of self confidence, at odds with the jaunty, danceable synth pop music. For me, this album is at its best in the quieter moments, and I’m glad that he chose My Hometown as the closing number which mixes nostalgia with frank honesty about a town suffering from unemployment and racial tensions. I think that this album is probably Springsteen’s ‘Dylan Goes Electric’ moment that took him from earnest folk troubadour to mega stardom, maybe alienating some of his earlier fans while gaining a whole lot more. Flag-tastic!
Come the fuck on
The album that made Bruce Springsteen the household name he is today. So many great songs on this one.
It’s ’80’s Bruce. Between the dance tunes and the bad lyrics they managed to put some good music together.
I’ve never listened to this album. Nobody’s favorite Springsteen album right? Way more keyboard heavy than I remember. It’s amazing he survived the dorky dancing in the dark video. 1984 was something, huge impact and Born in the USA will live forever and be misunderstood.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORN IN THE U.S.A.
21/03/25 Never have been a fan of Springsteen and this is the first album I've listened to. It all sounds very samey.
Pretty goated album. I Love music
Je ne me considère pas comme un fan, mais j'aime bien le son straightement rock et roule de Bruce, et cet album contient pas mal tout les bangers de sa discographie, donc un 4 très honnête pour le Boss
While this isn’t even close to his best record, I still had an instant popoff seeing this one generated for me this morning. You ever just say fuck it we’re making a goddamn pop album? Because the advent of MTV pushed Bruce Springsteen to do so. It seems a little hollow-hearted, given his previous album was this super stripped back, depressing set of portraits that reflected the bad mental state he’d been in for a bit. All of this can be heard in the music on this album. The opener / title track is likely the best protest song of the 80’s and maybe top 10 pop songs of that decade too. Iconic melody front-loads the track, anthemic choruses throughout, all to potentially divert your attention from Bruce lamenting about the domestic and foreign tragedies of the Vietnam war. The next 3 songs are kinda just reskins of each other, which is my major gripe for this record, it’s just song after song trying to be a pop hit with various amounts of success. Most of the topics and even the language he uses stays the same (I don’t like how much he uses the term ‘little girl’ to talk about a girl he likes). Stuff about working union jobs and traveling through county lines. But “Downbound Train” is a little bit stickier and more self-serious, it kinda feels like a holdover from Nebraska, that aforementioned dim last album. I’m pretty sure Born In The USA is too! “Bobby Jean” has an instrumental that takes it back a few years to prime Springsteen days, but the lyrics on this one are painfully rigid honestly - same with “I’m Goin Down”. I also feel like this one specifically has the super typical pop chord structure, I could be wrong on that? That’s ok, because this is a pop album and “Dancing in the Dark” is such a stellar reminder of that! Maybe the most electronic and dancey Springsteen will ever get, and it’s soooooooo good. Just such an ear worm of a melodic progression. A pop song thats about struggling to write a pop song. Fun! Much like Dark Side Of The Moon, I think iconography plays a big part in this albums long-term success. Simple album cover, simple pop hits help you get through some of the pop misses on this one. Bruce takes his great showmanship and ability to paint a picture to the arena rock stage and TV screen all once. A soft but anthemic 4 / 5 stars
I like sparkle rock
Few people have ever been better at their jobs than the Boss, though this has always been a tricky one to talk about, even for the most clear-eyed of Bruce fans, the least Kool-Aided of his connoisseur. Why? The taint of popular success, of course, and so many knuckleheads (including a certain POTUS) misunderstanding it. Let's be clear where this fits in the canon – solidly behind Born to Run, Nebraska, Darkness and (personal preference alert) Tunnel of Love, on par with (but probably not quite as good as) The River, so top 5 or 6. The best cuts to one's ears are "My Hometown" and "I'm on Fire" and "I'm Going Down" and "Downbound Train," all of which easily reach his extraordinarily high standards. "Bobby Jean" works well but "Darlington County" and "Working on the Highway" are iffy – borderline annoying. "Glory Days" is slightly too cheesy, but so well written save for the whole "speedball" that shoulda been "fastball." And even relative throwaways like "Cover Me" show his incredible range – good thing he did it and not Donna Summer. "Dancing in the Dark" shows that commercialism and quality aren't mutually exclusive. The title cut is incredibly powerful – direct, angry, impassioned – holds up better than ever (despite [or perhaps because] of so many knuckleheads not getting it so wrong. But as ever wth Bruce there are hidden subtleties and lovely flourishes even in the bangingest bangers: take the missing verse or silent section right after he says "They're still there / he's all gone" about his brother who died fighting the Viet Cong ... the missing vocals, clearly expected, mirror the absence. Dude's a national treasure and easily a top 10 (perhaps even top 5) all-time artist, both a sage and a crowdpleaser, who will be greatly missed when he's gone.
https://youtu.be/G3zriuWpVjo?si=ijgcdyHlBuxtSGz5&t=9
Springsteen's best album: we enjoyed this one a lot. There are some absolute classics on here like Dancing in the Dark and Born in the USA.
A little samey
Pretty dang good. Despite its outer façade of just pop hits over and over, there's a good amount of depth here. Might revisit!
The melancholic combination of a triumphant anthem with a dark and serious subject matter is clearly on display. The songs are well written but hampered by an 80's production that also dates it. This album will stay relevant as long as America is the way it is.
Springsteen at the height of his pop prowess. Ironies all over this album. There are some very strong pop numbers on here, and many songs that I'm sure are a product of Springsteen's artistry and drive to present musical tableaus of the "working man". Good examples of how they can't all be winners. The subjects of the songs, and the songs themselves. A powerhouse in the 80s, to be sure.
Good
Rating: 9/10 There is a cheesiness to this entire album but it's amazing: insanely catchy, great melodies, great instrumentation, and just a fun listen from start to finish.
I forgot just how good this album is.
Nostalgic as this was on in my parents house a lot in my youth.
“Born in the U.S.A.” was a protest song, but jeans, a white T-shirt, and an American flag made it easy to co-opt—even though the album itself is full of broken dreams, layoffs, PTSD, and disillusionment.
We love Bruce around here
8/10 BBBBRRRRRRUUUUUUUCCCCCCCEEEEEE 2-26-2025
I have all of Springsteen's albums from Asbury Park to Born in the USA, and some later ones, but I have never liked BITU as much as Born to Run or Darkness on the Edge of Town, for example. The production is very '80s, particularly on the drums, but that didn't annoy me as much as it once did. There are some very good songs, some passable ones. The E-Street Band plays as well as ever - I really noticed the bass playing this time. And I love the fact that the title track subverts the whole patriotic anthem sound of the music with the downbeat lyrics, and the irony that this is completely lost on those politicians who punch the air in the chorus.
2/21/25. First time listening to this famous record, I understand why it's well liked. Nicely crafted songs straight from Americana, but catchy as well. Even if you're not blue collar, I feel like the music is still accessible.
Generally speaking, I can take or leave Bruce, but this album is the exception. Still not necessarily my favorite, but hard to deny how many timeless hits there are on this album.
Ultimate dad rock with a small dose of cirngey good ol' boy lyricism. Good tunes though, nothing great, but good.
1 extra star for dancing in the dark
There's sooo many iconic tracks on here. He's fallen off a little bit with his later work, but this was a blast.
I’m on fire. Dancing in the dark.
Born in the U.S.A. is peak Springsteen — stadium rock anthems, working-class grit, and more synthesizers than you'd expect from the Boss. A lot of his biggest songs are packed into this one album, and even if you're only casually familiar with his music, you'll probably recognize half the tracklist. "Born in the U.S.A." stands out as a favorite — a protest song that somehow still gets played at cookouts like it's pure patriotism. Either way, it's a classic. This album may not be flawless, but it's iconic for a reason.
Back to Springsteen again. I had high expectations going into this one, since I've been warming to Springsteen through this list and Born in the U.S.A. seemed like it might be "the big one." I wasn't totally blown away but overall I did enjoy it. I decided I'm not a fan of the title track "Born in the U.S.A." While the themes - like disillusionment at a crumbling America - are really well-executed, I find the song itself a bit repetitive, flat, and kind of musically uninteresting. "Darlington County" feels like I'm stuck in the car with Bruce while he rolls up on women to catcall them. I'll pass. "Downbound Train" is really good; definitely the standout from the album. Took me a minute to figure out why "I'm on Fire" sounded familiar - there's a Soccer Mommy cover of that one. Second time that's been the answer to a "where do I know this?" headscratcher (first time was "Here" from Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted). I might've overlooked this track if the cover hadn't already softened me up, but it's a good song. (She picks good covers.) "Dancing in the Dark" is pretty solid too. Then there are plenty of alright tracks to round the album out - "Working on the Highway" with its manic goofy chorus, "No Surrender," "I'm Goin' Down," "Glory Days," and "My Hometown." Giving this one a 4 overall. I think there's some kind of pro-Springsteen conspiracy in the algorithm; in 129 albums we've already managed to hit 4 of the 5 Springsteen albums on the list. (David Bowie has 9 in the list and we've yet to hit even 1 of them.)
THE SOUNDS OF FREEDOM RAAAGH 🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅 This is the most American shit I’ve ever heard. Nonetheless pretty good. Favourite tracks: I’m On Fire, Bobby Jean, Dancing In the Dark
Not a very tuneful Bruce album but I forgot how many hits were on here
Not in my top 5 Springsteen records but still a great record. Saw him on this tour best concert I've ever seen
Америка. Но не вот эта вот глянцевая, сверкающая панорамами небоскрёбов в закатном солнце, а настоящая. Та, которая пахнет горячим асфальтом и дизельным выхлопом. Где-то в прериях Канзаса или Техасских полупустынях, где небо режут линии электропередач, уходящие за горизонт, а дальнобойщики глушат кофе литрами из огромных кружек. Спрингстин поёт здесь именно об этой Америке, скорее даже воспевает её. Оттого и сам альбом получился таким — весёлым, слегка грубоватым, пропитанным потом и пивом. Тут тебе и блюзовые интонации, как эхо старых баров в дельте Миссисипи; и кантри-мотивы, пахнущие потёртым кожаным седлом из ранчо в Монтане; и рокабилли, скачущее, как старый "Мустанг" по пыльной дороге. Возможно, кто-то скажет, что это простовато — да, наверное. Но в этом и был феномен Спрингстина — простой парень делает простую музыку для простых людей и рассказывает в своих песнях о простых и понятных ценностях.
Soo viele Hits.
Very good, unexpectedly.
Love this one, reminds me of summer time grillin' on the farm
Side B hits hard. This is a great album and has instigated many living room dance parties (mainly with my mom haha)
Like a lot of good music of the time (Talking Heads, anyone?), I ignored The Boss in his ‘80s heyday because his music was everywhere on the radio and MTV, and my interests were elsewhere. So this is the first time I’ve listened to Born in the U.S.A. in full, and it’s quite good. His songs are soulful, with interesting lyrics that focus on the struggles of everyday people and a cracking backing band — though the keyboards sound a little dated. Highlights include “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Bobby Jean,” “I’m on Fire” and “Downbound Train.”
Reverb good. Lyrics good. Aura good. Repetetive not so good. Non expereimental
Let’s just say that if I had this on vinyl, I bet Side B would be played a LOT more than Side A.
Yeehaw 🤠🇺🇸🦅🫡 I enjoyed this one! I knew quite a lot of the songs already, they were soundtracks to our roadtrips growing up This is my favourite album of Bruce's - but not quite full marks 4 ⭐️
I don't know that I ever listened to this album, but I'm surprised how many songs I know by heart.
This is a very good album with so many tuuuuuunes! 1. Dancing in the dark 2. I'm going down 3. I'm on fire
Heat. My hometown brought it down a star though sorry about that Fav Songs: I'm on Fire, Working on the Highway
This is Bruce at his pop peak but also staying true to his Americana roots. Some of his biggest hits are here (Born in the USA, I'm on Fire, Dancing in the Dark, Glory Days) but I was surprised how well this whole album felt as one common theme. All the songs really painted a picture of America and the rust belt with all of its past glory and changes that were happening in the 80s. It still feels as relevant today as I'm sure it did in the 1980s.
Great album. Timeless. Almost hear an eagle on the beggining of every song
opening track is a banger (… except Christina says it’s the same six note over and over the entire song)
En klassiker
I remember my mom being a big fan of this album, but don't remember much outside of Born in the USA. My mom is a good example of not understanding the true meaning behind these songs. I enjoy the political messages behind these, even if I'm not a huge Springsteen fan.
New Year's Eve, a time for nostalgia and regrets and reflection. Tomorrow I'll start fresh, braced to face the future. But for now this album is just about right.
I'm operating on the assumption that it's ok to lean heavily on my own idiosyncratic tastes for ratings, because otherwise I'd have to give five stars to all kinds of "objectively great" music that I hardly listen to. This is a five star album, for sure. But it happens to be the best version of a kind of rock that isn't my fave.
this one proves why he's called the boss
Not as good as Born To Run
3.5★. Not quite DotEoT but really good. Against my better judgment I find myself helplessly enjoying Springsteen's catchy, commercial Americana. Love love I'm on Fire.
Favs: Cover me, Downbound train, Glory days Can live without: Darling county, no surrender, working on the highway Great album, would be a 5 star if half the songs weren't just "ok"
Raw and pure, somehow full sounding without being overproduced
A few songs on the first half are not so strong ornl would have been 5⭐
Not a huge Springsteen fan, so I didn't know that most of his bangers were on this album! Very catchy songs, but a lot of them sounded the same (which is pretty typical for most artists). Liked the piano and sax riffs. All in all a solid album.
Nothing like a Bruce scream-singing Born in the USA to start off an album
none of these are my favorite bruce songs per se, but this is certainly the bruce album with the most undeniable earworms
Classic Bruce Springsteen.
What a fantastic album.
A defining album in rock history
Not the strongest Springsteen album by any stretch, but the one with his most misunderstood song that we're all sick of hearing (Born in the USA), his most commercial song (Dancing in the Dark) and arguably his best song (I'm on Fire). Oh and Glory Days. Worth a listen for these and the deeper cuts.
im on fire🙏🙏🙏 elska líka dancing in the dark
Bruce's most commercial album? Plenty of his biggest hits here, particularly title track, Cover Me and Dancin in the Dark. Very good, but maybe not my favourite Springsteen album
Mightily enjoyable. We're all familiar with the bangers on this album. Of which I count four. He comes out of the blocks with the first banger 'Born in the USA' and it reignites my American patriotism that I found 18 months ago, maybe even makes me abit anti toward the yellow man. 'Cover Me' I had never heard but really got on board with, straight into the rotation, but not quite a banger. The next three songs just sort of blended together, not to say they were bad but they didn't have that same feel. Didn't grip me, although I enjoyed 'Downbound Train', it's also a fun title to say out loud. 'I'm on Fire', second banger. Nuff said. Again, more blending and not much standing out for the next two, not to say they weren't good but I sort of felt like I was waiting for another big moment. Then we get 'Glory Days'. Third banger. Loved it. Also into the rotation. 'Dancing in the Dark' reminds me of Clent. So I creamed myself twice. Last Banger. I had never heard 'My Hometown' and I think it's my favourite single song I've discovered from this 1001 Albums thus far. Again, not a banger, but I just really really liked it. I'm hesitant to give 5 stars just because of the bits of time I felt like I zoned out. 4.5 stars, harshly rounding down as I believe that 5 star rating is exclusively for something that either moves me entirely, or stays brilliant from front to back. Cover art is iconic too. I'm proud of you Bruce.
Very good but not my favourite Spring
So many hits on this one. The songs in between didnt really stick, tho.
El mejor maldito álbum. Te amo Bruce Springsteen
Today's album is one where the biggest hits are the weakest tracks. "I'm on Fire" holds up, but the title track, "Dancing in the Dark," and "Glory Days" are pretty lame to be frank. Add in Darlington County to the above as well. However I do like Downbound Train, No Surrender, Bobby Jean and I'm Going Down.
I knew a lot of these songs. I guess this is the 'pop' Springsteen album. Plus one star for 'I'm on Fire' which is great.
Das Album Born in the U.S.A. ist ein Meilenstein der Rockgeschichte und zeigt Bruce Springsteen in Höchstform. Mit seiner Mischung aus kraftvollen Rockhymnen und nachdenklichen Texten trifft es sowohl musikalisch als auch thematisch ins Schwarze. Songs wie „Dancing in the Dark“ und der Titeltrack sind energiegeladen und mitreißend, während Stücke wie „My Hometown“ eine melancholische Tiefe besitzen. Besonders beeindruckend ist Springsteens Fähigkeit, große Themen wie den amerikanischen Traum, Arbeiterklasse-Probleme und persönliche Identität in greifbaren Geschichten zu verpacken. Trotz seiner Veröffentlichung in den 1980er Jahren bleibt das Album zeitlos und hat mir durchgehend gefallen – ein Muss für Rockfans!
Many classics. The boss was on fire for this one.
4.5
Himno absoluto Dancing in the Dark
This is a good album, I just never got into Bruce. Maybe because it was overplayed so much when I was a kid, or it felt so much like music for another generation (even though I listen to a ton of stuff from the same era) I don't know how much I would go back to this album. Can't deny the songwriting and the great band though.
Classic. Easy. Almost a solid listen from front to back.
I love that Bruce was just like, “I’m super sad all the time about everything. Guess I’ll make some garage rock pop songs that everybody can dance to.” The 80’s production is a bit much at times, but overall this album is pretty amazing. Not my favorite Bruce album, but undeniable in terms of quality and cultural impact.
Such a distinctive sound, classic American rock from the Boss.
boss never disappoint
I understand the appeal. 4/5
This feels like the soundtrack of the 80’s. Man i miss those days.
4- Stars (10/15)
4.25
Americana
The Good: The Boss The Bad: Having to look at his ass on the cover… The Ugly: The tucked red baseball cap in the right pocket, which we all know is code for… To think that I never listened to the album when it came out… at least, I can’t recall sitting down and listening to it. I did have a friend in high school who was totally into the Boss and tried to get me to start listening to him, instead, I spend my hard saved cents on Van Halen’s ¨1984¨as well as the glorious ¨Purple Rain¨… Thus, decades later, I sit here and wonder why my supposed intelligence did not tell me ¨go ahead, take a listen to the Boss, as there has to be a reason they call him such…¨ In the best of faith I am not allowed to give this album 5*, though it sure gets close to that ranking. Instead, I will give this a more than solid 4 1/2* as hours later I am still whistling ¨my home town¨ and analyzing the piano portion of ¨born in the USA¨ Awesome album, and greatful to have finally ¨forced myself¨ to listen to it!!! 4 8/10*
America in an album... great vocals and message. Classic.
An iconic album. That being said, not a huge Bruce fan.
Has some great songs like Johnny Cage, not a fan of the ending.
An indication of things to come when the Boomer generation took these songs at face value and ignored the actual messages. Not really my favorite style, but good music.
Pretty great honestly. Always enjoyed the hits from this album. And there are a lot of hits. And the rest of the tracks were enjoyable as well.
The Killers owe a lot to Bruce and this album in particular. As a kid my only reference to Springsteen was the song “Born In The U.S.A.” The repetitive nature of it didn’t appeal to me so I didn’t give Bruce much of a chance for most of my youth. During that time I did like “Dancing In The Dark” more but it still wasn’t enough to engage my young A.D.D. mind. A few years later I got turned on to the previous album Nebraska. It was at that point that I understood the reason why so many adored him. As time has gone on I’ve listened to more of his work and really I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve listened to. The times I’ve come back to this album I still gotta say the repetition in the title track still wears on me but the rest of the album is brilliant. “Downbound Train,” “I’m On Fire” and “Dancing In The Dark” are standouts for me but really it’s a solid album the whole way through.
I, too, was born in the USA, so I can relate. Man, so many hits on this album. My mother loved this album, but I never really got into it. It just isn't the type of music that moves me. I get the appeal, but it ain't me, babe. Good storytelling, though. Dancing in the Dark is probably my favorite hit on here. I dig the keys and the sax. Overall, the album is a great representation of the idea of America.
This is my first time listening through this whole album, but I'm familiar with a handful of songs here. If you looked up "Dad Rock" in the dictionary, there'd be a picture of this album, provided the dad in question was an American Boomer. I always thought it was funny that the title track is held up as a song of unwavering patriotism when the lyrics are actually kind of cynical, talking about getting in trouble in his hometown, so having to get shipped to Vietnam to shoot Asians, and not being able to find work when he returned. It's in a category of misunderstood songs, with "Little Pink Houses" and "In the Air Tonight" where people didn't make it past the title. Some of these songs sounded like they were sung through a megaphone--some vocal dynamics might have improved them. Several of the songs I like, and I was already familiar with all of those: Cover Me, which sounds somehow vaguely ska/reggae, Glory Days, a megaphone song, but saved by familiarity, Dancing in the Dark (Courtney Cox!). There's a song I truly love, I'm On Fire, perfectly capturing that moody Roy Orbison plaintive longing. My only quibble is the oxymoronic lyric about the knife that was "edgy and dull." Anyway, most of these songs I could take or leave, but 4 good and 1 great is not too shabby.
I remember watching someone sing Born In the USA at a karaoke night and I remember thinking that the opening of the song was almost iconic and a real crowd pleaser, (the crowd cheered really loudly to the opening).... but then as the song went on and the singer struggled with what seemed to be all but the chorus, it struck me that there was really not much to the song at all. Everything built around that opening riff and not much variation or movement note and chord wise throughout the song, so music wise it kind of, (apart from the patriotic type message and ideas of it), a bit underwhelming musically, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from listening to this album. This was my first listen through the whole thing. I am familiar though with the other big songs on this one. I think Dancing In the Dark is one of the stronger songs on it, even stronger than the title track. Glory Days is also a powerhouse of a song. The entire album is an Americana working class, blue collar album. Something I would expect from someone out of the American 'heartland' rather than a jersey boy. I dug it.
- Ich hab schon immer große Sympathie für den Boss - Persönlich gefallen mir seine weniger poppigen Sachen noch besser - Trotzdem insgesamt ein krasses Album - Mehrere Welthits drauf, und auch wenn so ein Song wie „Born in tve USA“ natürlich absolut überhört ist, muss man sich schon manchmal nochmal darauf zurück besinnen, was das im kern für eine großartige (anti-)hymne das eigentlich ist - Kann man absolut gut weghören, manches ist aber auch ein bisschen langweilig Rating: 3,5-3,75/5
i remember listening to dancing in the dark shortly after getting a job as a dishwasher. I was a teenager, working for the first time in my life more days then not. long shifts that stretched into the night. several summer nights I'd stumble out of the kitchen at 1 or 2 am, alone in the streets stinking of rich people's leftovers. all the bites they didn't want splashed into my shirt. I remember while adjusting to the daily grind feeling hopeless, depressed, and exhausted. Waiting around all day just to go to work at 5 and stay until whenever. one of those smokey summer afternoons before work, feeling the dread of an oncoming shift looming, I listened to dancing in the dark. Hearing Springsteen describe the mundanity and routine of work life struck me. it may seem silly as others had worse jobs and in hindsight, I didn't work very much, but teenage hormones distort everything to life or death, best or worst. it was the worst, and hearing a man sing a song decades ago about the shitty grind resonated in my fresh entry into the work force. sometimes you spend all day scrubbing dishes for the wealthy, strain your body and inhale cleaning chemicals you should never get close to, and at the end of it feel numb with nothing to say.
Un son beaucoup plus 80s venant de The Boss que je m'attendais, mais ça reste l'album que j'ai le plus aimé de lui à date. Super bon flux, compositions solides, beau mix de rock traditionnel et d'influence plus contemporaine. Un classique pour une raison. 8/10
Ok
Filled with iconic songs, he is a great storyteller. Instrumentally, not a lot stands out to me. 3.5.
songwriting is great. would've been a lot better if it was made it another decade
Está muy bien, pero me gusta más born to run y the river.
This is a classic in all the right ways. Now if only the majority of the listening public could realize the song "born in the USA" is a protest song and not a patriotic anthem, it'd be perfect.
Listened before but just so American... In the best way! Title track and dancing in the dark are obvious standouts - pretty quintessential stuff. 3.8
Interesting, loved Bruce in this
Not my cup of tea by any stretch. But the songs are, as always with him, amazing. The heroic 80s drums production is a bit of a turn off for me, but I can acknowledge that this album was extremely influential in music, for good reasons. There is such a great tension between the muscular production and the vulnerability and rawness of the lyrics that lives well to this day. I am actually really thankful to this list for helping me get into Springsteen. He is someone that I kind of brushed off as a boomer act, but there is so much more to him.
some great songs, really good album overall.
What can we say? If we don't like this are we even Americans? It's a classic. You've heard it a million times from the prairie farms of the heartland to the Golden Gate Bridge to the Statue of Liberty. This is the monster release by The Boss.
Bruce Springsteen’s most iconic album has a great start and finish, but between “Cover Me” and “Glory Days” it’s just ok. When a Springsteen song isn’t punchy or hooky enough, I find myself dwelling on the excessive vocal affectations/accent he sings in. Then my mind wanders further to lament the themes of Springsteen’s music. The decline of the heartland, the loss of innocence, the complicated nature of nostalgia, and by extension, how the American working class was manipulated into turning on itself during that decline. But I never think about that listening to “Glory Days.” That song is terrific. “Glory Days” and “Dancing in the Dark” may see Springsteen veer too far from his roots in embracing synths and pop, but they’re great songs. Oh, and then I listened to everything again and the middle is better than I first thought. Especially “I’m on Fire.” Must have been deep in lament and not paying attention to that one.
Not his best album but probably best commercial success!
Fav: Dancing In The Dark Least Fav: Glory Days Stronger second half, but is filled with great songs with great lyrics, not much else to say but I enjoyed it even with some of its weaker tracks.
A bit of a classic
Take it away Bruuuuuuuuuuce. Dancing in the Dark is the best Bruce Springsteen song
Not my favorite from Bruce Springsteen, but very good.
Fair play, watching Springsteen give everything he's got on the vocal for the title track is very powerful and moving. There's an eloquence of simplicity and directness in the lyrics and music, but he can be deceptively wry. And while the synths and big drum sound are firmly locked in the 80's, forty years on, there's an element of nostalgia. I didn't used to think much of Springsteen, but digging below the surface, his music is growing on me.
cohesive album and so many hits. I'm on fire alone deserves one star more
Vooruit, deze Bruce krijgt 4 sterren
The boss meest iconische album Goed album wel hoor
Most likely his best known album, and lots of good songs on it for sure. I've been finding his albums a bit hit and miss, but I like this one on the whole, very much part of 80's americana.
A classic album that dominated pop and rock radio throughout 1984 and 1985, Born in the USA continues to provide a clear-eyed view of America's fading middle class. Its thematic consistency is never overstated; a presence throughout the upbeat songs as much as in the drearier tracks. The hits (including the title track, Glory Days, I'm on Fire, and the irrepressible Dancing in the Dark) continue to stand on their own two feet, but it was a joy to reconnect with deeper cuts, like Downtown Train and Bobby Jean -- both crushingly sad and sympathetic character studies that play to Springsteen's greatest strength as a writer. That having been said, in fitting with its era, the production is over the top. In particular, Springsteen's fascination with synths and organs quickly overstays its welcome. Younger listeners may struggle to work past this, but its absolutely worth the challenge.
Americana at its best!
Classic album full of great songs. Iconic sound.
Vigoureux, rebelle mais plus fédérateur que dérangeant. Belle unité sur le plan musical, alors que chaque chanson est pratiquement un hit en soi.
Correcto.
Love Brucey
I was never a huge Springsteen fan but listening to his words now i can see how great he is
Solid album. The title track is an anthem. The two tracks I like most are "I'm On Fire" and "Dancing In The Dark". Some other tracks like "My Hometown" are growing on me.
I tend to struggle with Springsteen a bit. Something about his voice lacks charisma to me. That said, it's hard to argue that there aren't a half dozen classic (if commonly misunderstood) songs on this album.
Great Rock album
It’s fine, but I didn’t love it. It doesn’t have the consistent quality of Born To Run or just the general vibes of Nebraska, but it’s still a fine album.
Très bon bruce springsteen! He's born is usa!
It's the boss. So many good stand outs.
It's not hard to understand why Springsteen got the nickname "The Boss". He has presence, and a powerful voice. Some of the tracks on the album did become a bit "samey" in sound, but they always remained distinct songs and didn't flow together. Standouts Born In the USA No Surrender Dancing In the Dark 4/5
My favorite Bruce album. It's one lead guitar away from being in top 20 for me.
Pure Americana. Love the dark undertones and nuanced take of American life in every song. Also they are just super catchy.
For me, sits somewhere between Born to Run and Darkness. The blue collar working class elements with the 80s country production always made me think about my granddad. And no. That's not a MAGA hat in his back pocket despite what you want to believe.
3-4 stars. Some big hits but most songs sound more or less the same.
I admire Bruce Springsteen and this album, the most famous of his whole career. I'm happy that he arrived to so many people with Born In The USA, but this record it's not my favourite because of the musical simplicity. I love the guitar driven albums of the E Street Band, and this one sounds so eighties-ish. (Not surprising, but not up to Born To Run etc) So many folks misunderstand anthems like Born In The USA, but he still scores with No Surrender or My Hometown.
Pretty solid, and I thought I didn't like Springsteen
I'm not much of a Springsteen listener, but as an American child of the 80s this album was seared into my consciousness. How exactly I don't know, since my parents never listened to anything but opera and I wasn't seeking it out myself; I guess it was just in the air. I like the album well enough but I have a special fondness for I'm on Fire.
I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, hey a-boppa de down, down
I often feel with Born in the USA that I should like it more. But the first half of the album is a bit of a slog for me. The songs all feel very simple in structure and chord progression. Apart from the undeniable energy of the title track there isn't much there that grabs me. From I'm On Fire things pick up, but the real standout is I'm Goin' Down which has always been a favourite of mine. It doesn't really do much different to the rest of the album's formula but it just hits much harder for me. Dancing in the Dark is also great - I find it very hard to not sing a long with "you can't start a fire, can't start a fire without a spark" Fave Tracks: I'm on Fire, I'm Goin' Down, Dancing in the Dark 3.5/5
Great album overall.
I’ll give it a 4 for the stand-out tracks I’ve heard before, but it’s not an album I’d choose to listen to in its entirety because it’s just too all-American for my taste.
150/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
I’m pretty sure I prefer this to Born to Run, which feels a little blasphemous but I have no qualms about it. A lot of artists were terrified of the 80s, but Springsteen leans into them and I think he succeeds. The album feels genuinely bright and celebratory even though most of the songs are about small-town desperation and misery, and that’s an interesting emotional mix that I don’t think could be pulled off without this style of production. And, of course, most of it is just damn catchy. Best song: Dancing in the Dark
An absolute belter of an album! Not a bad track on it! I’m off to buy some Levi’s and a dusty ol’ baseball cap and do some trucking! And, of course, marry Betty Sue to the strains of God Bless America while I stare misty eyed at Old Glory and admire the bald eagle soaring overhead on its way to symbolise the “thoughts and prayers” being sent to the victims of the latest school massacre. ‘Murica!
classic, prime springsteen. some areas i found a bit slower than other (ie working on the higher) - in general i preferred the b-side of the album. no surrender, dancing in the dark and glory days are examples of the highlights of this album, with the boss’s roaring vocals, and the immense talent of the e street band. you can also hear the 80s pop influence in this album, which intertwines itself nicely with springsteen’s rock sound. overall a classic album.
Pretty good, for 1984
Good timey music
Very good. Fast paced and memorable. I'm not usually one for this music style but it works in this instance. A classic for sure. Some tracks were a bit lacklustre but there are so many good ones too. Highlights: Cover Me No Surrender Glory Days Dancing In the Dark
HELL YEAH. best music for gym workout
Best Springsteen's album. Legendary sound of classic American rock from 80's
This album just sounds like Middle America., not sure how else to describe it. The songs are structurally simple, but also catchy thanks to Springsteen and the E Street Band's slamming guitars, crashing drums, and signature emphatic vocals. But what makes Springsteen really special is his songwriting ability. The characters he creates is his music are meant to be relatable in their hardships. While most of this particular album sounds upbeat and bubbly, the actual lyrical content is frankly pretty depressing and authentic. I mean, name a more misinterpreted song than the titular "Born in the U.S.A.". Shows you the power of a strong chorus, as that's all everyone remembers. The rest of the album explores the flaws of the so called "American Dream", complete with disillusionment and struggles experienced by the working-class. Not to say that the entire album has a doom and gloom outlook, as you could argue that optimism immediately follows themes such as these. Leave it to "The Boss" to explore this sort of subject matter whilst being the seminal entertainer that he is.
This is now the epitome of dad rock. But I honestly have a good time listening to this. The iconic songs remain iconic, and the rest are solid tunes. 4/5
I am not a huge fan of typical 1980’s production stylings, and there are times on this album where the gated drums are a bit much for me, or there’s a little too much echo for my liking. However, the songs are so good, and in recent years, I’ve come around to it more and more. The title track, which sounds like a fun, upbeat song on first listen, is a great, biting commentary on the state of America post-Vietnam. “I’m on Fire” is a really effective song, I love the bed of synths that really set the mood well. “Dancing in the Dark”, kind of like the title track, at first glance is just this fun upbeat pop song, but some really heavy lyrics underneath it all, really fantastic song. I love “Downbound Train”, “No Surrender”, the closer “My Hometown”...even though it’s only my ninth favorite Springsteen album, I still really like it a lot, and I have just recently bumped it up to 4 stars. 4/5
STANDOUTS: Born in the U.S.A. I'm on Fire I'm Goin' Down Glory Days Dancing in the Dark....and Courtney Cox! B-Sides Bonus: Pink Cadillac Shut Out The Light OVERALL: 4/5; truly felt like a heaping slice of American culture. Especially when it was straight-up bashing American culture.
dancing in the dark / i'm on fire
This is a classic album for a weekend. It's got all the hits - Born In The USA, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark - interspersed throughout with just quintessential Bruce Springsteen songs in between. The lyrics, the voice, toeing the line between rock and pop. it's all good. I really enjoyed the album.
Fun rock album.
Some solid classics on this one
As a non-USA resident, I felt like I lived in the USA, great job! It means the music worked the magic :) Fav track: Born in the USA
A great American classic rock album. Rocks hard. Songs are mostly about working class disillusionment and need for love. Vocal range is exceptional from the screams of Born in Usa and the intimate pathos in Downbound train, I'm on fire and My hometown. A perfect rock album that is catchy, fun and emotional in equal parts .
Unfortunately, it doesn't Inspired me. 4/5
It's a testament to Bruce and company's chops that this album hasn't been ruined by boomers and republicans grossly misunderstanding it for 40 years now.
I don't think I was ever going to write a series review about this in this box but as I sat down to type I imagined an alternate reality where Bruce pulled up Lisa Kudrow instead of Courteney Cox in the "Dancing in the Dark" video and I'm laughing at that right now
Mis-80's Bruce is not my jam. Darlington County was a nice surprise. I don't think I had ever listened to this album all the way through before.
Got this on the 4th of July. Hell yeah Bruce.
AMURICAA!!!
-this is a great album -Springsteen gives some passionate vocals -his writing is also really good on this one -some songs are quite misunderstood due to their uplifting dance instrumentation (i.e: Dancing In The Dark) -my first Springsteen album ever (and a great entry point in general as well) -favorite songs: the title track (<3), Cover Me, Darlington County, No Surrender, I'm Going Down, Dancing In The Dark (<3), My Hometown -least favorite song: Working On The Highway
Top album.
I wasn't a Springsteen fan back in the day. It's very guy oriented, although a whole lotta girls loved him. Me, not so much. I also heard his stuff too much. But this album is very strong! I'm enjoying it. I always thought the somewhat cheesy organ sound and the sax were interesting, but I didn't really like it a lot. Oh well. Infectious beat for sure! It's an album that's been popular for 40 years. 4 stars, one for each decade.
I haven't been big on listening to music in the vehicle because I think it's annoying. That said, you can't not play this driving around in a big old jeep. Love the trumpets, great stuff. Now *does* that cover mean what I think it does, because I'm down for it Boss.
A classic album, proud to be an American😤 Top tracks: Born in the USA, I’m On Fire, Glory Days, Dancing in the Dark
Bruce - the poster child of American rock and roll. Lyrically, he’s hard to beat, but his voice leaves much to be desired. He stands for the common man, and common men love him for it. Iconic album cover too.
A lot of big hits on this record.
Album starts off and you think the message is "fuck yeah I'm an American!" But it's actually "fuck... I'm an American..."
America rahhh 🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸
It's got some classic hits and there are some pretty good deeper cuts too. I think a 3.5 is what I'd give it honestly but 4, while seeming to be a bit too high is what I will give.
Never been a huge Bruce guy but 4 out of respect
Born in the USA - Kill the WHAT man - I've heard this song before - Don't love his voice I'm afraid - The 'American Psycho'/Matrix/Fight Club of music along with Fortunate Son 82/100 Cover Me - Like the tune - Might not be as iconic as Born in the USA but his voice is less grating in this - A banger honestly 84/100 Darlington County - Sounds like Redneck Bob Dylan, but Bob Dylan is honestly vastly better (and doesn't sound as commercial/football game-ish) - Still, It's not bad, and doesn't break the jam of the album - Bruce and Wayne's fathers own one of the world trade centers? 70/100 Working on the Highway - This sounds like the Bruce Springsteen songs my grandmother was obsessed with - I like this style of singing better for him - Still, not my favourite so far, but it's not bad 77/100 Downbound Train - Immediately this sounds better than the rest of the album thus far - Something about it stops me from giving it a 90+ but it's close - It fixes what I don't like about Springsteen largely but at the same time in doing so it takes something away from him - Felt far longer than it was 83/100 I'm On Fire - Expected this to be my favourite - Heard this many times - Know I like it - So short but killer all the way through 91/100 No Surrender - "Remember when we were teenagers" - There are a million songs that sound like this (lyrically especially) - This is a pretty good version of that song though 81/100 Bobby Jean - It's still got what I've liked about most of the songs so far but it doesn't have quite the same consistent quality as 'No Surrender', 'Cover Me' or 'I'm On Fire' - Second half is very good, probably the most emotive part of the album aside from the two big hits (so far), and is on its own better than 'I'm on Fire' honestly 82/100 I'm Goin' Down - Dylanesque again sorta - OK nevermind - Solid, Doesn't sound bad - But it's just not interesting conceptually, sonically, or lyrically 70/100 Glory Days - Back in the good old days song again! - Might be as good as No Surrender but I don't want another song like that - Especially when this is so unsubtle - Nostalgia Bait - Bobby? Gosh I kind of like the references to recurring characters - It's Self Aware! - Interesting commentary - Not bad all in all 71/100 Dancing In The Dark - Biggest hit of Springsteen's career - Also meant to be one of his best - Beat is more pop than any song before it - Pretty good, I don't understand why people like it more than 'I'm on Fire' though - Very good in fact, probably not enough to return to it all that much but 86/100 My Hometown - Gosh he sings well here - Good send off to the album - Not sure how much I like it but it's solid 76/100 Overall: pretty good, but nothing to write home about. I've heard Born to Run is much better and so I'll probably check it out, but aside from that likely won't ever be too fussed about Springsteen. Track average: 79 I'm happy with that Rating: 79/100
mmmmmm I like a lot, should be 4.5
Definitely Bruce’s best album by far
Really nice for casual listening, it works well when paired with summertime. It reminds me of parts of my family that I never really got to connect with here in SoCal's central valley.
could i write poetry to this? n
Pretty good.
Being not a big fan of Springsteen I can see his influence on the rock genre. This is his big mainstream album with a lot of single hits. Everyone knows ist. The message of the title track is often being misunderstood though.
Por segunda vez toca Bruce, artista que he escuchado poco y nada. Esta vez, con un disco clásico de su repertorio. Trabajo lleno de hits. Algunos más bailables. Otros, más para escuchar como música de fondo. Y todo con la voz tan particular de éste tipo (Ahora que lo pienso, Win Butler tiene un dejo de Springsteen para cantar). Gran álbum.
Good album. If this is what you're into, he does it maybe better than anyone else.
Much better than Born to Run.
Really nice american Rock'n'Roll !
Not perfect
Really good album even some of the less popular songs are pretty good. Classic American rock that I will be listening to many more times.
Första låten är ju mumma. Cover me är bra.4a Darlington county. Meh. 3a. Har låg verkshöjd. En låt "man" skiter ur sig lite för lätt. Har inget musikaliskt som ger den en usp. Working on the highway. 3a. Nej. Downbound train. 4a. Bättre än de två innan. Im on fire. Bra. 4a No surrender. 4a Bobby jean. 3a Im going down. 3a Glory Days. 5a Dancer in the dark. 5a My hometown. 4a
06/17/24 S Tier—————————5 Dancing In The Dark Glory Days Cover Me A Tier—————————4 Darlington County I’m On Fire Born in the USA No Surrender B Tier—————————3 Bobby Jean I’m Goin’ Down My Home Town Working on the Highway C Tier—————————2 Downbound Train D Tier—————————1
Some big hits for Springsteen on this album! Never loved his music but this was appropriate for Memorial Day weekend working out in the yard haha. 3.5/5
Album with many classics, unfortunately most of these were very overplayed for me so I can't fully appreciate them. Perfect timeless songs of the summer. Objectively a great album though.
Sounds like how it feels to sit on the porch and drink an ice cold Coors on a hot July evening
Bunch of bangers one after the other. Stand-out: Cover Me
:)
Nacido en Borneo
Underwhelming. I try to rate each album on its own merits rather than relative to others from the same artist. It's interesting to think about where this record fails next to Born to Run though. First, the production is horribly dated. Bad synth, cheesy piano and regretfully small amount of saxophone suck a lot of the grit out of the E Street band. Downbound Train and Working on the Highway are the worst offenders. Second, it's easy to hear the radio aspirations. The singles are good and catchy but wow is title repeated a lot on all of them. Literally the only reason I hate Born in the USA is because of how many times Bruce sings "Boooorn in the USA". By the end of the song I'm floating over that skip button. It probably wouldn't be as bad if that song wasn't so over played but it is and that sucks. Lastly, I just don't get as much of a throughline on this album. Born to Run crescendos deliberately from the first note through the title track with connected ideas. This is just a pile of songs. It's a good pile, but Springsteen and E Street without the storytelling is just a pretty good bar band with a bad singer.
Not a big Springsteen fan, but hard to deny that this is a great album.
Already familiar with a handful of tracks and I’ve loved Dancing in the Dark for years. Can’t be less than a 4.