In 1981, Bruce Springsteen He sat with his legs resting on a coffee table in his house in Colts Neck, New Jersey, contemplating a song partly sparked by a script sent to him by screenwriter Paul Schrader. As he strummed his guitar, The Boss flipped through his notebook searching for scrawled lyrics about the struggles faced by veterans returning from the Vietnam War. He decided to use as the chorus the provisional title of the screenplay beside him, titled "Born In The USA."
As Springsteen would go on to pen in his memoir, Born To Run From 2016, " Born In The USA" continues to be one of my most significant yet widely misinterpreted musical works. This song juxtaposes melancholic bluesy verses with uplifting anthemic choruses, simultaneously calling for a 'critically' patriotic stance alongside celebrating national pride—a duality that seemed contradictory or bothersome to those who listen without much scrutiny... Music albums frequently act as auditory inkblot tests; we interpret them based on our personal perspectives.
Surely, we can relate. There have definitely been numerous times when I've found myself stumbling. foul of misunderstanding songs myself For several years — let's say about thirty years — I genuinely thought that the lyric "I was invited in for coffee and I gave the dog a bone," from the Squeeze hit "Cool_for_Cats", implied that the singer actually provided bonemeal to a dog. At least I wasn’t as clueless as another guy at the Hammersmith Odeon back in the late 1970s during Tom Robinson’s performance of "Glad_To_Be_Gay" when he turned to his companions asking, “Do you think he’s homosexual?”
In certain uncommon cases, it can happen that a songwriter might misinterpret their own work. Actually, just this week, Victor Willis, the creator of the song often hailed as the gay anthem "YMCA," has threatened legal action against those who refer to the Village People hit as — hold on — a gay anthem.
In January 2025, my spouse plans to initiate legal action against every single news outlet that inaccurately portrays YMCA as some sort of gay anthem—whether in their titles or within the body of articles—because this claim apparently hinges only on certain suggestive lyrics from the song," Willis penned earlier this week, somewhat unclearly. wife Still, she'll be the one filing the lawsuit. Not much can be more definitive than that, right?
However, I'm certain we've all faced setbacks in various ways. My late father, who had an unusual knack for misinterpreting song lyrics, used to tell me more than forty times that "Livin' Thing" by ELO was about a man going bald (though it definitely isn't). Even stranger was his belief that the narrative of "Mrs. Robinson," performed by Simon & Garfunkel, mirrored the plot of the movie *The Graduate*, where the song originally featured. Despite my efforts, I couldn't convince him that the introductory lines — including the couplet “We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files / We'd like to help you learn to help yourself” — were meant differently. clearly “Don’t be silly,” he would respond, “why would anyone write a song about this?” as she entered a mental health clinic. that ?”
When discussing "Born in the USA," it's interesting to think about how this prominent song might have been perceived if it had been included in the stark and gloomy format of the album "Nebraska." Issued in 1982, Springsteen’s haunting acoustic gem presents a collection of individuals struggling at society's margins within a nation indifferent toward its underprivileged citizens. A protagonist unable to find respite in America or an individual driven mad during the Vietnam War battle could easily fit into such a setting.
Supported by the E Street Band in powerful form upon its release in 1984 on an album bearing the same title, this song later turned into a prime example of how quickly tunes with clear-cut lyrics could be misinterpreted. For instance, the trade publication Cash Box characterized it as "an unambiguous hymn extolling America’s core principles," whereas libertarian writer George Will opined, "I am utterly oblivious to Springsteen’s political leanings" — quite unsurprising indeed — yet he felt that the refrain from "Born in the U.S.A." amounted to "a splendidly joyous declaration.” He went so far as to propose to Reagan’s team that they seek Bruce Springsteen's backing for President Reagan's reelection bid during the 1984 presidential race. This suggestion was promptly declined.
It seems to demonstrate the strength of popular music that even lyrics which are highly rebellious or complex can occasionally be presented with such ease. These lyrical elements remain concealed yet noticeable over extended periods of time.
Sometimes, however, overlooking things can have advantages. "Pills And Soap," a song by Elvis Costello & The Attractions' album attributed to "The Imposter" was pulled from shelves just 72 hours following its release, coinciding with the 1983 general election. Despite being overtly political—lines like "the sugar-coated pill is getting more bitter every day; you believe your nation requires you, yet deep down you know it doesn’t really care"—Costello managed to circumvent broadcast restrictions for sensitive content through an agreement with executives at Top Of The Pops, persuading them that the ominous tune actually advocated for animal welfare. In fairness, he had turn into a vegetarian that very year following a documentary on factory farming.
Last week, during a bus tour around Belfast, I was struck again by how Costello often begins his politically charged songs with imaginative embellishments and grandiose wordplay. While driving through the north side of town, our guide mentioned that we were passing what locals call "Murder Mile," a former volatile Protestant neighborhood featured prominently in one of the artist's most popular tracks. However, Oliver’s Army does not reference Belfast at all. The song, penned following their performance in the city in 1978, initially aimed only as a B-side track until pianist Steve Nieve added the piano riff reminiscent of ABBA’s Dancing Queen to the composition.
However, even though I enjoy picturing Elvis Costello being completely satisfied with how the magnificent tunes of "Oliver's Army" overshadow words and phrases like “Palestine,” “Johannesburg," and “white n-----” for those who aren’t inclined to catch the lyrics, some musicians become quite upset when their song's essence gets overlooked.
At first glance, the choice made by New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, to utilize "Tubthumping," Chumbawamba As a theme song, it's quite straightforward. After all, we're not dealing with a working-class national anthem that speaks to the unyielding spirit of marginalized communities in overlooked parts of England, which would be similar to a populist politician known for their strong views on social and economic issues, making even someone like Liz Truss appear mild-mannered compared to Pete Seeger.
However, when using a chart-topping song from a group that previously criticized John Prescott — starting from the left, no less — by pouring water from a bucket holding bottles of champagne over the deputy prime minister during the Brit Awards in 1998, Winston Peters attracted unavoidable backlash that could have been sidestepped with some minimal investigation into Chumbawamba’s background. If he had researched them beforehand, he might have understood that using their most well-known song for a political figure who previously opposed the decriminalization of homosexuality would be utterly absurd.
Allow me to clarify: 'Tubthumping' was composed to honor the resilience and determination of working-class individuals who continue to fight despite tough circumstances," wrote Boff Whalley, the band's lead guitarist, in an article for The Guardian released last month. "The song bears absolutely no resemblance to wealthy politicians advocating extreme anti-liberal platforms.
Whalley proceeded to criticize "the new generation of populist leaders who believe they can conceal their millionaire 'champion of the common folk' paradoxes with popular hits everyone adores." Expanding his criticism, he pointed out that Donald Trump specifically lacks knowledge regarding his selection of campaign anthems; as a result, he has had to cease using music from artists like Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, and Elton John. When it came to Chumbawamba, we also had to issue our own 'stop and desist' order because an aspirant President Trump mistakenly believed he could utilize 'Tubthumping,' not anticipating our strong objections.
Boff Whalley believes that the real problem here is that “the right doesn’t have any good songs [which is] why they keep trying to nick ours”.
Who am I to claim he’s missing the point? Undoubtedly, when conservative politicians, particularly, declare their support for political adversaries, they often tread on metaphorical land mines visible even from outer space. Following David Cameron identifying "The Eton Rifles" by The Jam as one of his favorite tunes, the song's creator, Paul Weller, reacted by questioning, “Which part did you fail to understand… It wasn’t meant to be some cheerful anthem for military training groups.” Similarly, Johnny Marr expressed little enthusiasm about the ex-Prime Minister’s approval. his The old band, again. "Quit claiming you enjoy The Smiths," the guitarist stated firmly. "You really don't. I prohibit you from liking them."
Things inevitably get complicated when a song is versatile enough to be embraced by various political factions. For instance, the undeniably inspiring "We're Not Gonna Take It" by construction workers-turned-glam-metal band Twisted Sister, has served over the years as an anthem for widely differing groups such as protesting educators, supporters of stricter gun laws, and even Republicans. However, when members of the extreme right adopted this tune, frontman Dee Snider voiced his disapproval openly. He tweeted, "ATTENTION QAnon, MAGA fascists: Each time you belt out 'We're Not Gonna Take It,' keep in mind it was penned by someone who enjoys dressing up as the opposite sex, supports liberal causes, loves nature, identifies partly Jewish, and despises everything you represent." Adding, "Your anger fueled each bitter line of that song! GET LOST!"
Keep in mind, "We're Not Gonna Take It" has been misinterpreted since day one. Following years of performing in Long Island’s clubs throughout the early '70s and into the mid-'80s, Twisted Sister found themselves thrust into controversy when they were included among 15 rock and pop tracks flagged by the politically connected censor organization known as the PMRC [Parents Music Resource Center]. With his appearance resembling chaos akin to an explosion at a Bette Midler merchandise plant, Dee Snider had to appear before this group during a Senate hearing where he aimed to debunk the idea that he was corrupting youthful audiences.
I want to share some information about myself with the committee," he stated. "I am 30 years old, married, and have a three-year-old son. I was brought up as a Christian and continue to follow those values. Surprisingly enough, I neither consume alcohol nor cigarettes, and I abstain from using any kind of drugs.
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