Recall back in 1984, the Reagan campaign attempted to co-opt Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” as a patriotic anthem when Springsteen, himself, advised them it was nothing of the sort but rather a song that told the story of a working-class kid who gets shipped-off to Vietnam only to return to an America of unemployment and disillusion.
(As much as we hated the “youth vote” even when we were youths, we were convinced by this incident that every politician needed a bona fide “youth consultant” to avoid stepping in it like the Reagan campaign did)
Well, according to Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News on Sunday, Bruce dedicated his performance of “Born in the U.S.A.” while in concert in Jacksonville to a kid from Baltimore who gets shipped off to Beijing only return to America with 8 more gold medals, endorsement opportunities, fame and adulation.
... ah yes, how nearly a quarter a century will change perspective on things.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hey Brucie Baby, how about "Born to (Swim)", instead?
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3 comments:
It's rock and roll dude, not rocket scientry. Yoove gotta look at the iner meening
Rocket scientry will be the last thing ever discussed here.
You're right, its only rock'n'roll and I'm positive Bruce's gesture was a compliment, but I just thought the irony between the two situations was too delicious to pass up.
sarcasm missed
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