The Lyrics That Encapsulate The American Life From Bruce Springsteen

Few musicians have portrayed American life in all of its richness and passion as well as Bruce Springsteen. He does not present himself on stage as an impenetrable force clothed in something flashy and vibrant, unlike many of his rockstar contemporaries. Instead, he stands on stage as a paragon of the working class, singing songs that are classified as the typical American spirit – wearing the most American thing: blue jeans. Below, we’ll take a moment of appreciation for Springsteen’s craft that we present to you these five best lyrics penned by the boss himself.

“Badlands” – Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

/Poor man wanna be rich / rich man wanna be king / And a king ain’t satisfied / till he rules everything/

Human beings are never content, said someone from a long time ago, but we doubt they said it with as much confidence as Springsteen does in “Badlands.” One of his strongest vocal performances and boasting some of his most lyrical strokes, Springsteen struck a stride when penning this gem.

“Growin’ Up” – Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.. (1973)

/I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd / but when they said “Sit down” I stood up/

This folk-rock tune is an ode for rebellion, as Springsteen tries to open the minds of those who close them with this two-verse statement.

“Thunder Road” – Born To Run (1975)

/You can hide ‘neath your covers and study your pain / Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain / Waste your summer praying in vain / For a savior to rise from these streets/

“Thunder Road” is easily recognized to be one of the boss’ classic songs. It details the bravery of breaking the chains that have been holding you down for a long time.

“Born to Run” – Born to Run (1975)

/Oh honey, tramps like us / Baby, we were born to run / Come on with me, tramps like us / Baby, we were born to run/

Bruce Springsteen sure knows how to write simple yet powerful lyrics. It is no doubt that lyrically speaking, “Born to Run” had the most epic pen game, which thought-provoking ideas which make people think clearly about what the message is all about.

“Dancing in the Dark” – Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

/You can’t start a fire / You can’t start a fire without a spark / This gun’s for hire / Even if we’re just dancin’ in the dark/

Springsteen wrote “Dancing In the Dark” twofold: first, his magnum opus Born in the U.S.A. needed a hit, and second, it was an exercise to see if he could pen one. Turns out, he could do the latter, and the song became one of the boss’s well-known songs to this day.