Start of the 'Born In The USA' tour
29 June 1984
Having told his manager Mike Appel that he never wanted to play big venues again, this tour could be seen as a complete u-turn for Bruce Springsteen. He began the 'Born In The USA' in St. Paul, Minnesota on the 29 June 1984, selling out football stadium sized venues across the world playing to tens of thousands at a time.
He would begin his show with the often misinterpreted title track 'Born in the USA' (a lament for those disillusioned with the Vietnam War rather than the patriotic anthem Ronald Reagan though it was). The track went number one on 7 July and stayed there for an amazing 7 weeks and in the top 10 for 85 weeks. All this from an album that would eventually produce an astonishing 7 hit singles.
Bruce experienced a level of fame and that could only be compared to Michael Jackson at the time. Writer Dave Marsh said of Bruce's stage show: "it was a refutation of the idea that rock was anarchic rebellion. If anything his shows were a master work of crowd control, an adventure in pure co-operation, a challenge to chaos."
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howard picken/manchester
Iv'e followed bruce and the e street for 27 years,up and down the uk,park,arena,football stadium etc .His lyrics were the first lyrics to make me actually stop and think about what someone was telling me musically,from the dark and sombre nebraska material to the classic that is the river! As man and boy his music has helped me steer my way through life and i can't thank him and the band enough.One of the best performances for me was the gig at villa's football ground (the tunnel of love tour) but there are so many to mention.If anyone is reading this and hasn't really listened to his music properly then i would say pick an album,any album close tour eyes and let his tales unfold, happy listening!Huddersfield,UK
I went to the roundhay park concert in 85. Although i might have seen to jumping onto the bandwagon, musically it was a life changing moment, and at 15 i also dicovered the godfather of the guitar Nils Lofgren
Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Steve Van Zandt
Producers
Produced the Born in the USA album.
Courteney Cox and Brian De Palma
Actress and Filmmaker
Appeared in and directed the Dancing in the Dark music video.