Springsteen. More than just a name. A legacy. As my favorite artist of all time, it is exciting to be able to break down his career and evaluate what that legacy truly encapsulates. Even if I’m hearing a Springsteen song for the hundredth time, I might feel a different emotion than I did the last. Springsteen’s gravelly voice and beautifully written lyrics combine to make his lines punch you in the gut in the most delightful way. I will be breaking down Springsteen’s musical and cultural expression by diving into a few of his most influential albums.
Greetings From Asbury Park (January 5th, 1973)
This album gave listeners an idea of Springsteen’s identity. His first studio album, Greetings From Asbury Park answered identity defining questions like: Who was Springsteen? Where did he come from? What did he stand for? It was all there.
Throughout Springsteen’s career, he has produced songs about getting a grip on one’s identity. He does this by telling magical, fictional stories, and Greetings From Asbury Park was no different, except that the character in the album was not fictional, it was Bruce Springsteen himself. Songs such as “Blinded By The Light,” “Growin’ Up,” and “Spirit In The Night,” tell part of his own story, building an identity that would soon become very familiar to listeners.
Born To Run (August 25th, 1975)
Look at the album cover of Born To Run and you’ll find Springsteen leaning on Clarence Clemens’ shoulder, looking out into the distance. At the photoshoot, Springsteen was likely simply looking at the crew, or maybe even a blank wall, yet his eyes on the cover seem like they can see his dreams slowly but surely coming true. His ever so slight smile and intensity in his face provide a visual perception regarding what he speaks about so dearly in every track on the album.
There is so much to say about Born To Run. Some say it’s Bruce’s best album. Others claim it’s the greatest piece of musical art to ever be created (me). Now what makes this set of songs so special is that they tell a story that is applicable to anyone, whether they are living in a time after a love, during a love, or have never encountered a lover before. Springsteen uses such rhetoric that is so subtle yet so powerful, a theme across all his albums. Specifically, in “Thunder Road,” the character created is one that has humility, while also having incredible desire for adventure. Someone who is listening to music for not only the sound, but for the emotion of the song, will fall in love with “Thunder Road” in an instant. After setting the scene and establishing the narrator’s situation with his potential lover, Mary, Springsteen delivers the most impactful metaphor of his career.
“We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back, heaven’s waiting down on the tracks
Oh-oh, come take my hand
We’re riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh, Thunder Road.”
The last lyric transcends into the song’s only chorus, symbolizing that Springsteen didn’t intend to deliver a catchy tune; he wanted his lyrics and emotion to carry the song into rock’s canon.
The title track, “Born To Run,” is a rebellious, romantic piece that encapsulates the thrill of going against the rules to find love, or in some interpretations, just having a good time. The fast drums that lead directly into a passionate horn melody jump-start the song, giving it the energy and passion that it is so well known for.
In many ways, “Born To Run” embodies Bruce Springsteen’s ability as a writer. He doesn’t need to be blunt in order to make his points. He leaves certain aspects up to interpretation, oftentimes the struggles of his characters, so that it can resonate with any listener that is struggling.
Born In The U.S.A. (June 4th, 1984)
What became Springsteen’s most popular album, Born In The U.S.A. is what solidified Springsteen and the E Street Band as a true, blue-collared American band–emphasis on American. This album made patriotism part of the band’s identity. They spoke about what it means to be an American, and the strengths and weaknesses of the country.
Everybody thinks that Born In The U.S.A. is trying to tell a story that is along the lines of “I’m an American, I’m strong, and I’m better than you because of it.” However, it is a track that criticizes America. If you pay attention to the lyrics, it is a Vietnam veteran’s story. The soldier laid everything on the line for his country, and when he came back he wasn’t treated with respect. He was kicked around, seen as an outsider, and as a result he struggled mightily to find happiness in his own country. So what the song is really saying is “I’m still a human, and you need to treat me like one.”
“Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I’m ten years burnin’ down the road
Nowhere to run, ain’t got nowhere to go”
Springsteen doesn’t just sing “Born In The U.S.A.”– he rips it. You can feel the emotion behind his voice and how much he cares about being an American.
The Rising (July 30th, 2002)
One of Springsteen’s most breathtaking albums is The Rising, an emotional set of tracks responding to 9/11. Even though the songs are related to an unthinkable tragedy, each song resonates with everyday life. “Nothing Man,” the song I feel grasps the somberness of the attacks most accurately, offers insight into the life of someone who is contemplating suicide due to their feeling of emptiness. Although “Nothing Man” provokes tears, songs like “Into The Fire” remind us that no matter what is happening in our lives, if we have the power of hope, we can overcome. “Mary’s Place” is an upbeat song that puts us in the shoes of someone looking to enjoy life again, somehow, some way. The album’s tenderness encapsulates every emotion associated with loss, hitting home every time.
All the songs on “The Rising” connect with one another in that they describe the different emotions that arise in the wake of unthinkable tragedy. There’s the hope and the faith that we must remind ourselves that we have, but also the gutting sadness and anxiety that won’t ever fully go away.
The emotion that the album gives off can be best demonstrated by these chilling lines in “My City Of Ruins.”
“I pray for the strength, Lord (with these hands, with these hands)
I pray for your love, Lord (with these hands, with these hands)
Pray for the faith, Lord (with these hands), alright (with these hands)
I pray for the strength, Lord (with these hands), come on, come on (with these hands).
Come on rise up! Come on rise up!”
Why was it so important that this album be produced? For those directly affected by 9/11, Springsteen provided a shoulder to cry on and a community to rally around by recording The Rising,. He gave them a voice. He gave them strength. He gave them hope. And he most certainly gave them love.
Springsteen Fighting For The America He Knows and Loves
On Springsteen’s most recent tour, he spoke out against the Trump Administration. On May 14th, 2025, in Manchester, England, the E-Street Band began to play the opening of “My City Of Ruins” as Springsteen gave a speech standing up for democracy while bashing our current leadership. He stated, “A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government. They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American. The America that I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real! And regardless of its faults, it is a great country with a great people. So we’ll survive this moment.” He went on to quote, author James Baldwin, claiming that there is enough humanity in this world to overcome. He then performed “My City Of Ruins” in full.
In today’s society, self-proclaimed patriots wave the flag around and think that they are what America represents: hard-working, middle-class citizens chasing the American dream. Springsteen aligns with these blue-collared workers in that his songs give off that “tough” kind of a vibe, but he doesn’t just wave the flag around, he stands for the Constitution and an America in which every person is free no matter their background. Like a true patriot, Springsteen believes that America is at its greatest when we come together, rather than when we tear each other apart.
“Better Days” Ahead
When Springsteen creates a character, he becomes that character. He wants to change his clothes, his hair, and his face. He doesn’t remember how he felt, he never thought he’d live. He is the “Nothing Man.” He can feel the blood shiver in his bones. He won’t surrender. He’s working on a dream. When he’s out in the street, he talks the way he wants to talk. And when America’s democracy is threatened, he is a patriot, a hero, and most remarkably, he is no one else but himself, Bruce Springsteen.
Springsteen aligns with these blue-collared workers in that his songs give off that “tough” kind of a vibe, but he doesn’t just wave the flag around, he stands for the constitution and an America in which every person is free no matter their background.