BORN IN THE USA by Geoffrey Himes (Audiobook)(Nonfiction)

BORN IN THE USA by Geoffrey Himes (Audiobook)(Nonfiction)
Author: Geoffrey Himes; narrated by Andrew Eiden
Full title: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA (33 1/3 series)
Length: 3 hours 50 minutes
Release date: May 13, 2025
Genre/Categories: Nonfiction; Music criticism; Album analysis

Himes argues that Born in the U.S.A. (1984) is Springsteen’s masterpiece, blending humour, tragedy, lust, and social commentary in a way unmatched in his discography. He chronicles the album’s evolution from Nebraska’s acoustic demos through 18 months of studio struggle, where Springsteen pared down verbose lyrics, embraced pop hooks, and created a rare mix of accessibility and depth. The audiobook examines the record’s massive success amid Reaganism and Vietnam’s lingering shadow, dissecting the title track’s ironic patriotism, the humour in “Dancing in the Dark,” and why it endures as a defining work of American pop.