Burning The Ground Exclusive
NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
Original post date: July 3, 2012
“I’m ten years burning down the road / Nowhere to run, ain’t got nowhere to go…”
Released at the height of Reagan-era patriotism, “Born In The U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen became one of the most misunderstood songs in American pop history. Often mistaken for a fist-pumping anthem of national pride due to its thunderous chorus and stadium-sized production, the song is actually a fierce critique of how America treats its working-class veterans.
Originally released as the title track to Springsteen’s 1984 album, “Born In The U.S.A.” was issued as a 12″ single in 1985, backed with “Shut Out the Light.” The single version boasted an extended intro and booming mix that pushed Max Weinberg’s snare hits front and center, paired with Roy Bittan’s iconic synth riff that practically defined ‘80s heartland rock.
Produced by Chuck Plotkin, Jon Landau, and Springsteen himself, this version of the song was a club-ready update to the album cut—without losing an ounce of its gritty, anthemic fire. It’s Springsteen at his most anthemic, yet still bleeding through with disillusionment, despair, and blue-collar rage.
While “Born In The U.S.A.” is one of Springsteen’s signature tracks, its chart performance is often overshadowed by the massive success of other singles from the same album. “Born In The U.S.A.” reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1985. It was the third of seven top 10 singles from the album “Born In The U.S.A.”, which also tied Michael Jackson’s record for the most top 10 singles from one album.
Despite—or perhaps because of—its lyrical complexity and booming sound, “Born In The U.S.A.” was quickly adopted as a campaign theme by politicians (notably Ronald Reagan, mistakenly), sports teams, and patriotic rallies. But listen closely, and the pain of forgotten veterans and working-class struggle comes roaring through. It’s a song with dual identities: triumphant and tragic.
This 12″ remix captures that paradox perfectly—its towering production commands attention, but under the layers of synth and reverb, Springsteen’s voice still carries the weight of a soldier’s haunted memories.
SIDE A:
Born In The U.S.A. (The Freedom Mix) 7:20
SIDE B:
Born In The U.S.A. (Dub) 7:40
Born In The U.S.A. (Radio) 6:11
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-85 | Born In The U.S.A. | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #9 |
| 1984-85 | Born In The U.S.A. | U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | #8 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44-05147
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo
Country: US
Released: Jan 10, 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Design – Andrea Klein
- Edited By – The Latin Rascals
- Engineer – Toby Scott
- Lacquer Cut By [Runout Etching Ⓗ] – Greg Calbi
- Mastered By – George Marino
- Photography By – Annie Leibovitz
- Producer – Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Plotkin, Jon Landau, Steve Van Zandt
- Recorded By – Toby Scott
- Remix – Arthur Baker
NOTES:
From the LP “BORN IN THE U.S.A.”
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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