Beck: Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ is ‘anti-American,’ ‘propaganda’

[babsbunny]

Beck: Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ is ‘anti-American,’ ‘propaganda’

http://rawstory.com/2010/03/beck-springsteens-classic-born-usa-antiamerican-propaganda/

By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, March 11th, 2010 -- 8:32 pm

A song that's been played over speakers at hundreds of campaign rallies, vibrated in the space between drinks at everyone's favorite bar and set millions of heads nodding from radio stations coast to coast -- a piece of music that is literally stitched into the fabric of American blue-collar culture, Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" -- is, according to right-wing pundit Glenn Beck, "anti-American" and "propaganda" that people must "wake up" from.

If you're unfamiliar, need a refresher or simply like good music, give it a listen:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. Looks like Beck lost all of his New Jersey viewers.

[tabbycat31]

17. Beck called NJ a rathole this week

I doubt he's very popular here but we have our fair share of crazies here.

Bruce is always popular here.

[karynnj]

23. Our awful Republican governor is a huge Springsteen fan, proud to have gone to hundreds of shows

He reportedly invited Springsteen to play when he was inaugurated, Springsteen turned him down. He instead had a Springsteen cover band - and that was a photo in my local paper (Daily Record) of Christie singing with them - oddly, the picture, which was hilarious, was not in the online version.

[hlthe2b]

2. Keep it up, Jackass (Beck).... You are going to burn the ultimate bridge

Even your mouth-breathing hoards like Bruce.

[HillbillyBob]

3. please please someone give the beckerhead some pretzels!

Or a lobotomy

[Champion Jack]

4. LOL! That Beck is a regular bonfire of Stupid!

[Bill McBlueState]

5. hey, at least give Beck credit

for bothering to listen to the song, unlike Reagan, who thought it was some kind of go-USA pep rally song.

[misanthrope]

19. The funniest part of that episode...

...was when Fritz Mondale assumed Springsteen's rebuke of Reagan's usage meant the New Jersey icon would be fine with the Mondale camp using it. Springsteen put the quick kibosh on that stating explicitly that the song was about something more than just vulgar "Democrat v. Republican politics."

[karynnj]

24. But when asked, he imediately said Kerry could use his music

and, he not only campaigned with Kerry, after the loss, he gave Kerry a guitar. Not to mention he wrote a song "Last to die" referencing Kerry's famous words. In 2008, he wrote a song for Obama.

[misanthrope]

45. Those weren't "Born in the USA." Different time, different ideas, different songs...

...and Springsteen realized that Vietnam vets were screwed by both sides.

[karynnj]

49. From what I understood he ok'd all songs for Kerry,

who he had met in the 1980s. I assume you can understand that of all people, Kerry understood the situation with Vietnam Vets. He also understood the song well enough that he would not have used it like the others.

[misanthrope]

63. True enough**nm

**

[Dappleganger]

6. Oh noes, he has clearly jumped the shark.

The Boss is gonna be pissed!!

[Hissyspit]

7. Yeah, because clearly our Vietnam vets came back and NOTHING BAD AT ALL happened to them.

Keep it up, Beck, eventually your scam will just quit working.

[RagAss]

8. Medication Time !

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. gotta give Beck credit

His comments suggest that he actually listened to the lyrics of the song, unlike the 150 million or so folks who believe it to be a patriotic anthem.

[walldude]

34. Yep, although I think it's more of a screed than propaganda.

Beck was a morning DJ, which is why he's probably the only numb nuts republican to figure this out. Can't quite figure out why this is on his hit list all of a sudden.

[Contrary1]

10. The man needs an intervention...

And what's with the outfit?

[Spazito]

52. ROFL!

Tell me that's not real....on second thought....don't tell me it's not real because it is SO beck...ish! It is only lacking an accordian, beer stein and a yodeling audo to be the perfect commercial for.....something.

:rofl:

[Berry Cool]

55. OMG!!!

The ice dancers at the Olympics had more tasteful "folk dance" costumes than that!

[Lucy Goosey]

61. uh, what the fuck?

Seriously, can someone explain that photo?

[Mendocino]

71. Gretel.. Gretel.... where are you?

or is that the three finger Hitler Youth salute?

[zulchzulu]

11. Maybe Beck would like it if the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang it...

Dickhead...

[Kitty Herder]

14. I can hear that in my head now!

It's not pleasant. Thanks a lot!

[tallahasseedem]

12. Holy shit...

He has truly gone over the edge...for real.

Could it have been Massa? If it was, I'll send him a personalized snorkel mask.

[Retrograde]

13. hey, if it was good enought for Reagan... (n/t)

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Which is why, of course, REAGAN used it at so many of his events. nt

[Berry Cool]

56. Reagan never used it.

He alluded to Springsteen's music in a speech in a way that make it clear he had no idea what it was about, but he never used "Born in the USA" himself.

[RaleighNCDUer]

68. I thought I remembered it being given prominent play at his events

for 84 elections. Maybe i was thinking of Bush the Elder in 88.

[reggie the dog]

16. Fuck you beck

Bruce did really good so sing about the plight of vets returning to the delocalisation of their jobs, i bet he doesnt like "my hometown" either.

[Froward69]

20. I Second that

[GCP]

18. I thought you meant Beck the musician

My bad :dunce:

[Supersedeas]

21. and both CNN and FOX gave Beck a National Platform to spew his bile

[Tempest]

22. Beck: Ronald Reagan is anti-American

After all, Ronnie used it during his campaign.

[Berry Cool]

57. He didn't use it. Really, go look it up.

He gave a speech once about what he said was the "message of hope" in Springsteen's songs...which only proved he just wasn't listening to that one properly.

[ngant17]

25. Beck is a paid shill of dwindling corporate sponsorship

and he is becoming more desperate and irrational each week. It's unfortunate that AM talk radio is largely synonymous with rightwing blabber in most cities (Seattle is probably one exception, I used to hear Jimi Hendrix on AM radio when I lived in Tacoma many years ago). But maybe this babbling AM crap makes some people feel good.

"Born in the USA" is one of the great classic American rock songs, one of Rolling Stone's 100 greatest songs of all time, not surprising to be so popular since it debuted in 1984.

BTW the movie "Born on the 4th of July" is also great classic movie on Vietnam war genre. I'm sure Beck will denounce this one as propaganda, too. He really looks like a wussy albeit one with a big mouth, but I'm sure he wouldn't have ever made it out of Army boot camp.

[fascisthunter]

26. Beck, he's a better American than you ever will be

he's not the one who seems to take issue with everyone else in America besides those in his own political cult!

[Odin2005]

27. That's it, he's certifiable!

[Lerkfish]

28. way to keep up with the kids these days, Beck...

Born in the usa has to be over twenty years old by now.

[Echo In Light]

29. Lyrically it *is* a harsh critique of the US, and definitely not the Pollyanna BS it's often thought

... to be

[progressoid]

35. Yeah, I always got a chuckle whenever RWers thought it was a rah rah anthem.

idjits.

[Echo In Light]

36. Exactly. Of course it's not 'anti-american.' That's silly. But def not 'flag-waver' material

[Blue Owl]

Let's see him say it to the Boss' face

I'd like to see that, Glen...

[dana_b]

30. DU: "Beck is an ignorant jackass"

and the Boss is a "patriot".

[BrklynLiberal]

31. What a coincidence..I always thought that Beck was anti-american propaganda.

[Arkana]

32. Um, Becko, you DO know that Saint Ronnie used it as a campaign tune?

[Berry Cool]

59. No, he didn't.

He would have liked to, but Springsteen never would have OK'd it.

[MisterP]

33. Christ, not more Bircher talking points

who's next? Baez? The Beatles?

[Missie56]

38. ...The Beatles

LOL "Back In The USSR"

[MisterP]

46. more stuff the Birchers and Jack Chicks infected American discourse with

guarantee you'll pass a brick when you see this

whole freaking collection at the Reagan Library/Dollywood

[onenote]

37. next up: Beck declares "Deck the Halls" a recruitment anthem for homosexuals

"Now we don our gay apparel......."

[donco6]

39. Golly, they're just now noticing?

How many dumbass RW campaigns has that song graced the stage? And they're just realizing it's "anti-American" (i.e., not the nationalistic, flag-fellating anthem they originally envisioned?)

[Urban Prairie]

40. Glenn Dreckkk

Human maggot with a microphone.

[upi402]

41. Glenn ShreKKK

I have to drive on the same roads as his fans? :scared: meh

[chollybocker]

42. Clarence, Stevie and Max are gunna kick his ass.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

43. Glendunce Strikes Again

Tell us the evil behind Clap for the Wolfman, Becko. That's a show I'll watch.

[Yavin4]

44. Beck vs The Boss

Gee, I wonder who will win this one.

[imnKOgnito]

47. Springsteen himself

calls his songs with a political bent a measure of the distance between the American dream and the American reality. In that, Born in the USA is lyrically one of his finest. Right up there with Youngstown, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Long Walk Home, My Hometown, etc...

And for my money, Springsteen is one of the best in the biz when it comes to that. And if the political leanings of his songs are a bit to the left, that's because truth has a liberal bias. The man sees things the way they are and exposes that distance to millions in song. There aren't many things more patriotic than that.

[Swamp Rat]

48. Little by little Glenn Beck is destroying his career.

:)

[Spazito]

54. Excellent graphic!

Love it, absolutely love it! You do awesome work!

[Binka]

64. Career? He Has A Fucking Career?

Good God Damn! I could sit here in my PJs and spout shit better than that asshole. Can I get that job? Love you Swampy :loveya:

[asdjrocky]

50. It's anti-war. Anti-mic.

It's not anti-American.

[alcibiades_mystery]

51. Keep talkin' Beck

:rofl:

[JerseygirlCT]

53. Yesterday religion, today Bruce

The guy's going for a popularity contest?

[ellie]

58. And the Beck crazy train

continues unabated.

[Kievan Rus]

60. Yeah, well Beck is anti-sanity

He says things that are crazier and crazier by the day.

Kind of makes you wonder if he's just saying it to get ratings.

[WolverineDG]

62. You mean some right-winger actually listened to the words?

:rofl:

dg

[B Calm]

65. LOL. . . That was my first thought too. . .

[gmoney]

66. Well, it is a widely misunderstood song

Lots of people just concentrate on the "BAAWWWN in the USA" chorus and ignore the verses, thinking it's just some Rah-Rah America Rocks Cheerleading Anthem, rather than a pretty bleak and hopeless portrait of a guy who's used up and thrown away by his country. The music is ironically bombastic, but it was largely marketed as some "Ain't America Great?" anthem with all the stars and stripes imagery, rather than the "America ain't so great" song it really is.

[steelmania75]

70. Very true.

[DefenseLawyer]

67. At last, all those years as a disk jockey are paying off

Finally Beck can talk about something he knows- Top 40 radio.

[steelmania75]

69. THAT ASSHOLE. NO ONE CALLS THE BOSS UN-AMERICA.

THIS IS ABOUT AS AMERICAN AS YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET: