Thank you for clearing up, what I was trying to say. Yes, flags are waved when he sings of something so American, that in spite of it, (the war), we'll still wave it, not because the government was right; they weren't with Viet Nam or these 2 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan! In my opinion, it's what makes us all Americans and patriots! To protest, is patriotic, because you are expressing yourself and making a personal statement, that you don't have to walk in lockstep, to be a patriot, a word so confusing now.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, Jersey Shore John <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > "The song was in part a tribute to Springsteen's friends who had > experienced the Vietnam War, some of whom did not come back; it also > protests the hardships Vietnam veterans faced upon their return from > the war. > > The song's narrative traces the protagonist's working-class origins, > induction into the armed forces, and disaffected return back to the > States. An anguished lyrical interlude is even more jolting, > describing the fate of the protagonist's (literal or figurative) > brother (in some recordings or live shows, the word brother is > replaced with buddy): > > "I had a brother at Khe Sanh > Fighting off the Viet Cong > They're still there, he's all gone > He had a woman he loved in Saigon > I got a picture of him in her arms now" > > The Battle of Khe Sanh involved the North Vietnamese Army, not the > National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam heard in the song > lyrics. Eventually the Americans prevailed and broke the siege, only > to withdraw from the outpost a couple of months later. Khe Sanh thus > became one of the media symbols of the futility of the whole war > effort in the States. > > In late August 1984, the Born in the U.S.A. album was selling very > well, its songs were all over the radio, and the associated tour was > drawing considerable press. Springsteen shows at the Capital Centre > outside of Washington, D.C. thus attracted even more media attention, > in particular from CBS Evening News correspondent Bernard Goldberg, > who saw Springsteen as a modern-day Horatio Alger story. Yet more > notably, the widely-read conservative columnist George Will, after > attending a show, published on September 13, 1984 a piece entitled "A > Yankee Doodle Springsteen" in which he praised Springsteen as an > exemplar of classic American values. He wrote: "I have not got a clue > about Springsteen's politics, if any, but flags get waved at his > concerts while he sings songs about hard times. He is no whiner, and > the recitation of closed factories and other problems always seems > punctuated by a grand, cheerful affirmation: 'Born in the U.S.A.!'" > The 1984 presidential campaign was in full stride at the time, and > Will had connections to President Ronald Reagan's re-election > organization. Will thought that Springsteen might endorse Reagan, and > got the notion pushed up to high-level Reagan advisor Michael > Deaver's office. Those staffers made inquiries to Springsteen's > management which were politely rebuffed. > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_in_the_U.S.A._(song) > > Nevertheless, on September 19, 1984, at a campaign stop in Hammonton, > New Jersey, Reagan added the following to his usual stump speech: > > "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it > rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: > New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams > come true is what this job of mine is all about." > > The campaign press immediately expressed skepticism that Reagan knew > anything about Springsteen, and asked what his favorite Springsteen > song was; "Born to Run" was the tardy response from staffers. Johnny > Carson then joked on The Tonight Show, "If you believe that, I've got > a couple of tickets to the Mondale-Ferraro inaugural ball I'd like to > sell you." > > During a September 22 concert in Pittsburgh, Springsteen responded > negatively by introducing his song "Johnny 99", a song about an > unemployed auto worker who turns to murder, "The President was > mentioning my name the other day, and I kinda got to wondering what > his favorite album musta been. I don't think it was the Nebraska > album. I don't think he's been listening to this one." > > A few days after that, presidential challenger Walter Mondale said, > "Bruce Springsteen may have been born to run but he wasn't born > yesterday," and then claimed to have been endorsed by Springsteen. > Springsteen manager Jon Landau denied any such endorsement, and the > Mondale campaign issued a correction." > > On Oct 7, 2008, at 10:34 AM, sharon_b283 wrote: > > > JR, What about the song Bruce wrote, when the 3M plant in Freehold > > closed? What about the song from the movie, Philadelphia Story, about > > a gay man who contracts aids and fights to keep his job. Brings tears > > to my eyes, just thinking about the cruelty of the heart this film > > evokes. Bruce sings of all that is wrong and then sings of being > > "Born In The USA", which evokes all the positive attributes of being > > born here! Guess that's okay huh, JR? > > > > So, he shouldn't care about what is happening, not only in NJ but the > > rest of the country? I prefer Bruce's "happy" songs! Everybody loves > > happy! He can also evoke emotions that ponder an answer. An answer > > that sometimes never comes! > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jack Pitzer" <hinge98@> wrote: > > > > > > But the fact remains, that this was an Obama political rally. > > > I sincerely doubt that anybody in attendence thought "shut up and > > sing" for even a > > > heartbeat. And since when did a few comments at a concert, a rally, > > or anywhere become > > > "ranting" > > > Bruce sings about political issues, so why can he also talk about > > them? > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "arcman210" <acme87rangers@> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "sandpiper15" <sandpiper15@> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "arcman210" <acme87rangers@> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > I paid to go see him perform his music, not lecture me on > > > > > > how to vote. > > > > > > > > > > You can still wield the power of the purse, no? If you know > > going in > > > > > that there's a good chance Bruce might spend a significant > > portion of > > > > > the show talking politics, and you don't want to hear that, > > why buy > > > > the > > > > > ticket? Imagine how many early Lenny Bruce fans stopped paying > > to see > > > > > his gigs becuase he spent most of his later shows reading court > > > > > transcripts instead of telling jokes. > > > > > > > > > > > > > I still want to see him perform, and I'll go see the show > > regardless of > > > > whether or not he talks politics... and still enjoy most of it. > > But > > > > when he starts ranting about politics, I would have more > > respect for > > > > him as a person if he respected the fact that all people don't > > have the > > > > same opinions as he does. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
