#11: Bruce Springsteen — “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984)
Bruce Springsteen wrote a biting critique detailing the economic abandonment faced by returning Vietnam War veterans, set against thunderous stadium-rock drums. Frequently misunderstood by politicians as jingoistic praise, the lyrics chronicle deep working-class betrayal and systemic neglect. It endures as a complex, powerful portrait of working-class American struggle.
