Bruce Springsteen Was Fed Up With "Born In The U.S.A." | David Letterman

Bruce talks about chasing inspiration for his music.
(From "Late Show," air date: 8/2/02)
#brucespringsteen #bornintheusa #letterman
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[@csilver522]

I was in the audience for this. It was a Thursday, and on Thursdays they'd tape both that night's show and Friday's as well. Bruce and the band were the announced musical guests for both shows. We had tickets for the Friday episode, and while we knew we'd be seeing the band perform, we certainly did not expect to see Bruce sit down to talk to Dave. This was the first time he was ever an interview guest on a "live" talk show (as opposed to pre-taped segments like 60 Minutes), so it caught us by complete surprise. It was so wonderful to be there in that historic little theater watching two of my heroes/inspirations having a conversation with each other. And then later to see the band perform "Lonesome Day" as they squeezed together on the small stage in the same room where The Beatles were once introduced to America, well, what an experience that was. Oh, and the only other guest on that episode? Mitch Hedberg, who that day became, and to this day remains, my favorite comedian of all time.

[@ytzpilot]

“You ever do comedy bits when you’re driving in from Connecticut???” He handled that like a boss ❤

[@mrchips4489]

Favorite Springsteen song was "Streets of Philadelphia" written for the movie "Philadelphia" which was about a man living with AIDS during the AIDS scare (Tom Hanks played the character.) Heartbreaking movie as it was so true to what really happened to people with AIDS at that time. The song fits the movie, perfectly. Thank you Bruce!

[@mikemcf33]

this dude is just a natural. they way he tells stories, writes music and entertains... it just oozes out of him. We are lucky to have him

[@mercedespernas]

He will always be my favorite Boss.❤

[@emilyowens4477]

Happy Birthday Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen!!🎈🎈🎸🎈🎈 Bruce is 75 years old today 9/23/49.❤

[@janeltranmer2284]

His answer regarding chasing inspiration is very raw. He keeps it real, that is why his music is so incredible. Bruce!

[@Robaatosensei]

Oh, brother. Sounds like you're feebly chasing profundity. Weak, very weak.

[@janeltranmer2284]

Feebly? Weak? Perhaps you are projecting. Also, why mean? Why be mean in the KZbin Channel comments for the Barbara Gaines Show? Bitter? Problems at work? I wish you well.

[@scottrukwid2275]

Since I'm watching this on Sept 23rd, I'd like to wish Bruce a Very Happy Birthday today 🎉

[@stu5804]

@@scottrukwid2275 not much point when he's not reading it tho

[@michaelparks6120]

Bruce is such a cool guy

[@indusianer]

One year later I got his autograph on my BITUSA album (not disk). On that day I was the happiest person ever. No person in the world I respected more when I grew up.

[@digitalmandave]

I had no idea Bruce appeared on Letterman. I didn't think he did many mainstream interviews in general. He seems a little uncomfortable but so down to earth here and that was rare to see on this show.

[@daveidmarx8296]

He did a great sit down with Charlie Rose around 1998-99. He'd been on Letterman several times before this as strictly a musical guest (1993, 95 and 96 I believe).

[@jsmith1746]

Agreed. For many years it was extremely rare for him to do interviews, and this may have been one of his first mainstream interviews ever. Clearly a bit uncomfortable, but that is fine. I like how raw and authentic he comes across. He has done a lot more interviews over the past 20 years, and these days is obviously more comfortable doing talk show interviews.

[@csilver522]

This was the first time Bruce was interviewed on a “live” (non-prerecorded/edited) talk show. I was in the audience for this. It was a Thursday, and Letterman would tape both his Thursday and Friday episodes that day. Bruce and the band were the musical guests for both shows, so we knew we’d be seeing a performance (we were in for the second/Friday show), but were shocked when he came out as the interview guest as well.

[@RoryOCleary]

I’ve been to over 400 concerts in the last 35 years, and nobody puts on a show like The Boss. 14 times I’ve seen Bruce live, met him once in Wildwood, NJ, where his son used to be a firefighter. Seeing Springsteen live should be on everyone’s bucket list.

[@muffinman4353]

That woke little punk ain't no boss....

[@shellylambert1356]

Bruce is just awesome❣️

[@KungEMuller]

Bruce Springsteen is one of the biggest rock and roll legends ever.

[@johnjacobsen4003]

No...

[@KungEMuller]

@@johnjacobsen4003 What would you say instead of what I said?

[@johnjacobsen4003]

@@KungEMuller Elvis Presley 😛

[@KungEMuller]

@@johnjacobsen4003 Yeah. That's true. Too bad that he never appeared on Dave's show, though.

[@MichaelMurphy-kj3xf]

Elvis was a legend in his time but Springsteen is much more talented and has had a greater, positive impact

[@christinespiers-wy9kr]

My deceased brother, Tim, and I saw Bruce in concert two times! Cherished memories…

[@adelaidemarshall960]

Love Bruce Springsteen songs ❤

[@deanharrington347]

Worked at Kate Mantilini restaurant in Beverly Hills in the early 90s. Bruce was a regular there. Always came in with his wife and kids. Always ordered the pork chops. Very nice guy.

[@RynosHQAudioScrapbook-jl6rn]

LETTERMAN: "How's everybody in the band getting along?" SPRINGSTEEN: "Er........we don't get along very well at all really, and the whole friendly good guy thing, it's a shtick we've worked up over the years"😂

[@ToddH76]

22 Years!! It feels like five minutes ago. Saw them in Cleveland which I think was the second show that summer!

[@There_is_No_Spoon_]

The video title is misleading. He wouldn’t say that about one of his massive selling album.

[@pho3nix-]

He spoke so fast back then lol

[@citizenghosttown]

Bruce in 2002: "The kids call them 'discs'" Kids Today: "What the hell is a disc?"

[@michaelparks6120]

Bruce is def a good guy

[@Jmatt455]

Born In The U.S.A. is a great album. Seven top 10 singles, you can play it over and over and not skip a song because it's lesser than the rest.

[@roxiroxi4181]

He was so handsome❤

[@angelabrooke5059]

@@roxiroxi4181 He still is

[@dulcegutierrez8662]

❤❤❤

[@frk75]

i must agree, to this day, the rising is one of his best. not a super fan of springsteen, i'm more of a progressive rock and jazz kind of listener but this one is in my top 3 springsteen records.

[@billiondollarbaby3276]

If you're into Prog/Fusion/Jazz the closest you're gonna get to that from Bruce is "The WIld, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle". Been a fan since 75 and also into Prog/Fusion and I cant stand "the Rising" at all....maybe 3 songs are OK. To each his own. Check out THE WILD and you'll thank me

[@KLanz123]

@@billiondollarbaby3276I’m a prog guy too, and I’ve always been of the mind that the prog world accepted the early Bruce stuff during keyboardist David Sancious’s time with the band. Bruce released music that was jazzier, longer, and more challenging than anything he would release after Sancious left the band. Wild and Innocent was a perfect example of this. Ed Sciaky, a DJ from Philly, heavily promoted four artists: Yes, Renaissance, Billy Joel and Springsteen. I think these associations helped Bruce and Billy with the prog audience. Of course, once Bruce went mainstream and he began releasing simpler material, the prog audience disappeared. However Bruce was a darling of prog audiences in 1973-74.

[@mungofinalfi4480]

It's too long for its own good.

[@TraitofSiNN727]

minds me of Canadian Bacon when John Candy and his crew tried to take over Canada and they play Americans and one scene has them singing "Born in USA." but kept repeating "Born in the USA." and that was the only thing they knew. LMAO

[@michaelparks6120]

That was a funny movie....you Canadians lol

[@Stereophonicsobsessed]

Love this album

[@spidgeb3292]

I think I know exactly what Springsteen means when he says half the songs on Born in the USA were not satisfactory to him but made the album anyway. I love half the songs, and really dislike the other half. And of course, the ones I didn't like at all were his biggest hits. So what the hell do I know?

[@MultiVince95]

Friday 8th February 2002

[@angelabrooke5059]

"I don't have any guys writing stuff for me " 😂 Classic . I do like Bruce. His music is true and that is what is so special.

[@marklandefeld8107]

Trying to figure this out. The air date is about 11 months after the Twin Tower fell. So the album is presumably "The Rising" and Dave makes no mention of the source or inspiration of the album. When Dave came back on the air after 9/11, he described the city (and the nation) as "terribly sad". Did he just detach from 9/11 completely, because I can't see working in Manhattan 11 months later and NOT talking about it when you talk about "The Rising".

[@kristineb.mcanelly3304]

I miss getting that dose of Dave before bedtime.

[@Rjensen2]

I think everyone was at one point. 😂

[@andygrenn680]

Give “30 Days Out” a listen. A Springsteen song off the beaten trail…for hardcore Bruce fans…

[@angelabrooke5059]

"Born in the USA" is a great album. I still like it

[@woodennickel6148]

Adopted through the ACLU and carrying. Helping people who can't see dance. Loaded to gills with a walking stick with its own My Pillow and all because my ol rattlin' saber got a light bill after that boy of mine Pinnochio wanted to be a long distance competetive swimmer. So how do you cope with your family situation, Dave?

[@coachdonahower3251]

Clever video title. You watch bc it sounds like he's going to trash BITUSA, which would be totally out of character for Bruce. And of course, he doesn't. He was talking about the process of making the record. Sneaky 😏

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

click bait. I fell for it too. In fact, I thought he might actually get a bit weary of it because the whole song consists of only tw chords ...

[@wlrIII]

Join the club, Brucie.

[@Some-guy-you-dont-know]

I don't mean to make your job as a comment moderator more difficult but I really thought that 5G comment was pretty good work.

[@sahb7834]

Seems likeable enough no real ego, which is refreshing. Good lyricist when he isn't doing young American blue collar angst. But, and remember this is only an opinion, he is easily one of the worst singers alive!! 🤣🤣

[@Paraguaydiamond]

WHY DOES HE KEEP COMPARING MUSIC TO COMEDY!

[@rochellerabin2425]

It's banter at Dave, just being funny. May have been written by one of Dave's writers.

[@geebee3256]

I just googled him to make sure he wasn’t dead. Good grief!!!

[@waldo1967]

Is he? Good god, hope not.

[@geebee3256]

@@waldo1967 Not yet. Whew!!!

[@davidbhinckley]

Adults only please.

[@brushwoodthicket]

Nono, he just played Asbury Park

[@angelwalker979]

How old is he??

[@angelwalker979]

Can you imagine Springsteen being your uncle?

[@TraitofSiNN727]

nah. I was born in '77 and thought of Bruce S. as an older brother I never had.

[@angelwalker979]

@@TraitofSiNN727 😂

[@TraitofSiNN727]

@@angelwalker979 😎

[@roknrolbilly]

[@jackiehite5099]

The boss of rock and roll is the very best. Keep it going Bruce

[@ds9908]

Not Barbara

[@daveidmarx8296]

Barbara Carr?

[@Stereophonicsobsessed]

He’s so funny

[@DanielWhite-v4e]

the ghost of tom joad

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

The title of the video is a lie - it's click bait.

[@pierrebenoit-j1q]

Bruce Springsteen is a legend, up there with Bob Dylan,Leonard Cohen,David Crosby and Buck Owens and many others....😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@mds1171]

I was fed up with that song after the first time I heard it.

[@angelabrooke5059]

It's a great song and a great album.

[@mds1171]

@@angelabrooke5059 The melody and lyrics are both hack.

[@angelabrooke5059]

@@mds1171 The lyrics are great. Perhaps you don't understand them.

[@jensmattsson4948]

@@mds1171weak

[@sjs1555]

Well, not all people are smart enough to get it. Perhaps you should listen to Kid Rock or Ted Nugent?

[@gthomson8065]

How would Bruce Springsteen know if people were booing him?

[@gongqi67]

C'mon on Wendy.

[@User8vfjhejf]

Bruce has been quiet on the last few democratic presidents

[@ronrice1931]

"Fed up with 'Born in the USA', was he. Life's hard when you're a superstar.

[@jensmattsson4948]

Shut your mouth. Right now.

[@mungofinalfi4480]

Watch the video, did you not.

[@ronrice1931]

@@mungofinalfi4480 Nope, just commenting on the title. That OK?

[@tubularbill]

Well we got fed up with Bruce

[@mrdeatheli]

To be fair, it's a terrible song.

[@AngryFart]

Hardly. It just has an outdated production....

[@daveidmarx8296]

Did you even watch the interview? He was talking about the two year process of writing the album.

[@mrdeatheli]

Which only makes it worse!

[@John_..]

He was truly a legend.

[@johnjacobsen4003]

RIP.. Bruce or Dave?

[@AngryFart]

He IS a legend. He's still alive....

[@John_..]

@@AngryFart I know, i'm a huge fan. This is just a running joke here at Letterman's page

[@kenfrankel3498]

@@AngryFartthank you !

[@Goldmember66]

Springsteen for Trump 2024 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@glenngrinter6818]

Lots of health problems for him lately.🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼

[@jaycareaga9929]

He had problems with his voice. His wife has the health problem.

[@daveidmarx8296]

I've seen him live three times over the past month. Dude looked and sounded better than any about to turn 75-year-old man I'd ever seen.

[@SHANECatLovingGenXHistorian]

dang, now bruce died, who next

[@jimmyjames2022]

Album released in 1995 then a big gap. So here, after 7 unproductive years and 20 years at the job, Bruce looks pretty fed up with it all. Can't break up with himself, so the show must go on, one way or another.

[@daveidmarx8296]

Let's see... He toured on that '95 album into '97, put out the Tracks box set in '98, reformed the E Street Band in '99 and hit the road with them for a 15 month world tour and released a live album from it in '01. The Rising came out the following year, at which point Bruce and the band hit the road for another year-plus world tour. So the guy isn't exactly sitting around doing nothing.

[@brooks323]

a little over rated but he has a couple of good songs.

[@AngryFart]

You just don't know much about him.

[@MusicMasterTasmania]

Comments like this make me laugh at how little clue some people have of Bruce's incredible catalogue and skill as a songwriter.

[@BigTunaTim76]

lol bruce is so high

[@daveidmarx8296]

Uh, not likely.

[@mrn13]

But was he fed up with money from it?

[@evangray2594]

You didn't listen to the interview, did you?

[@painkiller1968]

R.I.P. Bruce. You've gone to meet the real Boss in the sky!

[@Victorthespy008]

Elvis? Hendrix? Johnny Cash?

[@StargazerFromBC]

@@Victorthespy008 mama Cass?

[@jimfritz2087]

Jimmy Reed. Big Boss Man .....

[@MrFrykman]

What the hell is wrong with you? He’s not dead!

[@sabrinadubh7871]

He's still alive. It's pretty easy to look it up.

[@Godin12345]

Kamala2024

[@nuendo2496]

….she’s my favorite terrorist too !