‘Born in the U.S.A.’ – Bruce Springsteen
For more than 30 years, perhaps the most well-known example on this list, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” has been constantly misconstrued. The song’s cutting lyrics depict the story of a young man being recruited, fighting in the Vietnam War, and returning home with psychological scars. The song’s loud orchestral arrangement, however, obscured the irony of its explosive “Born in the U.S.A.” chorus, causing many to believe the song was merely a fist-in-the-air, jingoistic anthem. Springsteen, who was particularly irritated by the song’s mention by then-President Ronald Reagan, attempted to clarify the song’s message in various interviews and eventually introduced an acoustic version of the song that removed the bombastic sections.
‘Born In The U.S.A.’ Bruce Springsteen
‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ – Bonnie Tyler
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” is one of the most famous power ballads of all time. It was released as the lead single from Bonnie Tyler’s fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night, and it topped the charts for the entire year, eventually becoming her biggest hit. Many people are unaware that “Total Eclipse of the Heart” began as a love song for vampires. Producer Jim Steinman wrote the song for Tyler after she rejected the first two songs he sent her. Returning to the novels, Steinman suddenly remembered a song he had started writing while working on a musical rendition of Nosferatu called “Vampires in Love.” He finished it and it became one of the greatest love ballads of all time. (If you listen closely, you can hear the echoes of a song about falling in love in the dark.)
‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ Bonnie Tyler
