This song has a complicated history because of its use as a rollerball in the culture wars, but it’s interesting that the version that became a hit was never planned or intended.
The song started as the title of a screenplay that director Paul Schrader sent to Springsteen when he was toying with the idea of acting, in early 1981. Springsteen never read the screenplay but instead swiped the title for a song that was written and considered for the “Nebraska” album. Here’s it is in its original form.
Jon Landau thought the melody was wrong for the lyrics, so the song was shelved. Springsteen reworked it for the “Born in the U.S.A.” sessions, but according to drummer Max Weinberg it didn’t click until the band took a break and returned to the studio one by one and started riffing on new parts, including the defining synth line and the thunder-crack drums. Springsteen was last to join in, but once he did they rolled the tape. The hit version was recorded on the second and last take.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4
One thing many people like about the song is how the bitter verses undercut the apparently patriotic chorus. Sadly, that juxtaposition went over the heads of people like Ronald Reagan’s handlers, who tried to co-opt the song for his re-election campaign. When Springsteen objected it caused quite the kerfuffle. You could tell it rankled Springsteen to have it misinterpreted, because around the time of the “Ghost of Tom Joad” tour in the mid-90s he changed the arrangement yet again.
