Born in the USA censorship: Iconic ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ song pulled from airplay as radio station censors Bruce Springsteen song
Decades after its release, the track is once again at the center of controversy. This time the debate comes from across the Atlantic. A radio station in the UK has reportedly decided to censor one of the song’s most controversial lyrics.
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Why is ‘Born in the USA’ being censored?
According to The Sun, Absolute Radio will censor a specific sentence when broadcasting Born in the US. The lyric in question includes the term “yellow man,” which is now widely seen as a derogatory reference to an Asian person, the Daily Mail reported.
On the track, Springsteen sings: “So they put a rifle in my hand, sent me to a foreign land, to go kill the yellow man born in the USA.”
Released in 1984, the song is often misunderstood as a patriotic anthem. In reality, the film depicts the alienation and disillusionment of a Vietnam War veteran returning home after serving his country, according to a report by Daily Mail.
How has the song been viewed historically?
Born in the USA, it remains one of Bruce Springsteen’s most recognizable and enduring tracks. It was ranked at number 275 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and remains a defining part of his career.
The album of the same name sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Despite its commercial success, the song’s lyrics always carried a darker, more critical message about war, race, and American identity.
Is this part of a broader radio trend?
The reported censorship follows a similar decision by BBC Radio 2. The station modified the Spice Girls’ 1997 hit Spice Up Your Life, removing the word “Yellow” from the lyric “Yellow Man in Timbuktu”.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the move has reignited the debate over how older songs are handled under modern publishing standards; especially when language that was once common is now deemed offensive.
What did Springsteen say recently?
Although Springsteen did not comment on radio censorship, he was in the spotlight for other reasons. Last year, actor Jeremy Allen White portrayed Springsteen in the movie Deliver Me From Nowhere, which chronicled his struggles during the creation of his 1982 album Nebraska, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
At a screening at the New York Film Festival, Springsteen praised White for “playing a much better-looking version of me.”
He also spoke about his career, saying, “I’ve spent my life on the road, traveling the world as a sort of musical ambassador for America, you know… trying to measure the distance between the American reality where we often fall short of our ideals. But for many people there, it remains a land of hope and dreams, not of fear, divisiveness, government censorship, or hatred.”
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FAQ
Why is Absolute Radio censoring the song?
Because the lyric contains a phrase that is now considered racially offensive.
Does ‘born in the USA’ mean patriotism?
No, he criticizes the treatment of Vietnam veterans after the war.
