Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for July 04, 2018

EVERYONE knows the chorus.

In the high school halls, in the shopping malls, conform or be cast out. Oops wrong song.

I favor America by Neil Diamond

Far /We’ve been traveling far /Without a home / But not without a star / Free / Only want to be free /We huddle close /Hang on to a dream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtA0JW5vh3w

We were born in the USA and today the USA was born.

It’s amazing how most people ignore the lyrics about the Vietnam vet but glom onto that chorus as if it’s the next national anthem. I get it; the chorus is simple to remember, but the verses bring up complex emotions about the war. But this is a Top Ten song; more people should remember what it’s really about.

(…)

[Verse 5]

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary

Out by the gas fires of the refinery

I’m ten years burning down the road

Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go

[Chorus]

Born in the U.S.A

I was born in the U.S.A.

Born in the U.S.A.

I’m a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.

(…)

Trivia: Bruce is describing Exit 13, where I used to live (Rahway), not Asbury Park.

“Don’t wanna be an American idiot/One nation controlled by the media/Information Age of hysteria/It’s calling out to idiot America.”

Yes, Janis! The chorus is more like it. Happy two hundred forty second USA. YOU ROCK!

… America has always been half reality / half dream…

… Happy Independence Day..

To me and other veterans, this is the most disrespectful, unpatriotic song that I can think of. How it came to symbolize patriotism in the USA, I don’t understand.

At first I thought he was singing some of the more obscure verses of “This Land Is Your Land.” The meter almost fits, if you stretch some of the words around.

Always thought “This Land is Your Land” would make a better national anthem for the U.S. Nonetheless, happy 242nd Independence Day to U.S. citizens and hopefully national sanity will return one day.

Springsteen,blows

Born In East L.A. – Cheech & Chong

Took a walk to the corner store,

just to buy a loaf of bread and a box of s’mores.

Up pulled a guy in a yellow van.

Shiny gold badge flashing in his hand.

He said, alright all you mohuddles down here,

I want you all to hit the floor.

I got one thing to ask you and nothing more,

so answer in English, if you can.

Where were ya born, man.

Huh? where was I born?

That’s right, I said,

where were ya born?

Hey, are you one of those dudes who do horoscopes, man?

Hey, I’m a cancer with a bad moon rising.

Look here Alfago, watch my lips,

where were ya born?

I was born in East L.A.

Man, I was born in East L.A.

Oh yeah, you were born in East L.A.

Let’s see your green card.

Huh? green card?

I’m from East L.A.

Alright, then who’s president of the United States?

Oh, that’s easy, man.

That guy that used to be on death valley days, John Wayne.

Alright, let’s go, come on.

Next thing I know, I’m in a foreign land.

People talkin’ so fast, I couldn’t understand.

There was nobody there to lend a helping hand.

I was cold, it was dark where is a burger stand.

I want to go back to east L.A.

I wish I was back in East L.A.

I don’t belong here in downtown t.j.

Cause I was born in East L.A, ole.

I crawled under barbed wire, swam across a stream.

Rode in six different trucks packed like a sardine.

Walked all day in the burning sun.

Now I know what it’s like to be born to run.

Up ahead was the promised land.

Shining like a star just beyond my hand.

All I could see was a golden door.

I looked up, a sign said five billion sold.

And I was back in East L.A.

Yes, I was back in East L.A.

You know I’m never gonna stray.

Cause I was born in East L.A, oh L.A.

East L.A.

I’d like to also point out that I believe one of the verses says that he got into a hometown jam and they sent off to kill the yellow man, leading you to believe that everyone fighting communism in Vietnam were criminals and that we killed innocent freedom fighters. Like I said, this song should never be played for the 4th of July celebration, not if you are truly patriotic and love your country.

“WHAT DID FREDRICK DOUGLASS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE BLACK SLAVES AND THE 4TH OF JULY?”

What did the enslaved blacks see about the 4 of July? Read what Frederick Douglass July 5, 1852 said, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/what-to-the-slave-is-the-fourth-of-july/

Arlo gets it, Janis doesn’t.