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Written by: Springsteen
Produced by: Springsteen, Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Steve Van
Zandt
Released: June '84 on Columbia
Charts: 17 weeks
Top spot: No. 9
Before it became the centerpiece of Springsteen's biggest album, "U.S.A." was an acoustic protest song meant for Nebraska. But when Springsteen revived it with the E Street Band, Roy Bittan came up with a monster synth riff and Max Weinberg hammered out a beat like he was using M-80s for drumsticks. "We played it two times, and our second take is the record," Springsteen said. "That thing in the end with all the drums, that just kinda happened."
Appears on: Born in the U.S.A. (Columbia)