Robert Gowan

“For generations of Springsteen fans who have at best problematic relationships with their fathers—I am one of those people—the “And He Said, ‘That’s Good’” speech represents both a fantasy and a surrogate pep talk. Bruce knows what bothers you about the things your real dad won’t say, so here’s a story about his emotionally constipated dad saying the right thing for once.”
― Steven Hyden, There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's “Born In The U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland

“The part of “Bobby Jean” that always gets me—the part that always gets everybody—is the last verse, in which Bruce imagines Bobby Jean hearing this exact song in some motel room. It’s the most meta moment in Bruce Springsteen history, and”
― Steven Hyden, There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's “Born In The U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland

“If Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden is Presley’s Born in the U.S.A., then Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite is his Tunnel of Love.”
― Steven Hyden, There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's “Born In The U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland

“the future is full of joy and promise, and it’ll also kill us.”
― Tom Head, World History 101: From Ancient Mesopotamia and the Viking Conquests to NATO and WikiLeaks, an Essential Primer on World History