The recurring use of the words “Born in the U.S.A.”

The recurring use of the words “Born in the U.S.A.” ironically highlights how bad it can be to live in the U.S.A. For example, he says “born down in a dead man’s town, the first kick I took was when I hit the ground.” What he means is that he lives in a small town and he has been getting kicked around since he was basically born. “I had a brother at Khe Sahn, fighting off the Viet Cong, They’re still there, but he’s all gone.” Bruce is saying that his brother went to fight in Vietnam and got killed. Bruce says “He had a girl he loved in Saigon” Springsteen mean that his brother fell in love with a girl while fighting in the war but was killed before he could be with her. So by being born in the U.S.A. Bruce couldn’t get a job and had no choice but to go to war and his brother couldn’t be with the girl he loved because he got killed. So ironically being born in the U.S.A. isn't that great.