Bruce Springsteen was advocating for the rights of the common working-class man. The song was widely misinterpreted as jingoistic, and in connection with the 1984 presidential campaign became the subject of considerable folklore. In 1984, conservative columnist George Will attended a Springsteen concert and then wrote a column praising Springsteen's work ethic. Six days after the column was printed, in a campaign rally in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan said, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts. It rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire—New Jersey's own, Bruce Springsteen." Two
The River (Bruce Springsteen album) The River (Bruce Springsteen album) The River is the fifth studio album by Bruce Springsteen. It was released on October 17, 1980, by Columbia Records. Springsteen's only double album, "The River" was produced by Jon Landau, Springsteen, and bandmate Steven Van Zandt. The album was Springsteen's first to go #1 on the "Billboard 200" and spent four weeks at the top of chart. "The River" was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance at the 1982 Grammy Awards. The sources of "The River" go back into earlier parts of Springsteen's recording career. "Independence Day", "Point Blank", "The Ties That Bind", "Ramrod",