There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's “Born In The U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland

A thought-provoking exploration of Bruce Springsteen's iconic album, Born in the U.S.A.-a record that both chronicled and foreshadowed the changing tides of modern AmericaOn June 4, 1984, Columbia Records issued what would become one of the best-selling and most impactful rock albums of all time.An instant classic, Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. would prove itself to be a landmark not only for the man who made it, but rock music in general and even the larger American culture over the next 40 years. In There Was Nothing You Could Do, veteran rock critic Steven Hyden shows exactly how this record became such a pivotal part of the American tapestry.Alternating between insightful criticism, meticulous journalism, and personal anecdotes, Hyden delves into the songs that made-and didn't make-the final cut, including the tracks that wound up on its sister album, 1982's Nebraska.He also investigates the myriad reasons why Springsteen ran from and then embraced the success of his most