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A2.2·rock·3:11

Born in the U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen · 1984

Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen (1984) — selected for the English-through-music catalog. Use the sing-along prompts and exercises to drill pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening comprehension.

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⏱ Timestamps may not be synchronized — edit them via Personalize on the Songs menu.

Lyrics + translation · letras.mus.br

🎤 Sing along

Sing with the chorus

  • Born in the U.S.A.
  • I was
  • Born in the U.S.A.
  • I was

Sing it again — final chorus

  • Born in the U.S.A.
  • Come back home to the refinery
  • Hiring man says, "Son, if it was up to me"
  • Went down to see my V.A. man
bornrefinerygone

Definitions: Cambridge Dictionary · Translation: MyMemory

Exercises

Exercise 1

Fill the blank in this line:

'Til youhalf your life just covering up

Exercise 2

Fill the blank in this line:

So they put ain my hands

Exercise 3

Fill the blank in this line:

He said, "Son, don't younow

Exercise 4

Fill the blank in this line:

They're stillhe's all gone

Exercise 5

Fill the blank in this line:

Out by the gasof the refinery

Exercise 6

Fill the blank in this line:

Nowhere to run and gotto go

Exercise 7

Translate this line to Portuguese:

I got in a little hometown jam

Exercise 8

Translate this line to Portuguese:

He said, "Son, don't you understand?" now

Exercise 9

Translate this line to Portuguese:

They're still there, he's all gone

Exercise 10

Translate this line to Portuguese:

I'm ten years down the road

Exercise 11

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Born down in a dead man's town

Exercise 12

Choose the missing word:

Born down in a ? man's town

Exercise 13

Choose the missing word:

So they put a ? in my hands

Exercise 14

Choose the missing word:

Come back ? to the refinery

Exercise 15

Choose the missing word:

He had a ? in Saigon

Exercise 16

Choose the missing word:

I'm ten ? down the road

Exercise 17

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 18

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 19

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 20

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 21

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 22

How many times do you hear the word "born" in the whole song?

"born"

Exercise 23

Put these three lines in the order they appear in the song:

  • Born down in a dead man's town
  • Born in the U.S.A.
  • Down in the shadow of the penitentiary

Exercise 24

If you could change the ending of the story told in "Born in the U.S.A.", what would happen instead?

bornrefinerygonenowhere

Exercise 25

Describe the mood of "Born in the U.S.A." in three adjectives. What part of the song makes you feel that way?

bornrefinerygonenowhere

Exercise 26

Who in your life would you dedicate "Born in the U.S.A." to, and what line captures what you want to say to them?

bornrefinerygonenowhere

Exercise 27

Write the full form of each contraction:

  • that's→
  • don't→
  • they're→
  • he's→
  • i'm→

Exercise 28

"Born in the U.S.A." was released in 1984. Do you think the themes in the song are timeless, or do they feel dated? Give one example from the lyrics.

bornrefinerygonenowhere

Exercise 29

If you could ask Bruce Springsteen one question about "Born in the U.S.A.", what would it be and why?

bornrefinerygonenowhere

Exercise 30

Imagine you are making a short film with "Born in the U.S.A." as the soundtrack. What scene would you show while the chorus plays?

bornrefinerygonenowhere