text:  And over the years, Springsteen himself has been willing to tweak the song's meaning. I was born in the USA, born in the USA. Chris Christie heard him play an acoustic version in the 90s. Much different feeling, much different sound. I can remember at the show I went to see at the State Theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey, a couple of people started to try to sing with him, and he stopped in mid-song.