Heartbeat City was released on 3/13/84 and Born In The USA on 6/4/84. I just think the timing and the pressure were both there. Hey, many, many artists get inspirations from all kinds of different avenues including other writers. Then there's the line, 'I get the feeling you're the spark, That's dancing in the dark'. 'It's Not The Night' hit #31 without even being released as a single. Many of the album's other songs received airplay as well. Heartbeat's album peaked at #3 and spawned 6 singles.

Remember, the Cars were super hot after 3 kickass records and their new album was getting a lot of attention with Mutt Lang on board this time. Greg from AlbuquerqueWhen Jon put the pressure on Bruce for just one last hit, and Bruce possibly looking for ideas, could he have gotten a spark from the Cars 'It's Not The Night'? He had to of at least heard the song.īear with me.Dave from NycThe 12-inch “Blaster Remix” by Arthur Baker and Chris Lord-Alge is considered one of the best 12-inch remixes ever.I hear this song and I think back to those lonely nights when I was 19, 20 yrs old. This resonates with me, I'm in my 40s now happily married with a grown child, but I remember when I was 19 or 20, just broke up with someone, sitting in the dark in my crappy dorm room feeling like I had no future. I ain't nothin' but tired, living in a dump', doesn't like anything about himself: 'Wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face', and desperately wants a different, good life: 'There's somethin' happenin' somewhereīaby, I just know that there is'. Mike from CaliforniaMy interpretation of the song is that he's just a working class joe with a grueling job: 'I go to bed feelin' the same way.Unlike many rock artists who are accused of selling out when they hit it huge, Springsteen's star turn was welcomed (for the most part) by his faithful, who had spent many years spreading his gospel.

Springsteen's songs were soon all over the radio, and he found a whole new audience. 'Dancing In The Dark' provided just that spark released as the first single (the only one issued ahead of the album), it started the fire that was Born In The U.S.A. He had over 70 songs written for Born In The U.S.A., but Landau wanted a guaranteed hit to ensure superstar status for Springsteen. Springsteen was doing just fine, with six successful albums in his discography and an unparalleled concert reputation. After a brief altercation, he complied and wrote it that same night - a classic case of a manager or record executive getting an artist so fired up the energy channels into a hit, giving them exactly what they were looking for. Springsteen wrote it after his manager, Jon Landau, demanded a hit single for the album.

This was the last song written for Born In The U.S.A.

Courteney cox and bruce springsteen