Bruce Springsteen’s iconic hit Born in the USA ‘is censored by UK radio station for controversial lyric’

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Bruce Springsteen’s classic song, “Born in the U.S.A.,” is said to have been edited for UK radio airplay, with a potentially offensive line taken out.

The 1984 song, often interpreted as a commentary on racism during the Vietnam War era, includes the phrase ‘yellow man,’ which is now widely considered offensive when referring to a person of Asian descent.

In the song, Springsteen sings about being given a rifle and sent to fight in a foreign country, with the lyrics, ‘Born in the USA,’ highlighting the tragic irony of being sent to kill someone of a different race.

The Sun reports that Absolute Radio will remove a certain phrase from the song whenever it’s broadcast on their station.

“Born in the U.S.A.” is one of Bruce Springsteen’s most famous songs, and it tells the story of a Vietnam War veteran struggling to adjust to life after returning home.

The track was ranked 275th on Rolling Stones’ list of The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. 

Bruce Springsteen’s album has sold more than 30 million copies, establishing it as one of the best-selling albums ever released.

Daily Mail has contacted Bauer Media, which owns Absolute Radio, for comment.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the recent trend of radio edits, and it’s interesting to see how songs are being adjusted for modern audiences. Just recently, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ faced some censoring, and it’s not an isolated incident. It follows BBC Radio 2’s decision to alter the Spice Girls’ hit ‘Spice Up Your Life,’ specifically changing the line referencing a ‘Yellow man in Timbuktu.’ It really highlights the ongoing conversation about language and sensitivity in music.

The station removed the word ‘yellow’ when they played the song. 

Jeremy Allen White played Bruce Springsteen in last year’s movie, Deliver Me From Nowhere. The film tells the story of the challenges Springsteen faced while creating his 1982 album, Nebraska.

Bruce Springsteen praised Jeremy Allen White after watching his film, Deliver Me From Nowhere, at the New York Film Festival.

After the movie about his life – which showed his battle with depression during the album’s creation – Bruce Springsteen came on stage.

Bruce Springsteen playfully complimented the lead actor from ‘The Bear,’ joking that he was a ‘more handsome version’ of himself.

He explained that he’d spent his life traveling the world as a musician, essentially representing America through his work. He saw this as a way to honestly assess how well America lived up to its own values and principles, acknowledging that the country often didn’t quite meet them.

For many people, America still represents opportunity and optimism, not fear, division, censorship, or animosity.

I’m so excited about this new movie! It’s directed by Scott Cooper, and Jeremy Strong, who I absolutely love from Succession, plays Jon Landau – Bruce Springsteen’s manager and someone who’s worked closely with him for years. It’s great to see such talented people involved.

Bruce Springsteen explained to TIME that he thought the film’s director, Scott Cooper, faced a really tough challenge in portraying his struggle with depression in the movie, which was based on a biography by Warren Zanes.

He explained that the movie could have explored his struggles with depression in many different ways.

I was really shaken to read that Bruce Springsteen seriously considered suicide back in 1982, right after Nebraska came out. Apparently, Jon Landau, his manager, thankfully stepped in and urged him to seek help from a professional – I’m so glad he did!

The advice ‘was and has been a total life changer,’ Springsteen said.

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2026-01-10 13:07