“Born in the USA” is one of The Boss‘s biggest songs, but, for non-fans, also perhaps his least understood. The rousing chorus is (obviously) ironic, something that is seemingly lost on lots of casual fans and, particularly, on politicians. Maybe this accounts for why a number of Springsteen’s songs are more popular as covers, despite how big this song was in the 1980s.
Rebounder is the bedroom music project of Dylan Chenfeld and his brother Noah, which was launched during the pandemic. Earlier this year they released a Walkmen cover and their new cover of “Born in the USA” is their second cover release.
From the very first notes, the original signals its intentions to create cognitive dissonance in the listener, with the triumphant melody played on a synthesizer and the grated drums. But Chenfield takes an entirely different approach, with a chill vibe backed by soulful bass. His lead vocal is not filled with the righteousness of Springsteen but rather has a laconic quality. Chenfeld still sings the hook with some enthusiasm, but it’s clear there’s more ambiguity to his delivery. There’s a neat little break after each chorus that further differentiates this cover from Springsteen’s original.
When the synth finally comes in to play the melody line, the mood is quite different from the original. Though there is still a tinge of triumphalism in the melody, there’s a lack of conviction that’s a little bit more in line with the lyrics of the verses. It’s not a cover that completely changes the music to match the mood of the lyrics, but it does let on a little that this is not actually a song celebrating the US.
