{"id":33817,"date":"1984-01-18T11:00:00","date_gmt":"1984-01-18T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/?p=33817"},"modified":"2026-02-18T16:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T00:08:08","slug":"cover-me-jason-isbell-and-amanda-shires-born-in-the-u-s-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1984\/01\/18\/cover-me-jason-isbell-and-amanda-shires-born-in-the-u-s-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires: Born in the U.S.A."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today&#8217;s\u00a0<em>Cover Me<\/em> entry has literally been on my &#8220;To Blog&#8221; list from Day One.<\/p>\n<p>So why haven&#8217;t I featured it before now? I guess because it&#8217;s so darn good that I assumed everyone already knew it.<\/p>\n<p>But I had the privilege of catching Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires in an acoustic show in New Jersey this week, and it brought their remarkable cover of &#8220;Born in the U.S.A.&#8221; back to the top of my mind.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"758\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5AEqTSwtmms?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Jason and Amanda&#8217;s cover is the lead track on a 2014 alt-country reimagining of Bruce&#8217;s landmark album, entitled <em>Dead Man&#8217;s Town<\/em>. If you ever wondered what <em>Born in the U.S.A. <\/em>would have sounded like if it had been given the <em>Nebraska<\/em> treatment on its original release, this album is for you.<\/p>\n<p>As for the title track, Jason Isbell told <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>, \u201c\u2018Born in the U.S.A.\u2019 is one of my favorite songs of Springsteen\u2019s, making it one of my favorites ever. I love that the song paints a picture of struggle in the face of the American dream, and the irony in the chorus is delivered with such force that it nearly transcends irony altogether.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shires agreed: \u201cBecause I write songs and play rock &amp; roll shows, Springsteen is obviously a hero of mine. \u2018Born in the U.S.A.\u2019 is one of my favorites because so many people have seemingly misunderstood the lyrical content and the song\u2019s overall tone. When you listen to the demo, the dark, minor key arrangement makes it clear that this is not strictly a song of celebration. We wanted to stay true to that version.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They did stay true. Their version is absolutely haunting, reflecting Bruce&#8217;s lyrics in a way that makes the song&#8217;s meaning unmistakable to even the most casual listener.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 April 10, 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires kicked off an alt-country reimagining of Bruce\u2019s Born in the U.S.A. album with their stunning cover of the title track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3611,4],"tags":[3455,2237,3454],"class_list":["post-33817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bitusa","category-cover-me","tag-amanda-shires","tag-born-in-the-u-s-a","tag-jason-isbell"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/isbell.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9w3Lk-8Nr","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3397,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2018\/07\/26\/cover-me-the-waybacks-and-joan-osborne-born-in-the-usa\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":0},"title":"Cover Me, The Waybacks and Joan Osborne: Born in the U.S.A.","author":"Ken","date":"July 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Another dip into the amazing \"Back in the U.S.A.\" tribute album by Joan Osborne and The Waybacks--this time a slow burn of \"Born in the U.S.A.\"","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/DMwaybacks-e1532388031468.jpg?fit=700%2C314&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/DMwaybacks-e1532388031468.jpg?fit=700%2C314&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/DMwaybacks-e1532388031468.jpg?fit=700%2C314&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/DMwaybacks-e1532388031468.jpg?fit=700%2C314&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19664,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2020\/08\/14\/cover-me-ian-noe-born-in-the-u-s-a\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":1},"title":"Cover Me, Ian Noe: Born in the U.S.A.","author":"Ken","date":"August 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Ian Noe has been covering \"Born in the U.S.A.\" in concert for years, but this 2013 performance may be his best.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iannoe.jpg?fit=800%2C449&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iannoe.jpg?fit=800%2C449&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iannoe.jpg?fit=800%2C449&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iannoe.jpg?fit=800%2C449&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2231,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1984\/01\/18\/cover-me-joan-osborne-and-the-waybacks-im-goin-down\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":2},"title":"The Waybacks and Joan Osborne Covers","author":"Ken","date":"January 18, 1984","format":false,"excerpt":"A fresh and funky take on \"I'm Goin' Down\" by Joan Osborne and the Waybacks from MerleFest 2015.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BITUSA&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BITUSA","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/bitusa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28469,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1984\/01\/22\/cover-me-home-free-born-in-the-u-s-a\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":3},"title":"Home Free: Born in the U.S.A.","author":"Ken","date":"January 22, 1984","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=D-OkZBtgmS8 If you're not familiar with Home Free, they're an American a capella group that won Season 4 of\u00a0The Sing-Off on NBC back in 2013. That feat led to a recording contract with Columbia Records, where they became label-mates with Bruce. A few weeks back, they released their latest album\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BITUSA&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BITUSA","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/bitusa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/homefree.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/homefree.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/homefree.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/homefree.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/homefree.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8275,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/22\/cover-me-joan-osborne-and-the-waybacks-cover-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":4},"title":"Joan Osborne and The Waybacks: Cover Me","author":"Ken","date":"April 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Let's take another visit to MerleFest 2015 and the absolutely brilliant tribute performance by Joan Osborne and The Waybacks. Check out their mashup of \"Cover Me\" with Edwin Starr's \"War.\"","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/admin-ajax-15.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1768,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1984\/01\/23\/cover-me-stanley-clarke-band-born-in-the-usa\/","url_meta":{"origin":33817,"position":5},"title":"Stanley Clarke Band: Born in the U.S.A.","author":"Ken","date":"January 23, 1984","format":false,"excerpt":"Stanley Clarke was one of the first to cover \"Born in the USA,\" and he definitely put his own spin on it.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BITUSA&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BITUSA","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/bitusa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/R-951850-1622537102-9616.jpg?fit=1200%2C1198&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/R-951850-1622537102-9616.jpg?fit=1200%2C1198&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/R-951850-1622537102-9616.jpg?fit=1200%2C1198&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/R-951850-1622537102-9616.jpg?fit=1200%2C1198&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/R-951850-1622537102-9616.jpg?fit=1200%2C1198&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33817"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33817\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67799,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33817\/revisions\/67799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}