North Jersey Politician Has Words For Bruce Springsteen On House Floor

NEW JERSEY — Bruce Springsteen's lyrics have long defended the working man against the government (such as the anti-Vietnam conflict tune "Born in the U.S.A."), and he's stuck to the themes of freedom and independence in songs like "No Surrender" and "Born to Run."

Some of his words have aroused heated discussions in the political realm, from Ronald Reagan invoking his lyrics during the 1984 presidential campaign to more recent blowback when the rocker criticized the current president on tour and in past years. Springsteen was also featured in a Super Bowl ad in 2021 to try to bring together "The Middle."

This week, a New Jersey-based Congressman took to the House of Representatives floor to speak about "The Boss," but not in regard to political controversies.

Bergen County native Rep. Josh Gottheimer wanted to recognize the 50th birthday of Springsteen and the E-Street Band's iconic album and title song, "Born To Run," released Aug. 25, 1975.

The lyrics on the album refer to numerous locations in the Garden State, including Highway 9 at the shore and 10th Avenue in Belmar.

“Bruce is Jersey, and Jersey is Bruce," Gottheimer said. "Just when a 25-year-old kid from Freehold thought about giving up, his hard work paid off with an album that shared the Garden State with America, and America with the world."

He added, "Whether from a turntable, cassette, the radio, or your phone, the Boss sings for us all: when chasing after that ‘runaway American dream,’ ‘Baby, we were born to run.’”

Gottheimer said, "Since its release, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band have captured not just the American spirit, but also the Jersey Values that united us...Every song on the album is a timeless classic: from Thunder Road, to Jungleland, to Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, to She’s the One. Not to mention the title track."

Sang About Mahwah

Springsteen has also sung about Gottheimer's part of the state, noting in the song "Johnny 99" from "Nebraska" (1982): "Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month / Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none / He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine / He got a gun, shot a night clerk, now they call him Johnny 99."

Mahwah's sprawling Ford Motor Company plant closed in 1980, eliminating 4,500 jobs.

It was demolished in 1984 and soon replaced by a 25-story Sheraton hotel.

This past May, that was demolished as well.