Bill Chinook / Bruce Springsteen

While Born in the Usa isn't my favorite Bruce album, I find even his last 4 or 5 released to have some amazing and insightful tunes.  I think he's one a a handful of artists who has evolved over the years instead of recycling their old ideas.  
The Wall has some great lyrics about McNamara, the wrestler, Terry's Song.  Anything off the rising or Devils and Dust.  
I've seen him live about 70 times (including his solo tours)but sadly I've had to curtail arena shows because they are too loud for me, even with earplugs.  

Most of Bruce's albums are among the worst sounding albums I have (except Darkness, Tunnel of Love, Lucky Town, Human Touch (last 3 Bob Clearmountain)) and his last album. It's inexcusable that with so many resources at his disposal in the studio, SQ takes a back seat. I believe that is one (a small one) of many reasons why he is so much better live than on record. 
He is one of our best modern musical artists IMHO although he can be wooden or shrill at times. Then again, in a different way, so can another of our great artists-----Bob Dylan.
Note---today is Bruce's 67th birthday.

It's not Springsteen's fault that most Americans cannot think more deeply than their perception of the four word chorus of one of his songs.  He is a great artist by any measure, and the most influential musician that America has produced since Bob Dylan.    

@kb54  Thankfully we have you here to do our thinking for us.  Whew!

i shoudn't wade into tis polemical fray, though i do find it surprising that people would disqualify springsteen's music on patriotic grounds--whether or not you agree with his politics, it's hard to fault the guy for expressing his opinion.  to me at least,  he's always registered as sincere and charitable, or at least as  sincere and charitable as a mega-rich rock star can be.  as for his music, he's a good-to-great writer--tuneful, insightful and funny--and i think "born to run" (esp. if you listen to his acoustic take on "tracks") is a great blues song. however, like bdp i personally find him hard to listen to--his voice grates and the band just don't swing.  i also agree that he's been badly served by his producers--his best records (btr, darkness, the river) all sound  dark, compressed and unnatural.