Advisor(s)

Rebecca Bach

Committee Member(s)

Gale Temple
Margaret Jessee

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

6-1-2026

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Arts & Humanities

Abstract

Long an open, yet misinterpreted political artist, Bruce Springsteen has never shied away from calling out injustices through his songs. Over the course of his long career, he has used his platform to lyrically speak out against war, the brutality of American capitalism, and the struggles of marginalized people of all backgrounds. However, the potential queerness of his lyrics has remained an underdiscussed political aspect of his artistry for decades, especially in academic settings. Many of the themes that Springsteen returns to in his writing – the need to hide one’s true self, struggles with self-identity, the desperate desire to escape – are relatable to queer people. This thesis explores many of Springsteen’s greatest hits and deepest cuts – from classics like “Born to Run” and “Thunder Road” to relative obscurities like “Mary Queen of Arkansas” and “Lost in the Flood” – through a queer lens, examining possible depictions of the closet, portrayals of drag, gender fluidity, and performance, and queer utopian visions. Contextualized by foundational queer theorists like Eve Sedgwick, Judith Butler, and José Esteban Muñoz, I seek to connect many of Springsteen’s most iconic and oft-discussed lyrics to queer experiences, expression, identity, and historical movements.

Keywords

American music;Bruce Springsteen;queer theory;song lyrics;songwriting

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