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
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Carden, Samuel Tucker, "With A Love So Hard And Filled With Defeat:' A Queer Reading Of Bruce Springsteen" (2026). ETDs from 2020-2029. 177.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-2020s/177
