The Album Art
Born in the USA is the titular song of Springsteen’s 1984 album of the same name. The album cover is among the main reasons for the song’s misinterpretation. It features Springsteen seen from behind, wearing scuffed blue jeans, a plain white T-shirt, a black cowboy belt, with a worn, red baseball cap in his back pocket. Behind him are the red and white stripes of the American flag.
Source: Pinterest
The artwork for the single is similar and features Springsteen with the outline of an American flag behind him, jumping up with his guitar in one hand and the other raised above his head in a first. Not many understood that the patriotic references of the cover art were meant to be ironic.