ABSTRACT In 1980, a movement evolved to make Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” New Jersey’s official state anthem. On June 15 of that year, the New York Times published an op-ed article in support of the campaign. Ultimately, the effort was unsuccessful, and New Jersey has yet to choose an official state anthem or song. This article revisits that 1980 campaign. In 1980, the chances “Born to Run” would become New Jersey’s state anthem or song were slim. But given Springsteen’s body of work in the decades that followed, the article posits the argument for giving the song official state status is stronger today. The article begins with a discussion of the elements of anthems, followed by a summary of New Jersey’s unsuccessful attempts to choose a state song. The research also includes details on how the “Born to Run” campaign evolved, based largely on new interviews with those who led the effort. The article concludes with reasons for giving “Born to Run” official state status in New Jersey.
Richard Lee (Sun,) studied this question.