This Ass-Kicking Rock Anthem was unleashed to all Wide-Eyed Soul-Searching Renegades around the world on 25 August 1975. Lasting 4:30 minutes long, it was a sonic “Wall of Sound’ soaked epic. Every teenager who had a dream of wanting to “make it big”, now had a slogan etched onto their foreheads. “Cause tramps like us, baby, we were … BORN TO RUN!”
“Born To Run” catapulted Bruce Springsteen into rock superstardom, and 51 years later in 2026, he’s still up there as a revered rock elderstateman, still filling up stadiums.
My Used March 1988 Texas “BORN TO RUN” License Plate (above image). Let’s just say I acquired this road gem for a “song”. Coincidentally, I did my MBA degree in Texas. After that I enjoyed a long, lucrative career in management consulting in international companies.
In 2002, I left my summit (Senior Partner) in the management consulting world to conquer another summit – my rock photography. Shortly afterwards I won the top three prizes in the 2006 Lucie Awards in the Non-Professional Music category and is the first Asian photographer to be represented by the legendary Morrison Hotel Galley (MHG) in New York City.
To quote the career summary in my MHG profile – “At 44, Eddie Sung re-invented himself from a clean-cut corporate head honcho (in the First Half of his life) to a bearded rock photographer (in his Second Half). He simply wanted to explore the Outer Frontiers of his artistic Inner Calling.”
Front Page of 23-24 September 2006 Business Times Newspaper (above image). Imagine a rock photographer making the headlines of a leading business newspaper! After decades of contributing my business comments to Business Times, I guess they reciprocated with a kind gesture to me in the new chapter of my Life.
Dreams Do Come True!
We are Born Twice. Once when we were biologically born and again when we discover why (purpose) we were put into this world. Do read my “Water Finds Its Level” blog. Yo, sing it with me, “Cause, baby, we were Born To Run!”
“Born To Run” is ranked 27th in Rolling Stone magazine in 2021 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. It was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll‘.
It all began in early 1974, in Long Branch, New Jersey, whilst sitting by the edge his bed, the phrase “born to run” popped into Bruce Springsteen’s head.
The song is about the breaking away from a dead end, sleepy blue-collared town and heading out into the bright lights of the city and making something great out of one’s Life. This theme resonated with the young and restless of the world during the 1970s. And still do to this day.
“The highways jammed with broken heroes
On a last chance power drive.”
Shortly after this 1975 youth-anthem song was released, I did my national service (army), went on to pursue my BBA and MBA degrees in the USA. There I juggled between my college books (corporate aspirations) and motor-drive cameras (rock photography). Basically, I bloomed! So this song is personal to me.
“Cause tramps like us,
Baby, we were born to run”.
