'Blinded by the Light' pays tribute to Bruce Springsteen but leaves out one of his famous songs

The movie “Blinded by the Light” focuses on Javed, a British-Pakistani teen growing up in 1987, who turns to The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, when he can’t seem to relate to the world — and finds power in music. Inspired by a true story, the movie features many, but not all, of Springsteen’s hit songs. Director Gurinder Chadha and co-writer Sarfraz Manzoor tell Yahoo Entertainment why one of Springsteen’s most popular tunes, “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984), is not in the film. “Every song that was selected in the film had to be in the film because it referenced Javed’s journey,” Chadha said. “There were songs we both loved that we wish were there … but there was no place for it.” They also talk about how the message of “Born in the U.S.A.” is often misunderstood. “Reagan famously quoted him not understanding what the music is about,” Manzoor said. Ronald Reagan and his team attempted to use Springsteen's song as part of his 1984 reelection campaign.