Bruce Springsteen tried to act like his father following an uneasy childhood.

The 72-year-old music icon endured a difficult relationship with his dad Douglas, who suffered from mental health problems, and revealed that he tried to replicate his father through his mannerisms and physique.

In a extract from his book with former US President Barack Obama, ‘Renegades: Born in the USA’, which has been published in The Guardian newspaper, Bruce said: “The thing that happens is: when we can’t get the love we want from the parent we want it from, how do you create the intimacy you need? I can’t get to him and I can’t have him. I’ll be him. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll be him … I’m way into my 30s before I even have any idea that that’s my method of operation. I’m on stage. I’m in workmen’s clothes. I’ve never worked a job in my life.”

The Boss continued: “My dad was a beefy, bulky guy. I’ve played freaking guitar my whole life, but I’ve got 20 or 30 extra pounds on me from hitting the gym. Where’d that come from? Why do I spend hours lifting up and putting down heavy things for no particular reason? My entire body of work, everything that I’ve cared about, everything that I’ve written about, draws from his life story.”

Springsteen revealed that he realised as he reached his 30s that trying to being like his father was “destructive” for both himself and the people he cares about.

The ‘Born to Run’ singer said: “Here is where I was lucky. At 32, I go into hardcore analysis. I don’t have my children until I’m 40, so I’m eight years into looking into a lot of these things, because what I found out about that archetype was it was f***ing destructive in my life. It drove away people I cared about. It kept me from knowing my true self.

“And I realised: ‘Well, if you wanna follow this road, go ahead. But you’re going to end up on your own, my friend. And if you want to invite some people into your life, you better learn how to do that.'”