God Bless
DWC/Co4E
American Life
Primus Lyrics
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Lived a family too proud to be poor
In the year that fever took father away
They hastened for American shores
Now a mother and her son are standing in line
It's a cold day on Ellis Isle
And they look to the Statue of Liberty
For the boy we have American life
Ong is a Laotian refugee
He works in the audio trade
The smoke from flux is filling his lungs
He's earning minimum wage
Spending spare time down on
San Pablo ave
Once a week gets a woman for the night
And he writes home tales of prosperity
For the boy we have American life
Bob is an unemployed veteran
Born and bred in the South Bronx
He's living off the streets down in east L.A.
Residing in a cardboard box
Now he plays a little guit and he has a small dog
Searching for aluminum cans
And he hold on tight to his dignity
He was born into American life
The lyrics to Primus's song "American Life" tell the stories of three individuals, each with different backgrounds, who are living in America but struggling to make a living. The first verse introduces a family who emigrated to America from Sicily after the father's death. The mother and son, standing in line on Ellis Island, look at the Statue of Liberty with hope for their new life in America. The second verse is about Ong, a Laotian refugee who is working in the audio trade. Despite the health risks associated with working with flux, he is making minimum wage and spending his spare time with a woman from San Pablo Avenue. He writes home to his family, telling them stories of his prosperity in America. The third verse is about Bob, an unemployed veteran from the South Bronx who is now living in a cardboard box in east L.A. He spends his days searching for aluminum cans and playing guitar, clinging to his dignity.
The song is a commentary on the American Dream, which promises a life of prosperity to those who work hard and follow the rules. However, the reality for many Americans is far from this ideal. The stories of the three individuals in the song show the struggles of those who are trying to make a life in America despite facing economic hardships and discrimination. The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of hope and freedom for immigrants, is juxtaposed with the harsh reality of poverty and struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
In a town in southernmost Sicily
There was a family living in a small town in the southernmost part of Sicily
Lived a family too proud to be poor
The family was poor, but they had too much pride to admit it
In the year that fever took father away
Unfortunately, their father died from an illness in that same year
They hastened for American shores
The mother and son decided to move to America for a better life
Now a mother and her son are standing in line
The mother and son are waiting in a line, probably at Ellis Island
It's a cold day on Ellis Isle
The weather is cold and harsh on Ellis Island
And they look to the Statue of Liberty
They are looking at the Statue of Liberty, which symbolizes freedom and a new beginning
For the boy we have American life
The mother wants a better life for her son in America
Ong is a Laotian refugee
A man named Ong is a refugee from Laos
He works in the audio trade
Ong works in the audio industry
The smoke from flux is filling his lungs
The chemicals from his job are harming his health
He's earning minimum wage
Despite his hard work, Ong is only making the minimum wage
Spending spare time down on San Pablo ave
Ong spends his free time on San Pablo avenue
Once a week gets a woman for the night
Ong hires a woman for the night once a week
And he writes home tales of prosperity
Ong wants to make his loved ones in Laos believe that he is doing well in America
For the boy we have American life
Ong hopes that his son will have a better life in America
Bob is an unemployed veteran
Another person named Bob is an unemployed veteran
Born and bred in the South Bronx
Bob was born and raised in the South Bronx
He's living off the streets down in east L.A.
Bob is homeless and living on the streets in East Los Angeles
Residing in a cardboard box
Bob lives in a cardboard box
Now he plays a little guit and he has a small dog
Bob plays guitar and has a small dog to keep him company
Searching for aluminum cans
Bob searches for aluminum cans to recycle and make some money
And he hold on tight to his dignity
Despite his situation, Bob still has dignity and self-respect
He was born into American life
Bob was born in America, but he has not had an easy life
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: LES CLAYPOOL, REID L. III LALONDE, TIMOTHY W. ALEXANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joe M
In a town in southernmost Sicily
Lived a family too proud to be poor
In the year that fever took father away
They hastened for American shores
Now a mother and her son are standing in line
It's a cold day on Ellis Isle
And they look to the Statue of Liberty
For the boy we have American life
Ong is a Laotian refugee
He works in the audio trade
The smoke from flux is filling his lungs
He's earning minimum wage
Spending spare time down on
San Pablo ave
Once a week gets a woman for the night
And he writes home tales of prosperity
For the boy we have American life
Bob is an unemployed veteran
Born and bred in the South Bronx
He's living off the streets down in east L.A.
Residing in a cardboard box
Now he plays a little guit and he has a small dog
Searching for aluminum cans
And he hold on tight to his dignity
He was born into American life
KiKfilms
If bass was this loud on all songs this world would be a better place.
Mr Chung
Not true tbh, the bass this loud can be intrusive of the other instruments. It just works with primus since they're built around it.
District Sound Lab
100000%
District Sound Lab
Although funny how times have changed. Nowadays I'd want that bass in the middle and the guitars double tracked and wide
Justin Klinck
Les does it right too.
Casey Tinsley
💯
Max Miller
Let’s not forget the amazing work of Larry LaLonde and Tim Alexander. The three of them are like rush on drugs and it’s a beautiful thing
Taylor Brinkley
They ARE Rush on drugs.
Hans Wurst
Yeah imagine being a guitarist and one day the bassist comes to band practice with this line. what would anyone who isn't larry even do except crap their pants and cry.
Tu Hung Lo
That's funny. They're actually going to cover the Rush's Kings album on the upcoming tour. Can't wait. Primus sucks 🤘🤘