We were going to see the world
In this land
We placed Baptismal fonts
And an infinite number were baptized
And they called us "Carabi"
Which means "Men of Great Wisdom"

Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Where are you going
Send me a letter, if you go at all

Ahh, the salvation of souls,
But wisdom we had not
For these people had neither King nor Lord
And bowed to no one
And they had lived in their own liberty

Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Going in circles
Going in circles, anywhere

I saw the new
The inconstant shifting of fortune
And now I write to you
Words that have not been written
Words from the New World
Tracing the circles
Moving across my eyes
Lying on a ship
And gazing at the western skies
Tracing lazy circles in the sky

Hey!

Wake Up!
Wake Up!

Where are you going,
And are you going anywhere?
Where are you going
Send me a letter, if you go at all

It's such a delight
To watch them dance
Be it sacrifice or romance
Free of all the things that we hold dear
Is that clear, Your Excellency?

And I guess it's time to go but
I gotta send you just a few more lines
From the New World

Tracing the circles
Moving across my eyes
Lying on a ship
And gazing at the western skies
Tracing lazy circles in the sky

Tracing lazy circles in the sky
Tracing lazy circles

And the sky opened
And we laid down our armour
And we danced
Naked as they
Baptized in the rain
Of the New World

Overall Meaning

The song Amerigo by Patti Smith depicts a colonial time where the Spanish people, known as the “Carabi,” arrived in the New World with the intention to convert and baptize the natives. They believed they were the people of “great wisdom,” but as they got acquainted with the population, they found that these people had neither lord nor king and were completely free. The singer of the song is someone on a trip to the New World, and with a view to the clear sky, realizes that the world is vast and constant. There is a sense of confusion - the singer doesn’t know where they are going or if they are going anywhere, and they ask the listener to report back through a letter if they travel someplace.

The song moves through the themes of exploration, colonialism, freedom, religion, and identity. The lyrics question what truly constitutes wisdom and salvation and whether they are meant to be imposed on people who already possess their own sense of liberty. The ‘lazy circles’ represent the circle of life and how everything is interconnected. In the end, the song culminates in a celebratory dance in the rain between the Europeans and the natives, indicating a dissolution of power dynamics.

Line by Line Meaning

We were going to see the world
We were explorers seeking to travel and experience the world

In this land
In the new, undiscovered land we found ourselves in

We placed Baptismal fonts
We set up Christian baptismal pools in this land

And an infinite number were baptized
Many people in this land were baptized

And they called us 'Carabi'
The people of this land called us 'Carabi'

Which means 'Men of Great Wisdom'
This is the translation of the term 'Carabi'

Where are you going,
Asking a rhetorical question about direction in life

And are you going anywhere?
Questioning one's purpose or destination

Send me a letter, if you go at all
A plea to be kept informed about one's path

Ahh, the salvation of souls,
A reflection on the religious justification for their journey

But wisdom we had not
Acknowledging that they may have underestimated the people of the new land

For these people had neither King nor Lord
Describing the lack of political organization among the people in the new land

And bowed to no one
Emphasizing the independence and self-reliance of these people

And they had lived in their own liberty
Describing the freedom the people in the new land enjoyed

Going in circles
Being lost or uncertain about how to proceed

I saw the new
Experiencing the novelty of a new and undiscovered land

The inconstant shifting of fortune
Reflecting on the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of life

And now I write to you
Addressing the recipient of the letter

Words that have not been written
Offering a unique perspective of the events and experiences they've encountered

Words from the New World
Describing the unique experiences of the unexplored land

Tracing the circles
Navigating an unfamiliar landscape

Moving across my eyes
Describing the visual stimulation of the journey

Lying on a ship
Relaxing on a boat on the sea

And gazing at the western skies
Observing the beauty of the sunset

Tracing lazy circles in the sky
Describing the carefree nature of the journey

Hey! Wake Up! Wake Up!
An exclamation to shocked and call to attention

It's such a delight
Expressing joy or happiness

To watch them dance
Observing the customs and ways of the new people

Be it sacrifice or romance
Describing the diverse way of life and traditions of the people

Free of all the things that we hold dear
Describing the contrasting way of life between the explorers and the new people

Is that clear, Your Excellency?
A rhetorical question seeking to drive home the differences between the two ways of life

I guess it's time to go but
A reflection on the end of the journey

I gotta send you just a few more lines
A final message to the recipient of the letter

And the sky opened
Describing a moment of clarity or enlightenment

And we laid down our armour
Symbolically giving up the forces that drove them to conquer and explore

And we danced
Celebrating the newfound freedom and enlightenment

Naked as they
Expressing the unity and equaliity between the explorers and the people they encountered

Baptized in the rain
Symbolically being reborn into a new way of life

Of the New World
Attributing the newfound enlightenment to the new land

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