So American
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your heart would be the color blue
Be a gradient from there Until your body met your hair
Which remained a silver
You are the one they call Jesus Christ
Who didn't know no rock n' roll
Just a mission, and a gun to paint rainbows in Vietnam
And a heart that always told you
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
So, who wrote the rules?
Who wrote the rules, who wrote the rules?
They said, every one of you will never try to lend a hand
When the police men don't understand
Boys, all you boys, you think it's so American
Girls, all you girls, yeah, you're so American
He may not be born of this land
But he was born of this world
He was born of all the mothers and the colors of our brothers
And the love that was started
You are the one they call Jesus Christ
Who may not know no rock n' roll
And there may not be a Heaven
Or a place of which to send you
But you know in the end
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
So, who wrote the rules?
Who wrote the rules, who wrote the rules?
They said, every one of you will never try to lend a hand
When the police men don't understand
Boys, all you boys, you think it's so American
Girls, all you girls, yeah, you're so American
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
Man, oh man, you think it's so American
Man, oh man, yeah, you're so American
Man, oh man, you think it's so American
Man, oh man, yeah, you're so American
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
"So American" by Portugal. The Man is a song that explores the idea of American identity and the ways in which it has been shaped by violence, oppression, and inequality. The lyrics describe the pain and suffering that comes with living in a society that often seems to have lost its way, where people are judged by their race, gender, and socioeconomic status rather than their inherent value as human beings. The song also touches on the theme of madness, suggesting that there is something inherently crazy about the way we live our lives and treat one another.
The lyrics "If pain was a color to paint on you / Your heart would be the color blue" suggest that the singer is deeply aware of the pain and suffering that people experience in the world, and sees it as an essential part of the human experience. The line "Be a gradient from there / Until your body met your hair / Which remained a silver" suggests that this pain is something that we carry with us throughout our lives, but that it does not define us completely.
The song then turns to the figure of Jesus Christ, who is described as having "a mission, and a gun to paint rainbows in Vietnam", which is a reference to the military draft during the Vietnam War. The line "There's madness in us all" is repeated several times throughout the song, and seems to suggest that Christ's message of love and compassion is something that we all struggle to understand and accept.
Overall, "So American" is a deeply introspective and thought-provoking song that speaks to the complexities of American identity and society. It is a powerful reminder that we must strive to be better as a nation and as individuals if we hope to overcome the violence and inequality that plague our world.
Line by Line Meaning
If pain was a color to paint on you
If the distress you feel inside could be represented as a hue on your skin
Your heart would be the color blue
It would manifest as a shade of blue
Be a gradient from there Until your body met your hair
This blue would gradually fade until it reaches your hair
Which remained a silver
But your hair would stay silver, unaffected by the pain
You are the one they call Jesus Christ
The artist is metaphorically compared to the religious figure
Who didn't know no rock n' roll
Unlike the common association of rock n' roll with rebellion and independence, Jesus Christ is portrayed as not having these qualities
Just a mission, and a gun to paint rainbows in Vietnam
The singer is likened to a soldier who had a mission to fight in the Vietnam War, but also had a more poetic goal of painting rainbows with his firearm
And a heart that always told you
Despite everything, the artist always listened to his heart
There's madness in us all
We all have madness within us
So, who wrote the rules?
The song questions the authority or source of the societal norms that govern us
They said, every one of you will never try to lend a hand
The singer is criticizing the expectation that people won't help each other, especially when the police don't understand the situation
Boys, all you boys, you think it's so American
The song highlights a reckless and individualistic mentality often associated with a stereotypical view of the United States, particularly in young men
Girls, all you girls, yeah, you're so American
This mentality is also attributed to young women
He may not be born of this land
The singer may not have been born in the United States
But he was born of this world
But he is still part of humanity
He was born of all the mothers and the colors of our brothers
The artist is from a diverse community
And the love that was started
The song emphasizes the value of love
And there may not be a Heaven
Heaven may not exist
Or a place of which to send you
There may not be a predetermined place where one goes after death
But you know in the end
Regardless of what happens after death
There's two eyes for every one of us
There is enough for everyone in the world
But somebody got there first and took them all
But unfortunately, some people get more than their fair share while others are left with nothing
Man, oh man, you think it's so American
The song critiques the selfish and entitled attitudes that are too often associated with American culture
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Baldwin Gourley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dcsash
If pain was a color to paint on you
Your heart would be the color blue
Be a gradient from there Until your body met your hair
Which remained a silver
You are the one they call Jesus Christ
Who didn't know no rock n' roll
Just a mission, and a gun to paint rainbows in Vietnam
And a heart that always told you
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
So, who wrote the rules?
Who wrote the rules, who wrote the rules?
They said, every one of you will never try to lend a hand
When the police men don't understand
Boys, all you boys, you think it's so American
Girls, all you girls, yeah, you're so American
He may not be born of this land
But he was born of this world
He was born of all the mothers and the colors of our brothers
And the love that was started
You are the one they call Jesus Christ
Who may not know no rock n' roll
And there may not be a Heaven
Or a place of which to send you
But you know in the end
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
There's madness in us all
So, who wrote the rules?
Who wrote the rules, who wrote the rules?
They said, every one of you will never try to lend a hand
When the police men don't understand
Boys, all you boys, you think it's so American
Girls, all you girls, yeah, you're so American
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
Man, oh man, you think it's so American
Man, oh man, yeah, you're so American
Man, oh man, you think it's so American
Man, oh man, yeah, you're so American
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
There's two eyes for every one of us
But somebody got there first and took them all
@dylan0094
They've put out a good deal of music. I'm more into rocknroll Portugal. the Man, and I think that Church Mouth, Censored Colors, and the Satanic Satanist are some of the greatest albums ever released. Their newer stuff is more electronic and more accessible. Here are some songs you should check out.
AKA m80 the wolf
Created
And I
The Sun
People Say
Mornings
Do You
Church Mouth
Shade
Sleeping Sleepers Sleep
Sleep Forever
Got it All
The Dead Dog
When the war ends
Holy Roller
Purple Yellow Red and Blue
Noise Pollution
So Young
And the whole It's Complicated Being a Wizard ep
@DrBeauHightower
Beautiful music
@teivabaudoin2666
I’m glad to see a YouTube I like loving one of my favorite band, keep up the good content Doc 😁
@AZdude
This song is so great. 10 Years later I'm still listening to this gem. It's Making me cry tho. Takes me back to the best Era of my life with my family, friends, love of my life. Now most of them are passed on, my dad suffered traumatic brain Injury was never the same, my mom haven't seen in 6 years almost nor my siblings, my x is long gone. I'm the only one still here. But I'm not alone because this song is still here , allowing me to experience some of those same feelings I felt back then.
@luisflorido7026
Animo amigo
@lakeshoresubtleties
It's never too late to try to reconnect with your family. As for the love of your life, it sucks, but time to find a new one. There are too many people out there for there to only be one for us. It's more a matter of who is willing to put in the effort to add to your fulfillment. You look young enough and reasonably good looking. You sound reasonably soulful. Go forth. There is a win to be had in every day, yo.
@andrewscott6828
I feel ya almost identically on all that bud (situationally at least), but songs like these remind us that you can’t kill cherished memories, they will live forever if you so choose so hold them close and be open to what comes next: there’s lots of living left to live and no matter the outcome you’ll have been there to live it~ I bet you look back and laugh at the dark times one day, don’t give up buddy.
@andrewscott6828
Be thankful to have had so much to have lost in the first place, many aren’t so lucky… Try to alter your perception and come at it again, maybe your true happiness is just that one next test away 🤷♂️
@lucutes2936
same
@kingofthedead45
This song has never been more on point.
@milesschmidt3285
Or more pretentious, Waiter You Vultures/Church Mouth is all that's needed. I'm thankful for seeing them a few times before whatever this is.