American Hearts
A.A. Bondy Lyrics
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And we are still wild
And we howl when the troubled wind blows
And in the TV's blue light
Oh, assassins will lie
Every wail just a-goin' down slow
So don't tread on me
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
All the people you meet
Down in the streets
May be good but they don't wanna know
So they cover their eyes, for
Who wants to be sad?
Life is sweet at the bottom of the sea
And don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
And the mothers will cry,
Fathers stay up all night
With the worry that goes to the bones
And if your God makes war
Then he's no God I know
'Cause Christ would not send boys to die
And don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
Don't you get low as hell
When the peace dove is felled
By men with the blackest of minds
And above the din
Let the sighin' begin
As we're bound for the longest of days
So don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
The lyrics of A.A. Bondy's "American Hearts" speak of the restlessness and disillusionment that pervades modern American society. The opening lines "We were raised by wolves/ And we are still wild" suggest that Americans possess a rugged individualism borne of a frontier existence, but that this quality is also part of our discontent. The imagery of wolves howling in the troubled wind is haunting and lonely, emphasizing our sense of isolation.
The song's refrain, "Don't tread on me, for I am your brother/ And don't tread on her, for she is your sister," speaks of the kinship between Americans, a sense of shared identity despite our differences. The use of the phrase "American heart" suggests that we are all part of a larger collective consciousness, bound together by our common heritage.
The final verses of the song speak of the pain and sacrifice that come with war, and indirectly criticize those who would send "boys" to die. The image of mothers crying and fathers losing sleep underscores the human toll of conflict. But even in the face of these difficult times, the song's message remains one of hope and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
We were raised by wolves
We grew up in a harsh environment where we had to fight to survive.
And we are still wild
We remain untamed and unconstrained by societal norms.
And we howl when the troubled wind blows
We express ourselves freely and passionately when things get tough.
And in the TV's blue light
We are constantly bombarded with images and messages from the media.
Oh, assassins will lie
Deceitful people will try to deceive us.
Every wail just a-goin' down slow
Every sad or painful experience takes a toll on us.
So don't tread on me
Do not try to control or oppress me.
For I am your brother
We are all part of the same human family.
I was born with an American heart
I have the same values and dreams as any other American.
And don't tread on her
Do not try to control or oppress women.
For she is your sister
Women are also part of the same human family as men.
She was born with an American heart
Women possess the same values and dreams as any other American.
All the people you meet
Everyone you encounter in life.
Down in the streets
In the neighborhoods and communities where people live.
May be good but they don't wanna know
They may be decent people, but they choose to ignore the struggles of others.
So they cover their eyes, for
They turn a blind eye to the suffering around them.
Who wants to be sad?
No one wants to feel the pain of others or take on their problems.
Life is sweet at the bottom of the sea
Escape from reality is tempting, but ignoring problems won't make them go away.
And the mothers will cry,
Mothers will weep for their children's pain.
Fathers stay up all night
Fathers worry and lose sleep over their children's future.
With the worry that goes to the bones
The anxiety is deep-seated and affects them to the core.
And if your God makes war
If your faith justifies violence and conflict.
Then he's no God I know
That is not the God I believe in.
'Cause Christ would not send boys to die
The principles of Christianity exclude violence and death.
Don't you get low as hell
Do not lose hope and give in to despair.
When the peace dove is felled
When hope for peace is destroyed.
By men with the blackest of minds
By people with corrupted and immoral intentions.
And above the din
Above the noise and chaos.
Let the sighin' begin
Allow yourself to express your sadness and frustration.
As we're bound for the longest of days
We are in this struggle for the long haul.
Contributed by Micah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@prithviraj6824
We were raised by wolves
And we are still wild
And we howl when the troubled wind blows
And in the TV's blue light
Oh, assassins will lie
Every wail just a-goin' down slow
So don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
All the people you meet
Down in the streets
May be good but they don't wanna know
So they cover their eyes, for
Who wants to be sad?
Life is sweet at the bottom of the sea
And don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
And the mothers will cry,
Fathers stay up all night
With the worry that goes to the bones
And if your God makes war
Then he's no God I know
'Cause Christ would not send boys to die
And don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
Don't you get low as hell
When the peace dove is felled
By men with the blackest of minds
And above the din
Let the sighin' begin
As we're bound for the longest of days
So don't tread on me
For I am your brother
I was born with an American heart
And don't tread on her
For she is your sister
She was born with an American heart
@rodnjoycesboy25
America needs to listen to this on repeat for a while...
@ChrisBarrett25
This is one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. Beautiful.
@gronsicle
it takes an appreciation of real talent to like this guy.
@superimposedfun
It takes a real heart to love this empath music by and empath ❤❤❤❤
@shampoolid
The greatest American song of the decade!
@WesleyThibodeau
Shawn James's video of him covering this song live from a wolf refuge brought me here. Check it!
@charlesz8549
"Fathers stay up all night with a worry that goes to the bone.... because Christ would not send boys to die." This part of the song gets me every time.
@daviswall3319
This man got me through a very difficult time in my life
@altchang
I heard this at Tuesday Morning of all places and had to look it up. This is a great song with a welcome message
@mitchross5075
This song is very applicable to the world just recently.