Sons of American fathers and British mothers, their fathers being military personnel stationed at the West Ruislip USAF base in London, all three attended London Central High in Bushey, Hertfordshire in the mid-60s where they met while playing in two different bands.
They eventually got together and formed the rock band America, honoring the name of the homeland they had hardly even seen during their several travels around the world. They played their first gigs in pubs and clubs in the London area, including some highlights at the Roundhouse, where Pink Floyd had been playing at the beginning of their own career.
Their first LP was recorded at Trident and Morgan studios in London and produced by Ian "Sammy" Samwell, who was known for the hits he had written for Cliff Richard, with the assistance of Jeff Dexter.
The album was initially released in Europe with only moderate success and without the breakout hit "A Horse With No Name." Samwell helped the group to record and persuaded the Warner Brothers label to release the new song on an EP which was highly popular in the United States as well as in Europe.
America the album was re-released with "Horse", and quickly went platinum with the other favorites "I Need You," "Sandman," and "Riverside." Their second album, appropriately named Homecoming, saw the band moving back to the United States to record. The most notable song was "Ventura Highway."
The group's fourth album Holiday had them with George Martin (former producer for The Beatles), who worked with them through Silent Letter in 1979 with much success. The next album, Hearts, featured "Sister Golden Hair" and "Daisy Jane."
Peek left the group after recording Harbor in 1977. The remaining duo produced many more albums and had one more significant radio hit, "You Can Do Magic," reaching #8 on the pop charts in 1982. Their last top-40 hit was "The Border," which went to #33 on the pop charts (and #4 on the adult contemporary charts) the next year.
America continued with consistent live work and sporadic recordings following their departure from Capitol Records in the mid-80s.
In 1982 America provided the soundtrack for the magical anime film The Last Unicorn. Although officially produced by an American company, the film is an important transitional work in the development of Japanese anime, since most of its animation was subcontracted to the Japanese company Topcraft. The music was composed by Jimmy Webb, though performed by America, and the title song was covered many times later on. The tone is wistful and the themes are of loss.
Beckley released a solo set - "Van Go Gan" - in 1999.
Later, in his post-America career, Peek became a born-again Christian and released some highly-successful Contemporary Christian albums. His autobiography "An American Band" chronicles America's most successful period and his own spiritual journey.
Members include:
Gerry Beckley (1970-present) - lead and backing vocals, keyboards, guitars, bass, harmonica
Dewey Bunnell (1970-present) - lead and backing vocals, guitars
Dan Peek (1970-1977) - lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, harmonica
Chasing The Rainbow
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All of the places it came apart
There's just one thing that I need to know
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Get it get it get it get it get it get it get it uh huh
I ran through the meadow looking for a dream
Truth is never like what it seems
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it get it uh huh
Where is the light
Where is the love
Where are the dreams that I once had
Frittered away
Gone in the time it takes to get from there to here
Get it get it get it
Get it get it get it uh huh
Get it get it get it chasing the rainbow
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
I'd draw you a picture cause it just might help
To point out the place where we went so wrong
The only color I'd use is blue
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it get it uh huh
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Get it get it chasing the rainbow
Get it get it get it uh huh
The song "Chasing The Rainbow" by America is about the search for love and fulfillment, but never quite finding it. The lyrics describe the singer's journey through life, trying to find meaning and purpose. Despite their efforts, they always come up short and can't seem to catch the elusive "rainbow."
The opening lines suggest that the singer has been hurt in love before and is reflecting on their past mistakes. They wonder why they always seem to come up short in their search for true happiness. Throughout the song, there is a sense of frustration and sadness as the singer continues to search for something that they can't seem to find.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "Why am I always chasing the rainbow?" which serves as a reminder of the singer's never-ending struggle. The use of the phrase "get it, get it" throughout the song adds to this sense of urgency and desperation.
Overall, "Chasing The Rainbow" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the human experience of searching for fulfillment and never quite finding it.
Line by Line Meaning
Sat here thinking about my heart
Sitting still in deep thought about my emotions
All of the places it came apart
Reflecting on all the times I've been emotionally hurt
There's just one thing that I need to know
There is one question I need answered
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Wondering why I am always seeking something that is impossible to attain
I ran through the meadow looking for a dream
I have pursued a dream with fervor and vitality
Truth is never like what it seems
The reality of a situation is never as good as I imagine it to be
I guess there's always so far to go
I feel like I still have a long way to go in my pursuits
Where is the light
Where is the hope
Where is the love
Where is the affection
Where are the dreams that I once had
I wonder where my past hopes and aspirations have gone
Frittered away
Lost or wasted
Gone in the time it takes to get from there to here
Lost in the passage of time
I'd draw you a picture cause it just might help
I would create a visual representation to aid understanding
To point out the place where we went so wrong
To show exactly where our mistakes were made
The only color I'd use is blue
I would use a color that represents sadness and regret
Why am I always chasing the rainbow
Reiterating the central question of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GERRY BECKLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind