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
Don't Cry Baby
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I wonder if you know I'm there
Awake in the morning a smile on your face
The same old feeling that I just can't place
And you say don't cry, baby
You know I'll always be the one who cares
Don't cry, baby
A man came in with a violin
He played for me like I've never been
Courted before and forevermore
As the bow touched the strings
He made the whole world sing
Don't cry, baby (Baby, don't you cry)
You know there'll always be someone who cares
Don't cry, baby (Baby, don't you cry)
Come closer let me wipe away your tears
I know I've been wrong
You've had to be strong
I guess I belong to you, my baby (Baby, don't you cry)
You know I'll always be the one who cares
Don't cry baby (Baby, don't you cry)
Come closer let me wipe away your tears
The sound of your voice singing songs in the night
Have taken me far away and mystified
The songs of the lovers brought tears to my eyes
The words that you'd spoken made me realize
The lyrics of the song "Don't Cry Baby" by America depicts a man who is in love with a woman and desperately wants her to reciprocate his feelings towards her. The man admires her beauty, and even though he is always around her, he wonders if she knows he exists. The woman wakes up every morning with a smile on her face, but the man still can't figure out what kind of feelings she has for him. The chorus of the song tries to reassure the woman that he will always be there for her, and nothing can make him leave her. The man realizes he has made mistakes in the past that have hurt the woman, and she had to be strong. He confesses that he belongs to her and promises to wipe away her tears forever.
The song's verses and chorus carry a message of love, affection, and trust. The man in the lyrics tries to comfort the woman he loves by telling her not to cry and that he will always be there for her. The lyrics also convey a message about the power of music and how it can make the world sing, pull people together, and express emotions that words cannot. The song is a classic love ballad, and the vocal harmonies deliver the emotional content of the lyrics effectively.
Line by Line Meaning
Starlight falling through your hair
I see the beauty in you and it surrounds you like stars in the sky
Sometimes I wonder if you know I'm there
I wonder if you truly see me and feel my presence in your life
Awake in the morning a smile on your face
You always seem happy in the morning, but I can't quite understand why
The same old feeling that I just can't place
I have a familiar feeling when I'm with you, but I can't figure out what it is
And you say don't cry, baby
You comfort me and tell me not to worry
You know I'll always be the one who cares
You assure me that you will always be there to support me and love me
Come closer let me wipe away your tears
You offer me comfort and want to take away my pain
A man came in with a violin
A talented musician arrived in the scene
He played for me like I've never been
His music touched me in a way that was completely new and different
Courted before and forevermore
The music felt like a romantic courtship that would last a lifetime
As the bow touched the strings
The musician's skillful playing made my heartstrings vibrate with emotion
He made the whole world sing
The music was so beautiful that it seemed to inspire everyone to sing along
I know I've been wrong
I admit that I've made mistakes
You've had to be strong
You've had to deal with the consequences of my mistakes and be resilient
I guess I belong to you, my baby
I realize that I have a place in your life as your partner
The sound of your voice singing songs in the night
The sound of your voice singing at night brings me comfort and joy
Have taken me far away and mystified
Your singing has a powerful effect on me, taking me to another place and filling me with wonder
The songs of the lovers brought tears to my eyes
The romantic music reminds me of our love and moves me to tears
The words that you'd spoken made me realize
Your words have a profound impact on me and help me understand things in a new way
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL MILTON PEEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind