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
Donkey Jaw
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quit ravishing the land
Does it take the children
To make you understand?
Ah, all across the nation
People don't understand
Does it take the children
Then, get behind me Satan
Quit ravishing the land
Does it take the children
To make you understand?
Does it take the children
To make a better land?
In "Donkey Jaw," America speaks to Satan as if commanding him to leave. This song seems to be a plea for the end of destruction and violence brought about by Satan. The lyrics suggest that Satan's presence is ravishing the land, and it takes innocent children to make people understand the consequences of evil actions. The song implies that we need to focus on creating a better future, and children are the key to making it happen.
The theme of the song is quite powerful, and the lyrics have a universal message that resonates with everyone. The use of the phrase "get behind me Satan" is a reference to when Jesus said the same thing to Satan in the Bible. The song is a call for everyone to stand tall and fight the evil that is destroying the earth. The words "Does it take the children to make a better land?" are repeated twice and emphasize the importance of caring for and educating our youth, so they can create a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, get behind me Satan
I am calling on evil forces to leave me alone.
Quit ravishing the land
Stop causing destruction and devastation to our environment.
Does it take the children
Are the youth the only ones who can see the problems we're facing?
To make you understand?
Do adults need to listen to the concerns and wisdom of young people in order to realize the gravity of the situation?
Ah, all across the nation
This issue is prevalent and affecting people everywhere.
People don't understand
Many individuals are unaware or not fully educated on the issues at hand.
Does it take the children
Is it only the younger generation who can comprehend the gravity of the situation?
To make a better land?
Can the insights and actions of young people lead us to a brighter future?
Then, get behind me Satan
I am reaffirming my request for evil forces to leave me alone.
Quit ravishing the land
I am continuing to call for an end to destructive actions towards our environment.
Does it take the children
I am posing the question again, emphasizing the importance of the youth in creating positive change.
To make you understand?
I am restating the idea that we need to listen to younger voices in order to truly comprehend the situation and take action.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL M. PEEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind