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
Down to the Water
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crash on the shoreline
Salty water, don't you know
It's yours, yours and mine
So grab your girl
And don't go wastin' time
And let's go down to the water tonight
Dance in the sunlight
Purple fishes watch
And show you some of their delight
The weather's fine
And everything's all right
So let's go down to the water tonight
Let's go down to the water tonight
Come on down, come on down
Come on down, down to the water
Come on down, come on down
Come on down, down to the water
Down to the water
Island music
Sways with a palm tree
Friends of mine lay back
And talk of times that weren't so free
So let's have fun
And that means you and me
And let's go down to the water tonight
Let's go down to the water tonight
Down, down, down to the water
Down, down, down to the water
Down, down, down to the water
Down, down, down to the water
Down, down, down to the water
Down, down, down to the water...
The song "Down To The Water" by America was released in 1984 and is a tribute to the simple pleasures in life. The song's lyrics describe the beauty and tranquility of the beach and the ocean, and how it can help people forget their troubles and enjoy life. The chorus of the song encourages the listener to come down to the water and take part in the fun.
The first verse sets the scene, with the waves crashing on the shoreline and salty water that belongs to everyone. The lyrics encourage the listener to take advantage of the natural beauty around them and to grab their girl (or loved one) and not waste any time. The second verse paints a picture of white-capped clouds dancing in the sunlight and purple fishes swimming around. The lyrics imply that the weather is perfect and there's no reason not to go down to the water.
The bridge of the song takes a turn towards island music and friends reminiscing about times when life was simpler. The lyrics encourage the listener to have fun and to join in on the celebration, which is emphasized by the repetition of "Down, down, down to the water" in the chorus. Overall, "Down To The Water" is a celebration of the beauty of nature and the importance of taking time to enjoy life.
Line by Line Meaning
The waves come in
The ocean's waves are rolling onto the beach.
Crash on the shoreline
The waves are hitting the sand and making a loud noise.
Salty water, don't you know
The water is salty because it's from the ocean.
It's yours, yours and mine
The ocean belongs to everyone and we should all enjoy it.
So grab your girl
If you have a girlfriend, take her with you.
And don't go wastin' time
Don't waste time, let's go to the ocean now.
And let's go down to the water tonight
Let's go to the ocean at night and enjoy it.
White capped clouds
There are clouds in the sky with white tops.
Dance in the sunlight
The clouds are moving across the sky due to the sunlight.
Purple fishes watch
Fish in the water are staring up at us.
And show you some of their delight
The fish are happy that we are there to enjoy the ocean with them.
The weather's fine
The weather is perfect for going to the ocean.
And everything's all right
There are no problems right now, everything is good.
So let's go down to the water tonight
Let's go to the ocean tonight because everything is perfect for it.
Come on down, come on down
Encouragement to join in on the fun and go to the ocean.
Come on down, down to the water
Join us at the ocean, it's waiting for you.
Island music
Music with island vibes is playing.
Sways with a palm tree
The music is played near a palm tree and makes it sway.
Friends of mine lay back
My friends are relaxing and enjoying the moment.
And talk of times that weren't so free
My friends are reminiscing about a time when they didn't have as much freedom.
So let's have fun
Let's enjoy ourselves and have a good time.
And that means you and me
Everyone, including you and me, should join in on the fun.
Down, down, down to the water
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Down, down, down to the water
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Down, down, down to the water
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Down, down, down to the water
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Down, down, down to the water
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Down, down, down to the water...
Repetition of the chorus encouraging us to go to the ocean.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DEWEY BUNNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind