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
Hope
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a man marking the candle as it burns
Keeping track of every minute that remains
Still we hope somehow
It's gonna be alright
It's gonna turn out fine
Burning bright for everyone of us who's lost
More than faith more than a reason to go on
Rise on up knowing
You're gonna win the fight
It's gonna turn out fine
You gotta hope it'll be alright
Come on and hope it'll turn out fine
Yeah, hope it'll be alright, please
When the night turns to the deepest shade of black
At that point there is no reason to turn back
High above angels are falling from the sky
Lift your heart knowing
It's gonna be alright
It's gonna turn out fine
You gotta hope it'll be alright
Come on and hope it'll turn out fine
Yeah, hope it'll be alright, please
You gotta hope, ya gonna win the fight
Come on 'n hope with all your might
Yeah hope it's gonna be alright, please
Millions of people alone in the dark
Awaiting a moment of hope
Please
You gotta hope (Whenever times get tough) it'll be alright
Come on and hope (And when the road is rough) it'll turn out fine
Yeah, hope (Just when you've had enough) it'll be alright, please
You gotta hope (Whenever times get tough) you're gonna win the fight
Come on and hope (And when the road is rough) with all your might
Yeah, hope (Just when you've had enough) it's gonna be alright, please
You gotta hope (Whenever times get tough) it'll be alright
Come on and hope (And when the road is rough) it'll turn out fine
Yeah, hope (Just when you've had enough) it'll be alright, please
You gotta hope, you're gonna win the fight
The song "Hope" by America is a powerful message about the importance of never giving up hope. The opening lyrics refer to the constant ticking of time, with someone "marking the candle as it burns" and "keeping track of every minute that remains." Despite the seemingly unrelenting march of time, the lyrics suggest that there is still hope to be found. "Still we hope somehow, it's gonna be alright, it's gonna turn out fine."
The chorus repeats the message of hope, urging listeners to "hope it'll be alright, please" and to never give up in the face of adversity. The second verse introduces the idea of a "light shining beyond the southern cross," representing a beacon of hope for those who feel lost or alone. The lyrics encourage listeners to "rise on up knowing you're gonna win the fight" and to have faith that things will ultimately turn out for the best.
The bridge of the song brings a sense of urgency, with the lyrics urging listeners to hold onto hope even in the darkest moments. "When the night turns to the deepest shade of black, at that point there is no reason to turn back. High above angels are falling from the sky." Despite this bleak imagery, the chorus repeats with renewed conviction, urging listeners to keep hope alive no matter what: "You gotta hope, you're gonna win the fight."
Overall, "Hope" is a stirring anthem that emphasizes the importance of never losing hope. In a world where constant change and uncertainty can leave us feeling powerless, the song encourages listeners to keep hoping and never give up on their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a clock timing the world as it turns
The world is constantly moving forward, and time is always ticking away.
There's a man marking the candle as it burns
We are all aware that our time is limited and we all have a finite period to create change.
Keeping track of every minute that remains
We need to ensure we are using our time wisely and productively.
Still we hope somehow
Despite the challenges and difficulties we face, we hold on to hope.
It's gonna be alright
We believe everything will ultimately work out for the best.
It's gonna turn out fine
We refuse to give up on hope and hold on to a positive future outcome.
There's a light shining beyond the southern cross
There is a guiding hope or faith that goes beyond what we can see or perceive.
Burning bright for everyone of us who's lost
That hope or faith is available to those who are struggling or feeling lost.
More than faith more than a reason to go on
That hope or faith is more than just a belief, but rather it is a driving force that leads us forward.
Rise on up knowing
We are encouraged to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward.
You're gonna win the fight
We are reminded that we have the strength and ability to overcome our challenges.
You gotta hope it'll be alright
We need to actively cultivate and hold on to hope.
Come on and hope it'll turn out fine
We encourage ourselves and others to keep hope alive and believe in a positive future.
When the night turns to the deepest shade of black
At the darkest moments in our lives, we may feel lost and alone.
At that point there is no reason to turn back
We must push through our hardships and not give up on hope.
High above angels are falling from the sky
Even when we feel like all hope is lost, there are still unseen forces that are working towards our good.
Lift your heart knowing
We are encouraged to keep a positive attitude and outlook.
Millions of people alone in the dark
Many people struggle with feelings of loneliness, isolation, and hopelessness in their lives.
Awaiting a moment of hope
Despite that struggle, people still hold on to the possibility of a better future.
You gotta hope (Whenever times get tough) it'll be alright
We are reminded to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.
Come on and hope (And when the road is rough) it'll turn out fine
We are encouraged to share hope with others and believe in a better outcome for all.
Yeah, hope (Just when you've had enough) it'll be alright, please
We ask for hope even when we've reached our lowest points and can no longer see a way forward.
You gotta hope, you're gonna win the fight
We must believe in ourselves and our ability to overcome our struggles and hardships.
Come on and hope (And when the road is rough) with all your might
We must hold on to hope with all of our strength and determination.
Yeah, hope (Just when you've had enough) it's gonna be alright, please
We ask for hope and the reassurance that everything will ultimately work out for the best.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rick Peuser
I love his voice!!!! Love America! God Bless Dan Peek...
Rick Stack
Absolutely beautiful song by these two immensely talented men, America. Noone makes music like these two, together they are an unbeatable team. This song always picks me back up when im feeling down and like crap. God bless these two talented guys from a huge Australian fan.
Mike Lewis SELA
💯
Bill McGuire
It's a very good album....and true very much underrated....true America fans would LOVE this album.
Wilcey Whatweekindo
Yeah it is the original. Gerry Beckley wrote that one. So it's all America! Others have covered it, but this one is it. Nice job by the worlds greatest lead guitarist Michael Woods! He makes them sound so good.
john doe
This band never fails to amaze me pure magic .
Cristinact
To many this was an "underrated" album, but definitely not for me!!
Kath Estur
I love these two 😍❤️
Susan Hynes
Love this
Victor Martinez
Buena musica felicidades