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
Ride On
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once more follow the trail
Long gone into the setting sun
Ride on you must not fail
Speak out carry the message forth
Make time use every day
Reach out to every shining star
And if your journey should end in the promised land
Make sure to speak with a voice loud and true
Shalalalala shalalalala shalalalala
Ride on
Ride on into the driving rain
Once more seek out the fire
Reach out to every shining star
Ride on you must not tire
And if your journey should end will you understand
What you have learned and what you've been through
Shalalalala shalalalala shalalalala
Shalalalala shalalalala shalalalala
Ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on
The lyrics of America’s song “Ride On” is a call to push through the challenges of life and keep moving forward. The first two stanzas speak of facing adversity, of riding on through the driving rain and setting sun, and of carrying forward a message to every star. The second stanza reiterates this message, but with a focus on not tiring out or faltering in the face of difficulties.
The third and final stanza of the song brings a slight shift in tone. It speaks of the possibility of the journey coming to an end in “the promised land,” a place that is generally regarded as a metaphor for heaven or a place of peace and contentment. The last lines encourage the listener to speak out with a “voice loud and true” and to continue their ride on through whatever trials and tribulations they may experience.
Overall, the song’s lyrics are a powerful message about the necessity of perseverance and determination in life. It encourages the listener to keep moving forward even when things get tough and to never give up on their dreams and ambitions.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride on into the driving rain
Continue with your journey despite facing difficulties and challenges
Once more follow the trail
Keep moving forward and don't give up
Long gone into the setting sun
The past is over, leave it behind and focus on the present and future
Ride on you must not fail
Keep pushing towards your goals and overcome obstacles
Speak out carry the message forth
Use your voice to promote positive change and spread your message
Make time use every day
Use every moment to make progress and achieve your goals
Reach out to every shining star
Forge connections and seek out opportunities
Ride on follow the way
Persist in your journey and stay true to your values
And if your journey should end in the promised land
If you achieve your goals, don't forget to reflect on your journey and be grateful
Make sure to speak with a voice loud and true
Don't be afraid to share your success and inspire others
Shalalalala shalalalala shalalalala
Vocalization reflecting the joy and energy of the journey
Once more seek out the fire
Continue to pursue passion and ambition
Ride on you must not tire
Keep going and don't give up, even when you feel tired
And if your journey should end will you understand
Reflect on your experiences and learn from them, in case you don't achieve your goals
What you have learned and what you've been through
Reflect on both successes and failures to gain deeper understanding of personal growth
Ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on, ride on
Repeated vocalizations symbolizing the need to continue on the journey
Contributed by Ruby S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.