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
Seasons
America Lyrics
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And then came the morning
Bright coral branches that pass you again
Down from the meadow and onto the seashore
Came the vast checkerboard kingdom of men
Sun radiates gold infrarays
Time to prepare for the fall
Soon we will hear winter call
Ice on the pond, won't stay too long
Too thin to walk it today
Ice on the pond, something went wrong
Frost must be lost on the way
Evening is falling
The tree is a silhouette
As seen by the teddy bear
Watching his den
Spring came so quickly
That I did not see her
Just turn around
And she's coming again
Wind chimes along, rising at dawn
Seasons in circles too match
Each comes along, singing his song
Burying thoughts of the past
The song "Seasons" by America is a beautifully crafted piece that offers a poetic description of the ever-changing seasons. The verses are woven around the metaphorical journey of the seasons and the cyclical nature of life and death, growth and decay that unfolds with every passing year. The song begins with a description of winter passing in the mist of morning and giving way to the spring. The lyrics create vivid imagery of coral branches shining in the sun, meadows giving way to seashores, and checkerboard kingdoms being created.
The song then moves into the theme of renewal, where the time of harvest is upon the land, and nature prepares for the fall. The lyrics here are crafted beautifully, with references to "radiating gold infrarays," reminding us of the warmth of the sun, and "watching for the storm," which speaks of the coming change. The metaphor of ice on the pond is used as a symbol of vulnerability, where we are reminded that the shifting seasons require us to be alert to the changes that are coming. As the evening falls, the tree is shown as an elegant silhouette, a symbol of life as it reaches towards the sky, but knowing that its time will come to an end.
The song then shifts again to spring, a season that comes and goes so quickly that it often feels like a dream. The wind chimes are used as a beautiful metaphor here, reminding us that the seasons rise and fall in circles too beautiful to match. In the end, each season comes along singing its own song, and we are reminded to bury the thoughts of the past and embrace the new life that is coming.
Line by Line Meaning
First came the winter
The beginning of a new era or season.
And then came the morning
After the dark comes a new beginning, brighter and more hopeful.
Bright coral branches that pass you again
The beauty of nature repeating itself.
Down from the meadow and onto the seashore
Nature's journey and transition from one place to another.
Came the vast checkerboard kingdom of men
Humanity's arrival and impact on nature.
Sun radiates gold infrarays
The warmth and light of the sun spreading on earth.
Time to prepare for the fall
The season of harvest and preparation for the next season.
Harvest the corn, watch for the storm
The hard work and potential risks involved in preparing for the future.
Soon we will hear winter call
The transition and arrival of a new season.
Ice on the pond, won't stay too long
The temporary nature of the natural phenomena and the need to enjoy them while they last.
Too thin to walk it today
Being mindful and cautious of what we do around nature.
Ice on the pond, something went wrong
The imperfections and unpredictability of nature.
Frost must be lost on the way
A reminder that things don't always go as planned or expected.
Evening is falling
The end of a cycle or day.
The tree is a silhouette
The beauty of nature's shape and form.
As seen by the teddy bear
The perspective of different creatures and how they experience nature.
Watching his den
The attachment and care different creatures have for their surrounding environment.
Spring came so quickly
The speed at which time passes and seasons change.
That I did not see her
The fleeting nature of things that we take for granted.
Just turn around
The importance of paying attention and being present in the moment.
And she's coming again
The cyclical and repetitive nature of life and nature.
Wind chimes along, rising at dawn
The sounds and rhythms of nature.
Seasons in circles too match
The cyclical and connected nature of the seasons.
Each comes along, singing his song
Different seasons and their unique characteristics and contributions to nature.
Burying thoughts of the past
Nature's tendency to move on and look towards the future, leaving behind the past.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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