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
Tomorrow
America Lyrics
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(Tomorrow) Your tear-filled eyes will dry
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll come to you and then
You will forget I made you cry
(Tomorrow) Your broken heart will mend
(Tomorrow) He'll kiss your tears goodbye
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll take you by the hand
I know I'm leaving you with a broken heart
But time will heal the wounds; you'll make a brand-new start
(Tomorrow) You'll wake up with the sun
(Tomorrow) You'll see a brand-new sky
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll hold you in his arms
And you will forget I made you cry
(Tomorrow)
The lyrics to America's song Tomorrow are full of hope as the singer reassures someone that they will eventually find love again. Despite the pain and heartache currently being experienced, tomorrow brings the possibility of healing and new beginnings. The repetition of "tomorrow" emphasizes the idea that even though things may seem bleak now, there is always the hope of a brighter future.
The verses describe how tomorrow brings the promise of forgetting about the past, as someone new enters the picture to mend a broken heart. The singer acknowledges that they are leaving with a broken heart but believes time will eventually heal the wounds. The final verse describes waking up to a new day with a brand-new sky, which symbolizes the hope for a fresh start. The song ends on a positive note, with the singer in someone else's arms and forgetting about the one who made them cry.
Overall, the song Tomorrow is about finding hope and healing after heartbreak. It emphasizes the idea that time is a great healer and that there is always the possibility of starting over.
Line by Line Meaning
(Tomorrow) You will love again
In the future, you will be capable of loving someone else.
(Tomorrow) Your tear-filled eyes will dry
In the future, you will stop crying and find happiness.
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll come to you and then
In the future, someone new will arrive in your life.
You will forget I made you cry
You will forget the pain I caused you in the past.
(Tomorrow) Your broken heart will mend
In the future, your heart will heal and you will feel whole again.
He'll kiss your tears goodbye
Your new love will comfort you and replace your tears with smiles.
He'll take you by the hand
Your new love will lead you towards a brighter future.
And you will forget I made you cry
Your new love will help you forget the pain I caused in the past.
I know I'm leaving you with a broken heart
I am aware that I am hurting you deeply as I leave.
But time will heal the wounds; you'll make a brand-new start
With time, your emotional pain will lessen and you can begin again.
(Tomorrow) You'll wake up with the sun
In the future, you will face each day with renewed hope and optimism.
(Tomorrow) You'll see a brand-new sky
The future holds new possibilities and a fresh outlook for you.
He'll hold you in his arms
Your new love will give you comfort and security.
And you will forget I made you cry
Your new love will make you forget the hurt you experienced in the past.
(Tomorrow)
The future holds hope and new beginnings for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jay Jay Johansson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind