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
You
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How'd you ever get so cool
Your mother must have kept you out of school
You never learned the golden rule
You think you've got a reputation
You had a smile on your face too soon
Too bad you never learned the tune
You had a smile on your face too soon
Too bad you never learned the tune
Without me, who loves you now
Go to who loves you now
And tell 'em you're sorry
Don't need eyes to see you
No one else can tell you how
We were so close to you
There was not anything we wouldn't do
For you
Nobody loves you now
Nobody loves you now
Nobody loves you now
Nobody loves you now
The song "You" by America explores the idea of shattered relationships and the feeling of being detached from somebody who used to be close. The opening line, "How'd you ever get so cool," is a biting remark about how the subject of the song has become detached and indifferent towards others. It is followed by an accusation that their mother must have kept them away from school, suggesting a lack of education or empathy. The next line, "You never learned the golden rule," furthers this message and indicates that they have little regard for others.
The song circles back to the chorus, where the singer comments on how the subject of the song has lost the people that used to care for them, evidenced by the line, "without me, who loves you now." The next stanza continues in this theme, encouraging the subject to go to those who still care for them and ask for forgiveness. The final lines echo the sadness and emptiness of the situation, repeating the refrain "nobody loves you now." The song ultimately suggests that being "cool" and detached from others can lead to isolation and the loss of meaningful relationships, leaving one alone and unloved.
Line by Line Meaning
How'd you ever get so cool
You are so cool that it's hard to believe how you managed to be this way.
Your mother must have kept you out of school
Your coolness may have come from being aloof and detached from the conventional values taught in schools.
You never learned the golden rule
You are not bound by the traditional social obligations and customs that most people follow.
You think you've got a reputation
You presume that people regard you in a certain way, but it's not necessarily true.
You had a smile on your face too soon
You were too happy too soon, without realizing that things can quickly change.
Too bad you never learned the tune
It's a pity that you didn't pick up on the right rhythm or flow of events, leading you to where you are now.
Without me, who loves you now
You depended on me for love and support, but now that I'm gone, you may feel unloved or unwanted.
Go to who loves you now
You should reach out to the people who truly care about you and value your company.
And tell 'em you're sorry
You may need to express regret for your past actions or behavior that might have hurt them.
Don't need eyes to see you
You may try to hide your pain, but those who care about you can see right through you.
No one else can tell you how
Only those who truly know you can offer guidance or understanding about your situation and how to move forward.
We were so close to you
We used to be so supportive of you and wanted the best for you.
There was not anything we wouldn't do
We were ready to go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals or overcome your hardships.
For you
We did it all for you because we cared about you deeply.
Nobody loves you now
You might feel alone, but it's not entirely accurate. Other people still care about you and want to help.
Nobody loves you now
You may have lost some support or affection, but it doesn't mean that you're unlovable or unworthy of love.
Nobody loves you now
There might be a lack of love in your life, but it's not permanent, and you have to work to find it and cultivate it.
Nobody loves you now
The absence of love doesn't mean that you're alone or unimportant. You have to seek and appreciate love, but you're not hopeless.
Contributed by Carson N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@angelliotta9857
This man is everything to anyone who's been through some shit. His voice is contagious
@yelawolfwayne7157
Hello super fan ❤
Nice meeting you Fan Thanks for supporting my Dream and Career May God Almighty continue to bless you always
@yelawolfwayne7157
Thank you for being a great fan and supporting my dreams and career.May God continue to bless you more
@yelawolfwayne7157
How long have you been listening to my music and supporting my dreams ❤️
@angelliotta9857
@Yelawolf wayne 10 years long.
@yelawolfwayne7157
@Angel Liotta Thanks for being a great fan so far ❤️
@user-cg5jf8tx8b
It's my favorite song! I'm born in Kazakhstan and almost 30 year live in Russia (Siberia, Irkutsk, Kèningsberg, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Krasnodar...)
but I'm belive - I'm Slumerican!
God bless Yelawolf 🙌 thanks man for music from your soul
@shane-o4778
Yelawolfs always been a superbly underrated artist. Mixing country and rap in an authentic sound that is his own.
@LexyThomas134
His own, but he said Eminem wrote most of this himself and produced it haha
@christopherjohnchadwick9104
He's better than Eminem he's so overrated