Born in 1970 and raised in Kitchener, Ontario , he began his professional career playing with the Rhinos before beginning a solo career. In the late 1990s, he moved to Ottawa, where he developed a loyal following with a weekly show at the Manx Pub on Elgin St. In his live shows, he often uses looped live samples of his guitar and other instruments to create a richly layered solo performance. While at the Manx he often entertained with cover versions of songs by some of his favourite artists, including David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and the Rheostatics. At the same time, he began to amass an extensive repertoire of original tunes, and briefly joined local power-pop band Starling.
As a songwriter, he has released six albums, including an album devoted to covers David Bowie songs. His albums have often been recorded in a home-studio with him performing most, if not all, instruments. He is a talented guitarist who is universally lauded for his lyrics, having been compared to Elvis Costello and received accolades from renowned Canadian author Timothy Findley.
In 2004, Danny was nominated for Best New Artist at the Juno Awards following the release of his album "Tales from the Invisible Man" the previous year. The award went to Michael Bublé.
Young Americans
Danny Michel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He lays her down, he frowns
Gee, my life's a funny thing
Am I still too young?
He kissed her then and there
She took his ring, took his babies
It took him minutes, it took her nowhere
And all night
She was a young American
Young American, young American
She was a young American
All night
She was a young American
Scanning life through the picture window
She finds a slinky vagabond
He coughs as he passes her Ford Mustang
Heaven forbid, she'd have take anything
But the freak and his type offer nothing
Misses a step and cuts his hand
Showing nothing, he swoops like a song
She cries, "Where have all Papa's heroes gone?"
All night
She was a young American
All the way from Washington
Her breadwinner begs on the bathroom floor
Live for just these twenty years
Do we have to die for the fifty more?
All night
She was a young American
Young American, young American
She was a young American
Alright
She was a young American
Do you remember your President Nixon?
Do you remember all the bills you had to pay
For even yesterday?
Have you been the un-American?
Just you and your idol sing falsetto
Leather, leather everywhere
And not a myth left from the ghetto
Well, well, well, you carry a razor
Just in case of a case of depression
Sit on your hands on the buses of life
Laughing at all them apple sheeners
Ain't that close to love?
Ain't that poster love?
That ain't no Barbie doll
Her heart's been broken just like you all
And all night
She was a young American
Young American, young American
She was a young American
Alright
She was a young American
You ain't a pimp, and you ain't a hustler
The pimp's got a Caddy, and the lady's got a Chrysler
And black's got respect, and white's got his soul train
Mama's got cramps, baby, look at your hand shake
I read the news today, oh boy
We got a suite, and you got the feeeling
Ain't there a man who could say "no more"?
Ain't there no woman I could sock on the jaw?
Ain't there a child I could hold without judging?
Ain't there a pen that will write before they die?
Ain't you proud that you've still got faces?
There ain't no one damn song
That can make me break down and cry
All night
She was a young American
Young American, young American
She was a young American
All night
She was a young American
The song "Young Americans" by Danny Michel is a reflection on the contradictory nature of life in America. The lyrics describe the experiences of a young woman who is longing for something more in her life, but is stuck in a world that is full of contradictions and disillusionment. The opening lines set the stage for this theme - "They pulled in just behind the fridge, he lays her down, he frowns, Gee, my life's a funny thing, Am I still too young?" These lines suggest a sense of confusion and uncertainty about the direction of the singer's life.
Throughout the song, there are references to a variety of societal issues and cultural icons. For example, the lines "Do you remember your President Nixon? Do you remember all the bills you had to pay, For even yesterday?" suggest a level of political disillusionment and economic uncertainty. The singer also encounters a variety of individuals who represent different aspects of society - the slinky vagabond, the freak, and the leather-clad rebel. All of these references serve to highlight the complexity and contradictions of American society.
Ultimately, the song suggests that despite all of these challenges and contradictions, there is still hope for a better future. The closing lines of the song - "Ain't you proud that you've still got faces? There ain't no one damn song, That can make me break down and cry, All night, She was a young American, Young American, young American, She was a young American, All night, She was a young American" - suggest a sense of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Despite the difficulties of life in America, the singer is able to find some measure of hope and optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
They pulled in just behind the fridge
The couple snuck off to a discreet location
He lays her down, he frowns
The man is hesitant about being intimate with the woman
Gee, my life's a funny thing
The woman is contemplating and reflecting on her life
Am I still too young?
The woman is questioning whether she is mature enough for the situation
He kissed her then and there
The man and woman shared a public display of affection
She took his ring, took his babies
The woman took the man's possessions without hesitation
It took him minutes, it took her nowhere
The man gave in easily to the woman's demands
Heaven knows, she'd have taken anything
The woman's greed has no limits
And all night
Their experience lasted for the entire night
She was a young American
The woman represents American youth and culture
Scanning life through the picture window
The woman is observing life from a detached perspective
She finds a slinky vagabond
The woman encounters a seductive, wandering stranger
He coughs as he passes her Ford Mustang
The stranger has a physical reaction to the woman's car
Heaven forbid, she'd have take anything
The woman is seeking excitement and will do anything to find it
But the freak and his type offer nothing
The stranger and his kind bring no value to the woman's life
Misses a step and cuts his hand
The stranger makes a mistake and injures himself
Showing nothing, he swoops like a song
The stranger continues to seduce the woman despite his injury
She cries, 'Where have all Papa's heroes gone?'
The woman seeks strong and admirable male figures
All the way from Washington
The woman has traveled far from her home
Her breadwinner begs on the bathroom floor
The woman's provider and supporter is struggling financially and emotionally
Live for just these twenty years
The woman is acknowledging her youthful age and limited time
Do we have to die for the fifty more?
The woman questions the purpose and length of life
Do you remember your President Nixon?
The song references a historical figure
Do you remember all the bills you had to pay?
The song references financial struggles
For even yesterday?
The past is not as distant as it seems
Have you been the un-American?
The singer questions whether the listener lacks patriotism
Just you and your idol sing falsetto
The singer mocks the listener and their unrealistic aspirations
Leather, leather everywhere
The song references fashion trends
And not a myth left from the ghetto
The song mourns the loss of historical, urban legends
Well, well, well, you carry a razor
The song accuses the listener of violence and aggression
Just in case of a case of depression
The song cites mental health as a possible motive for violence
Sit on your hands on the buses of life
The song implies the listener is not an active participant in life
Laughing at all them apple sheeners
The song mocks those who try too hard to fit in
Ain't that close to love?
The song questions whether such behavior is loving
Ain't that poster love?
The song critiques popular notions of romance and love
That ain't no Barbie doll
The song suggests the woman is unique and not a superficial stereotype
Her heart's been broken just like you all
The song empathizes with the woman's emotional struggles
You ain't a pimp, and you ain't a hustler
The song rejects false notions of masculinity
The pimp's got a Caddy, and the lady's got a Chrysler
The song criticizes the roles of men and women in society
And black's got respect, and white's got his soul train
The song addresses racial divisions and inequality
Mama's got cramps, baby, look at your hand shake
The song references gender roles and expectations
I read the news today, oh boy
The song references current events and news media
We got a suite, and you got the feeling
The song references a luxurious and indulgent lifestyle
Ain't there a man who could say 'no more'?
The song questions whether anyone will speak out against societal issues
Ain't there no woman I could sock on the jaw?
The song references the limited options for women during this time period
Ain't there a child I could hold without judging?
The song references the innocence and purity of children
Ain't there a pen that will write before they die?
The song seeks a meaningful means of artistic expression
Ain't you proud that you've still got faces?
The song reminds the listener of their own identity and uniqueness
There ain't no one damn song
The song argues that no single piece of art can capture the complexity of human emotion
That can make me break down and cry
The song challenges the listener to find art that can emotionally move them
Contributed by David Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
timothy boles
Love this guy. Remember him from K/W ontario in his early days, real early days. I recall a kind quiet kid who came into the record store looking through the albums . We used to promote his local shows and sold his demos and such. What a treat to find this after 20 years plus. Warms my heart. Awesome Danny Awesome.
tammas2000
Well done guy. That's a genuinely worthy cover of the most underrated Bowie song and your take is superb.
Michael Kohlmaier
I remember seeing Danny play at our high school concert. He might have been 15 or 16 years old and was already freakishly talented. That was the first time I saw someone so connected to the music. Amazing to hear he's never lost that.
This song's a gem.
Rob Mabee
How awesome is this song, by this artist!!!!! Love it!!!!
blocSonic
Really a fantastic cover!
Frank Onuska
A wonderful acoustic version of a iconic song
rayray
Nicely done. Just enough backup vocals, not overdone as in so many covers. You made this song your own, which is not easy with a classic songs originally done by a classic artist. Be proud my man.
nightfly222
Excellent Bowie cover, I thoroughly enjoyed it
Peter Jackson
Love this version
Kevin Clepps
great musical performance!