American Life In The Summertime
Francis Dunnery Lyrics

You know I just had to get outta Los Angeles man...
Johnny, the singer of the song, left his hometown to go to Los Angeles to make a name for himself in the music industry, but found himself trapped in the superficial and materialistic lifestyle of LA. He realizes that he needs to get out and find genuine meaning in his life.

Johnny left home, to seek his fame.
Johnny left his hometown to pursue his dreams of making music and becoming a star.

Small town boy, the streets of L.A.
Johnny was a young, inexperienced musician from a small town, hoping to make it big in the big city of Los Angeles.

A day-time waiter, in a night-time band.
Johnny worked as a waiter during the day, while playing in a band at night to try and make it in the music industry.

Acting cool, said he was a real man.
Despite his insecurities and doubts about his own ability to succeed, Johnny puts on a front of confidence and tries to convince others that he's a real man with a real chance of making it in the music industry.

Couldn't write a song, to save his soul.
Despite his aspirations to become a successful musician, Johnny lacks the creativity and songwriting talent to write a memorable song that could propel him to success.

Ripped off an old tune, said it was his own.
Out of desperation, Johnny plagiarises an old song and claims it as his own in the hopes of impressing the music industry executives he's trying to win over.

Lo and behold, in another few days.
To his surprise, Johnny soon lands a high-paying gig and the attention of the music industry executives he's been trying to impress by using the plagiarized song.

Five-Star-Dinner, that the company pays.
Johnny's success leads to a lavish lifestyle that's paid for by the company he's now signed with. He receives rewards such as high-end dinners and extravagant experiences.

Johnny got a motor, Johnny got a guitar.
Johnny's success lets him purchase new gear, including a motorbike and a new guitar.

Johnny got a room, and a woman to pay.
Johnny's success also attracts a woman who's interested in being with him, but he must support her financially.

Johnny got a big part, playing in a video.
Johnny lands a big role playing in a music video, which helps to propel him to further success.

Johnny on the freeway...
Johnny becomes a symbol of the superficial and materialistic lifestyle of LA and its obsession with image and success, represented by his glamorous and high-speed life on the freeway.

Suzie got a rise, at work today.
Suzie, a character in the song, receives a promotion at her job.

She found the new sound, 'Johnny On The Freeway'.
Suzie discovers the popular song that Johnny created and is immediately impressed by it.

Virginity blown, the minimum age.
Suzie loses her virginity and becomes involved in the high life and fast living of the LA music industry at a young age.

Busy doing nothing, on another mans wages.
Despite the apparent excitement and glamour of her job, Suzie feels unfulfilled and realizes that she's essentially making a living doing nothing of value, living off of the wages of others.

Blonde hair, and mystic eyes.
Suzie is a beautiful woman, with striking blonde hair and mesmerizing eyes.

A bottle of pills, and a little on the wild side.
Suzie begins to experiment with different drugs and goes through a wild phase, trying to find meaning and excitement in her life.

Saturday come, and Saturday go.
Weekends of debauchery blend into one another for Suzie and the other characters in the song, becoming a blur of parties and excess that ultimately leave them feeling empty.

Hangin' out backstage, waiting for the show.
Despite the facade of glamour and success, many of the characters in the song are hanging out backstage, waiting for their moment in the spotlight, hoping that one day they'll truly 'make it'.

A company girl, and company slave.
Suzie, like many others in the LA music industry, becomes a company girl, performing and behaving how the company executives want her to, becoming a slave to their whims and desires.

It breaks my heart, to see a nation cloned, by someone else's poetry.
The song takes a critical view of the way that the LA music industry, and America as a whole, is becoming more and more homogenous and lacking in genuine creativity, instead copying other people's poetry and ideas to create similar sounding music.

They got their backs snapped, by 12 inch pressure, of financial bigotry.
The music industry and the capitalist society it operates under can be cruel and unforgiving, forcing artists to bend to its will in order to make any kind of a living, like solidifying their deal with the devil.

You know I've still got pride, in who I wanna be.
Despite the song's criticisms of the music industry and American society, the artist still has pride in who they are and refuse to compromise their principles for the sake of fitting into popular culture.

I don't wanna be like them, I just wanna be me.
The artist expresses their desire to remain true to themselves and not become another conformist in the music industry and American society.

A record company clone?
The artist questions whether they should conform to the expectations of the music industry and become just another record company clone or be true to one's self.

Not me!
The artist answers their own question: they will not compromise their authenticity for anyone.

I'm still singin'.
The artist affirms their dedication to their craft and their willingness to keep doing what they're doing, regardless of what the music industry and society at large tries to force them to do.