Grand Funk drummer Don Brewer explained in an interview with Songfacts, tha… Read Full Bio ↴Grand Funk drummer Don Brewer explained in an interview with Songfacts, that the lyrics are about little things that were going on on the road during the band's tour for their Phoenix album.

We're An American Band
Grand Funk Railroad Lyrics

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Out on the road for forty days
Last night in Little Rock put me in a haze
Sweet, sweet Connie, doin' her act
She had the whole show and that's a natural fact
Up all night with Freddie King
I got to tell you, poker's his thing
Booze and ladies, keep me right
As long as we can make it to the show tonight

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band

Four young chiquitas in Omaha
Waitin' for the band to return from the show
Feelin' good, feelin' right, it's Saturday night
The hotel detective, he was outta sight
Now these fine ladies, they had a plan
They was out to meet the boys in the band
They said, "Come on dudes, let's get it on"
And we proceeded to tear that hotel down

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down

We're an American band

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band

We're an American band, woo
We're an American band, woo
We're an American band, woo

Overall Meaning

The song "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad is an ode to the life of a touring rock band. The lyrics describe the band's experiences on the road and their interactions with their fans. The opening verse sets the scene of the band being on tour for 40 days and the lead singer being in a haze after a night with a woman named Connie, who had "the whole show." The second verse describes four women waiting for the band to return from a show in Omaha, feeling good and ready to party. The women invite the band to come back to their hotel and "tear that hotel down."

Overall, the song is a celebration of American rock culture and the wild lifestyle that often accompanies it. The repeated chorus of "We're an American band" reinforces the idea that the band is a quintessential part of American music culture and is proud to represent it. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics make it a classic rock anthem that continues to be played on the radio and at sporting events.

Line by Line Meaning

Out on the road for forty days
We've been on tour for forty days

Last night in Little Rock put me in a haze
I got really drunk last night in Little Rock

Sweet, sweet Connie, doin' her act
Connie put on a great performance

She had the whole show and that's a natural fact
Connie was the star of the show

Up all night with Freddie King
I stayed up all night with Freddie King

I got to tell you, poker's his thing
Freddie King loves playing poker

Booze and ladies, keep me right
Drinking and women keep me happy and entertained

As long as we can make it to the show tonight
As long as we can get to the concert tonight

Four young chiquitas in Omaha
There were four young women in Omaha

Waitin' for the band to return from the show
They were waiting for us to come back from the concert

Feelin' good, feelin' right, it's Saturday night
We're feeling good and it's Saturday night