Only In America
Jay & The Americans Lyrics

@williamsnyder5616

@@Northlanderm Why? He was never "a guy without a cent."

@yesican2012

​@@williamsnyder5616

It's a reminder to all the US citizens that have forgotten what made America so great. Anything was/is possible in the United States of America.

@jamesriendeau128

National Anthem right there. Anyone can be anything in America. May God bless her forever 🙏

@RamonRodriguez-hq7vn

If we survive this era.

@roberttobiasen4989

R.I.P. Jay. Your music & voice will live on!

@gailklein9020

This song expresses the American Dream.

@patrickryan1515

R.I.P., Jay (October, 2021). Loved so many of your songs. What a voice!

@dianehill3279

Rest in Peace, Jay Black. Thanks for all the great music!

@boblynch7348

These guys knew what it was to be American. God bless them!

@ElizabethBrewster-cw4mx

Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉 THE most jingoistic comment in an election year. Effing amazing accomplishment!!

@lohmei3913

Ditto

@jsbach15

Awesome song. Jay Black's voice is one of the greatest in American pop music! 10+ stars!

@charleslewis4493

I remember singing this song in elementary school 3rd or 4th grade. It's true, the American Dream is still possible! Only in America!

@marefisher6462

Even as a child I always loved the Latin tone of the music

@deborahgeyer9589

I was 10 years old with my whole bright future ahead of me! We were Americans and there was
Nothing we Couldn’t do. G-d, I loved this song. We were looked Up to and Respected around the world-(even envied). President Kennedy told us we could do Anything-even go to the Stars!

@GGE47

Today is definitely not the same America I grew up in.We didn't lock our doors and nobody came into our house.The government did not have a Federal agency for every facet of life in our lives.The economy was sound and we still had silver coins minted.Drugs were not a problem and sex wasn't thrown at us from every direction, especially at such a young age like today.I did like this song a lot and wish it had gone higher.Jay and the Americans were the logical group to have sung this one.Glad I can still hear it.

@tonypittsburgh9

I am 53 and the fact is, until the late 80s, if you wanted it, you could work for it and grab it.

@lenspaulding

+Tony Pittsburgh Tony you old piece of sh-it thanks for the reminder of a once great Country!!! (It all sucks now)

@tonypittsburgh9

lenspaulding Not even recognizable from 30 yrs ago

@patrickryan1515

Agree w/you implicitly on all said here. And it's odd the song didn't crack the top ten -- it had such good vibes. Who would have guessed how sold out a nation we would become.

@THECARS7879

Yea I know it's bullshit now

@IDiggSocialMedia

"Only in America" was one of the most underrated songs of the 1960's. Why come??? This beautiful, uplifting song should have been number 1 for at least a month!!!

@jksteven1

It's a great song!

@JuneLynn

I've always LOVED this classic.....thanks for posting it

@barrygioportmorien1

I uploaded this song because it is one of my favourites, I am a Canadian. If I had known it would have drawn some of the inane comments that are here, I never would have uploaded it...... It's a song, people......... I have been to the U.S. many times and I have never felt threatened, and I am not one of the rich just an average human being.....Just comment on the song there is nothing political intended..... 

@elamite66

yeah thanx for the posting for sure my Canadian friend

@margaret8391

barrygioportmorien1 Never mind the "mindless" nuts. The rest of us appreciate you for the upload of this song and for what it means. Thanks again.

@timothyhadley5699

It's a great song, and one of Jay and the Americans' best ever. Don't apologize for posting it. Ignore the idiots. Thanks for posting this great classic and for appreciating great music from the past.

@rickledges4412

Thank your for posting it.  The internet has lots of "way out there" types.  Disregard them,.

@Mickey1952b

What is great about this song is that it is the only one I know of where he never goes baritone

@raymondsmith6797

I will always love Jay and The Americans

@THECARS7879

I was born in 74. I started listening to CBS Fm 101.1 and from then on I was hooked on Rock n roll

@sarahdarnell2839

This is the best of the Best, True True True...

@ventarolaaj

This is my favorite j and the Americans song thanks for posting it

@davidwood9898

Excellent song, show's how far the wheels have fallen off country.

@patrickryan1515

Right!

@pepapa1219

America is and always will be the Greatest Country on Earth !!!

@honestdave4362

THIS should become our national anthem. It more correctly represents the spirit of America.

@williamgrear7467

Not when you have trump.

@Elder74

What spirit? Oh wait. Those natives that watched their own families slaughtered. 'Murica! Land of opportunity. Hypocritic fucks. I hope your world order will fall with thunderous applause.

@deborahgeyer9589

Superb!

@stj971

@@williamgrear7467
Only when we have TRUMP! 🇺🇸MAGA🇺🇸

@stj971

@@Elder74 Debbie downer

@OtherTwin

fantastic along with the drifters these guys were magic great post thanks j vincent edwards

@agua9999

What band sang the original version of this song ? (…or was it this band ?).

@vincentedwards6749

@@agua9999 hi music lover , the drifters recorded the original ,written by the great Barry man and wife Cynthia Weil , and jay and the Americans were given the backing track and did an equal brilliant version, only in America j ve

@agua9999

@@vincentedwards6749 cool - thanks for the response! 😎

@agua9999

R.I.P. Jay Black 🥀

@jimneese9335

Great tune for the times, great memories.

@gs-xx8uv

Thanks for posting. I really enjoyed hearing this one again after so many years.

@B52sguy

Just perfect: The only song that really summed up the 60's. God!, what a magical voice. Joseph F

@patrickryan1515

At least the early 60s, Yes.

@desertfox3742

I remember 1st time i got an earful this: Fresh new sound plus had never heard of them B-4. Thot it was quite the song. I still do. This group filled the '60s with their distinctive style & i was listening . . .

@richrdroma

Woaa..never heard this before... I like it a lot!!!

@54nomore

While growing up as a kid in The 50s & 60s and reaching adulthood in the 70s. This was the sentiment back then. That anything was possible here. What ever happen to that? What do you want to be when you grow-up? I still believe in this Republic of ours. America has been the hope of the world for generations. And I still believe in the people to make it great again....

@Gestaltism

4TH OF JULY WOOOOOOO
I heard this for the first time in a long time whilst listening to American Roots on NPR

@Thetwndidit

Could no not could need a lot more music like this’ I mean a whole lot ❤

@rachaeljohnson3217

Many thanks I love this when I was little girl...now it's me...yepppp.

@clarenceerickson7998

Reminded me of West side story,loved it.😎🐆🐅🐕🦊🐱😉

@deborahgeyer9589

For me too! Rita Moreno...wow, what a talented Lady, huh?! And George Sz. was Handsome as ——!

@jsa326

a long lost treasure of a song found again. Yeah!

@radicright

This one of the greatest pop songs of all time. Rates with Chuck Berry's "back in the usa". love the patriotism, hate the protesting, whinny,malcontents that riddled the 60's

@winyguy

This Song Went To Number 25 On The Billboard Hot 100 Chart In 1963.

@TheMarky199

Great song great group .

@NaomiWadsworth

I first heard it in '63 on the car radio in Grand Junction, Colorado, after being on a trip to some great places in the Southwest and on the West Coast...Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Highway 10l, Pismo Beach..back through Redwood Forest and Yosemite. Surely did conjure up some patriotism alright. And I like Canadians...go Hank Snow!

@barrygioportmorien1

Wow that was some trip. In 1998, my wife and I went on a 23 day Bus Trip, through the American southwest, Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Sedona was beautiful, New Orleans, and other great places there. I am a Canadian and I loved that trip so much.

@grantalbrecht7206

love pismo

@marciaford7087

This is one of his best!! I wish "Only In America" words were true now!!!!!! Mar.

@w8lvradio

They are True. Now.

@richardyoung9024

They are true! 2020

@ericmiller7139

Great comment you get it.

@peterschlosser7605

USA: Land of Opportunity. That's why people are still doing whatever it takes to get to America.

@cody324

@@w8lvradio could you go to sleep a pauper and wake up a millionaire? How?

@rosemariekury9186

Loved this song, and sad that people would hate this song this much. It's still true that you can get somewhere if you work for it!

@rosemariekury9186

@@rtsjunk0617 so true now.

@daddyb60056

This song has a hugh Mexican flavor to it. Only in America.

@nicholascollora985

Understanding the boardwalks...nicholascollora you tube loves appreciation forever this song give s a great American story about you and America great SONG.. LOVE

@CineSolutions

Thx for posting. Great song.

@NicoleCzarnecki

This isn't the "Only In America" of which I was thinking, though I can definitely see why this is an American classic.

@ionkayak1948

GOD BLESS AMERICA 🇺🇸

@kenneth-ih7vy

great song

@GeorgeVreelandHill

GREAT song! Thank you. George Vreeland Hill

@lorrainenesbitt8626

It's Jay Black! They played at my Senior Prom in the Bronx, NY!!

@brandonflorida1092

Lucky you!

@daviahumphrey3249

Love this song 😘🤙

@TheEaglehaslanded733

This song should be the Mexican American national anthem. The musical portion has that mariachi sound which makes it perfect.❤️

@sauquoit13456

 
On this day in 1963 {August 11th} "Only In America"" by Jay and the Americans entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #87; and on September 22nd, 1963 it peaked at #25 {for 2 weeks} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
Between 1962 and 1970 the Brooklyn quintet had eighteen Top 100 records; with four making the Top 10, "She Cried" {at #5 in 1962}, "Come A Little Bit closer" {at #3 in 1964}, "Cara, Mia" {at #4 in 1965}, and "This Magic Moment" {at #6 in 1969}...
The boys just missed having a fifth Top 10 record when "Let's Lock the Door" peaked at #11 {for 2 weeks} on January 31st, 1965...

@BetsyRanelli

i remember it great song

@donaldchadd7622

Absitivly posilutly an excellent tune!!!

@scottburton9701

Interesting story behind this song-It was written by Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller-It was first recorded by The Drifters-Unfortunately,their version was never released-Jay & The Americans wound up with a top forty hit in 1963-An all-time classic.

@barrygioportmorien1

A great pair of songwriters, I didn't realize that they had written this....

@MrTrashcan1

Scott Burton
Actually co-written with Mann & Weil who expected it to be an recorded by the Drifters specifically as a protest to racial prejudice. They were pissed when Stoller and Lieber re-worked it into quite the opposite--a song extolling the virtues of America as a place where anyone can succeed, and sung appropriately by Jay & The Americans. And a great song it is.

@johnnocera3034

Makes you proud to be an American.

@mollyosolly

Just heard this song and remembered one night in Naples me and a couple of shipmates were outside the USO when a bunch of local kids ran up and started pushing us saying " Come see my sister, she's (you know what)." We chased them off and then noticed we were missing watches, wallets and even some rings. Didn't get my wallet. I learned a long time ago to keep the wallet hung in my waistband. Anyway a couple of hours later we were leaving a club when we spotted some of the kids who pick-pocked us and caught 3 of them. We took everything they had and actually ended up with a lot more than we lost. Got my watch back too.

@deborahgeyer9589

Bwah ha ha! Served them right!

@mswinelight

Made when President Kennedy was still in office. Nothing but great memories for those days!

@johnnocera3034

JFK......A real president. A real hero. When you saw JFK you were proud.

@williamgrear7467

When we had JFK we were a great country now may we RIP.

@mobrules29

He wouldn't recognize his old party any more.

@nicholascollora985

Only in a great American story about you and America great song

@raymondsmith6797

The song is right on the money!!!!!!!

@steventhorson4487

Excellent

@debbieklein6434

Jay Black has one of the best male voices I know....along with Vic Damone

@audioinsanity

You got that right baby!

@libertyx508

Very good and master song was originally written by me, but I was shocked Jay black was better voice than mine. This song was my wife's name, "Cara Mia", but sad time did come. I always think about this song about my love. My twins can't remember she died, but I do I explain to them how and past I do think about now times have changed alot I haven't seen my daughters for years I don't know they are doing these days now.

@richardfisher671

Great song.

@retrorex

Thanks for posting this, my friend.  I just love it.  Ignore the trolls; they don't really have a life.  God bless the USA AND Canada (My father's Canadian and my mom was from Georgia).  Thanks, again

@hodgepodgebuhgodge3739

Yeah, starting with, "The Mayflower" immigrants.

@garrysnett1566

+Hodgepodge Buhgodge this.came.out.when.j.f.k.was.in.office.,&.look.what.we.have.now.real.bad..

@Thearl

Thanks for the post.

@123bigred

great song!!!

@marysilver6257

They were Great! The best of their time!

@kenhawkins8884

fanstastic,,,thank you
ken

@lizalewis9270

Eat your heart out, Spruce Bringsteen !!
This is a song you'll never understand.

@IDiggSocialMedia

Much better than "Born in the USA" to me!

@peterfreeman1585

From New Zealand
Great Song by Jay Black and his group.
Sadly 65 years after recording this there is no way a 'poor boy' can aspire to great things in the USA. Y
ou have to be a millionaire to go through the primaries etc to become the USA president, and look at the trash that this has given us since 1968.
A whole new system is required but there is no way that the MIC, the lobbyists and top 10% of the richest will allow that to happen.
Very sad for the world not just the USA. The world needs the type of USA that existed before the mid sixties.

@barrygioportmorien1

You are so right. Here in Canada things are going to pieces also.

@richardbetz5531

Best version!

@4battis

Great song great era

@brucep9729

Am I the only one who always thought this song would have fit in perfectly with "West Side Story?"

@barrygioportmorien1

Both versions are excellent.

@acedrumsnyc

GOD BLESS AMERICA

@eliothorowitz5627

RIP Jay....an American original

@robertroddy

Friend of mine saw them performing this at an oldie concert, in the middle of the song a guy streaked security pounced on him beating the crap out of him the whole time Jay never stop singing "only in America..."

Sgt Ernie Bilko sang the title line Only In America on one of his Bilko episodes. i forget why, but he did sing it.

@Caramia112

@B52sguy You didn't upset me at all. I understand where you were coming from and I wanted you to know that the song was really in support of all of you who did fight for our country. I was a little young, but I do remember the tension in the country and I felt and still feel for our soldiers. I think they don't get enough recognition. I have seen Jay in concert many times and he is always one to comment and offer support to those who serve our country. My comments were in support of yours.

@tuxguys

(The "white Drifters...") Always well-crafted records, this was their first big hit, and I always assumed that they were of P.R. extraction, or at least Jay Black was... and then his son, Bo, told me, while he was a student of mine, that they were Jewish. Only in America...

@DORSALERO

they were the entertainment at my senior prom in 1964 jay black was a long island guy

@raymondsmith6797

The song is so TRUE!

@jamesmccall7080

THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY

@lanciasongsjayllanciasongs4202

ONLY IN AMERICA.,,, Jay and the Americans...,,Great..,.ONLY IN. AMERICA...,,,Sal and the. ECHOES.,,,,,,, even better!!!

@barrygioportmorien1

@B52sguy I remember Jane fonda was demoralizing to you soldiers, at that time also, it turned me against her, and like I said, I am a Canadian, but she sure ticked me off with her comments. I had a beloved cousin from Boston, Mass., who died in the Korean war at the age of nineteen, my aunt and uncle still loved their country and remained patriotic. Salute Barry

@patrickryan1515

That thing still turns me off.

@patrickryan1515

@@2nostromo Too much privilege.

@barrygioportmorien1

Never knew that, It would be interesting to hear.

@Caramia112

@B52sguy Just want you to know that Jay Black (former lead singer of Jay & The Americans) did this song from his heart as he is a true American with the utmost respect for the people serving our country and for our country in general. He is a great person and truly cares. This song was a tribute to the insanity of the country at the time..

@mcgannahanskyjellyfetti6854

Happy Memorial Day... 🇺🇸 🍺😎👍

@wmbrown6

How many familiar with this think that Kim Wilde's first big hit, 1982's "Kids In America," borrowed heavily from this, especially the chorus part here with "Only in America / Land of opportunity . . . "?

@60s70sTheBest

One of my favorite groups and song. The song did involve some controversy before it came out. It was initially written for Ben E. King and The Drifters in 1962, however, some of the original lyrics expressed Civil Rights issues and racism that were in the forefront at that time. Deemed to be too sensitive, the recording company Atlantic refused to publish it, so the songwriters changed the questionable lyrics to a more "patriotic satire". Since 8 track studio recording was at the forefront then, The Drifters vocal track was supposedly removed, the Jay and the American vocals were inserted, and the music was tweaked a bit. The Drifters refused to record the later version because they believed the new lyrics were not part of "their" America. However, they did record and release it in 1962. The "original" unreleased version of the song by The Drifters is supposed to be available in Jay & The Americans's boxed set.

@MIKECNW

But did they not realize 4 years earlier Chuck Berry wrote a song called "Back In The USA?

@raymondgill9796

The Drifters version had the same lyrics , the record company felt that the Audience would not like the idea of Black people singing about becoming president. The Drifters version is on youtube now.

@fntime

It reminds me when America was a place where neither an education or family contacts could stop a boy with a dream. Now we must 'thank our fuhrer' Thumbs up for liberty and self reliance.

@Howieshet

The Drifters version that was released was exactly the same words, lyrics and tempo. It was very good.

@JoeJasperLoca

Joseph F. and other Vets, I opposed the War in Vietnam and the one in Iraq, though I supported the other ones. I feel my reasons were/are valid and I don't have time to go into that now. But my disagreement was with the politicians who sent you guys there, not with the soldiers themselves and I never expressed anything but gratitude to you guys for doing what you thought was right. In fact, part of our motivation was to save you guys from we thought was exploitation. Best of luck.

@lanciasongsjayllanciasongs4202

"Only in America"" Jay and the Americans-excellent. Only in America-SAL and the Echoes-also excellent. SALVATORE J..Pappalardo had a wonderful and powerful voice just like Jay Black. Maybe better...,, I always loved this song...while in the group I. asked "Salvo"to record it.