Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, that same year. His song "Romeo's Tune", although "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard" on the sleeve of Forbert's second album Jackrabbit Slim (released in 1979), is not about Supremes singer Ballard who died in 1976. "Forbert admits that Ballard became a timely connection for "Romeo's Tune", written about a girl from Meridian. "That seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story". At around this time critics hailed Forbert as "The new Bob Dylan" because of a similar vocal timbre and thoughtful songwriting. The front cover of Jackrabbit Slim encourages such comparisons with its simplicity: a black and white photo of Steve Forbert playing a well-worn Martin acoustic guitar with a capo on it, his shirt tinted green. The record was recorded in Nashville and produced by John Simon who had worked with The Band.
After many successful years, Forbert sought out new inspiration and found it when he relocated to Nashville in 1985. Forbert's tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy in the best traditional folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame.
Recent albums include Strange Names & New Sensations (2007), The Place And The Time (2009), and Over With You (2012).
www.steveforbert.com
The American In Me
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ain't the kinda cat's gon' just jump in his car an' drive
I'm usin' my transportation
So then when am I going to arrive?
And I guess it's just
The American in me
The way I'm apt to be
And I guess it's just
They're stoppin' me out on the freeway
'n they ask of me what I do and where I'm bound
I used to get a lot more leeway
Hey, well, now I get a lot more down
Repeat chorus
The off ramp backed up miles today
And the carbon fumes
Were drifting towards the sky
The sky began to cry
And the thunder booms
An' I'm back once again on the car lot
An' I ain't even paid for that thing I drove up in yet
Well, I might make a trade an' I might not
But I know I'll remain in debt
Repeat chorus
Harmonica solo
Repeat chorus
The song "The American In Me" by Steve Forbert is an introspective song about the identity of an American. The opening lines of the song reveal the singer's wanderlust, but he's not looking for adventure in the sense of walking out his front door and hitting the road; he's talking about the American fascination with transportation. The singer realizes that he is so deeply embedded in American culture that he can't help but focus on his transportation; he just wants to know where he's going to end up. He's not necessarily in a rush to arrive, but he wants to know that there's a destination for him.
The chorus of the song reflects on the singer's identity as an American. He sings about how he is being stopped and questioned by police officers on the freeway. He used to get more leeway, but now he gets more "down," which could be interpreted as more scrutiny. Nevertheless, he attributes the police stops to his American identity and seems to accept it as part of who he is.
The final verse of the song is a reflection on the environment that surrounds the singer. There's a traffic jam, pollution, and the natural world seems to be reacting to it all. The chorus is repeated after a brief harmonica solo. The song ends with the anticipation of remaining in debt.
Overall, the song is a meditation on what it means to be an American. It touches on themes such as wanderlust, identity, and the environment.
Line by Line Meaning
I need me a destination
I require a clear goal or objective to achieve.
I ain't the kinda cat's gon' just jump in his car an' drive
I am not the type of person who would simply start driving without a purpose.
I'm usin' my transportation
I am using my means of travel.
So then when am I going to arrive?
When can I expect to reach my desired destination?
And I guess it's just
I suppose it's simply because of
The American in me
My identity as an American.
And I guess it's just
And I assume it's just because of
The way I'm apt to be
My natural way of being or disposition.
They're stoppin' me out on the freeway
Law enforcement is pulling me over on the highway.
'n they ask of me what I do and where I'm bound
And they inquire about my occupation and destination.
I used to get a lot more leeway
I was once given more leniency or flexibility in this regard.
Hey, well, now I get a lot more down
However, now I am much more scrutinized or restricted in my actions.
The off ramp backed up miles today
The exit ramp was congested for miles today.
And the carbon fumes
The harmful emissions
Were drifting towards the sky
Were being released into the atmosphere.
The sky began to cry
Rain or tears started to fall from the sky.
And the thunder booms
Accompanying thunder roared in the background.
An' I'm back once again on the car lot
And I find myself once again at the auto dealership.
An' I ain't even paid for that thing I drove up in yet
I have not even finished paying for the vehicle I arrived in.
Well, I might make a trade an' I might not
I am considering the possibility of exchanging my current vehicle for another.
But I know I'll remain in debt
But I am aware that I will still have financial obligations.
Harmonica solo
An instrumental section of the song featuring the harmonica as a solo instrument.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: S. STEPHEN FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Corinna Köhler
Always loved Steve Forbert ❤️🙏🏼 What an amazing storie teller
Shoogle-nifty
The brilliant voice of Steve Forbert
R Cobb
Fantastic edit and I have always loved this song... I have had the album/cd for some time. I guess it's just... the American in me.
chris manno
most unknown/underrated talent EVER!
Tommy D
Steve Forbert is an amazing talent.
anthem girl
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!
I can't believe the CONSISTENCY of TALENT Steve Forbert
is able to produce!!!!
RUSH has to share the #1 place in my heart with. STEVE!! Never happened before. Lol
powerhungry52
he's fantastic
J. S.
For those of us who think this is Americana personified, from the master of the genre, beautifully done.
cannongt
Great song from a great album
Rich Coderre
A great songwriter and even a better person who followed his dream !!!