Weiss and Fagenson were childhood friends who grew up together in suburban Detroit, US. Due largely to Fagenson's poverty, they decided to form Was (Not Was) in 1979. The name of the band was derived from Fagenson's son, who enjoyed contradicting words such as 'Blue' with 'Not Blue'. Their first recording was "Wheel Me Out", a 12-inch dance record for the avant-garde Ze Records.
Their first album "Was (Not Was)" (1981) was an amalgam of rock, disco, Weiss's beat poetry, Reagan-era commentary and jazz. On vocals they recruited Harry Bowens and "Sweet Pea" Atkinson, who proved to be distinctive, very soulful front-men, who frequently found themselves singing absurd, surreal songs alongside tender ballads. The MC5's Wayne Kramer (guitar) and The Knack's Doug Feiger (vocal) were guest players.
"Born to Laugh at Tornadoes" (1983) introduced even more guest musicians, including Ozzy Osbourne rapping over electro, Mel Torme crooning an oddly beautiful ballad and an abstract funk piece "Man Vs the Empire Brain Building". The band were shortly dropped from their record label.
In 1987, they found their biggest hit with the album "What Up, Dog?", along with the singles "Walk The Dinosaur" and "Spy in the House of Love". Special guests include Stevie Salas, John Patitucci, Frank Sinatra Jr. and a writing credit for Elvis Costello. About this time, the Was Brothers developed separate careers as producers, film scorers and music supervisors. Around this time, artist/animator Christoph Simon created videos to accompany some of their songs, such as "What Up Dog", "Dad I'm In Jail" and the Tom Waits-style "Earth to Doris". These have appeared on MTV's Liquid Television.
They followed up with "Are You Okay?" in 1990, a critically lauded album, spearheaded by a cover of Papa Was a Rolling Stone. Guest musicians were Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen, The Roches and Syd Straw. After a tour with Dire Straits in 1992 and a Dance Hit Single "Shake Your Head", Weiss and Fagenson drifted apart and nothing was heard from Was (Not Was) but a compilation album "Hello Dad... I'm In Jail". The group effectively split following the 1992 tour.
In 1997, Steve Winwood released a tune which borrowed not just the title of Was (Not Was)'s single "Spy In the House of Love" but also the bass line and other elements. However, no lawsuits ensued (or were settled out of court.)
In late 2004, Was (Not Was) re-formed and were back on stage for a two-month club tour through the Northeast and East Coast of the US, as well as California, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois (including stops at the House of Blues in Cleveland and Chicago), Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania (in the Trocadero in Philadelphia).
In October 2005, they played four gigs at the Jazz Café in London.
Detroit's Metro Times has described the band as "an endearing mess... ...a sausage factory of funk, rock, jazz and electronic dance music, all providing a boogie-down backdrop for a radical (and witty) political message of unbridled personal freedom and skepticism of authority."
In 2008, after hiatus of 20 years, Was (Not Was) finally released another studio album: "Boo!". Some tracks were originally recorded in the 80's. Tracklists differ between the UK and US pressings, but for those who "get" this monster motown mongrel's killer musicianship, pop edge and inane lyrics, it is all eagerly welcomed.
Somewhere in America
Was (Not Was) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No prowlers, no sirens
No pinky ring hustlers
No angel dust Byrons
No bars on the windows
No sabre-toothed neighbors
Just good simple folks
In a rainbow of flavors
Somewhere in America
There's a street named after my dad
And the home we never had
I'll work for Mr. Fowler
Making fifty cents an hour
And I'll save what I can
So I can get a piece of land
I'll raise some cows and carrots
Get ahead on my own merits
And if I fall I'll take it like a man
Somewhere in America
There's a street named after my dad
Mm-hm-hm, and the home we never had
No more bland TV dinners
No ten car collisions
No showbiz beginners
Making global decisions
No daycare Fellinis
No fast food assassins
No billboard bikinis
Just truth and compassion
Somewhere in America
There's a street named after my dad
Oh whoa whoa, and the home we never had
The home we never had, somewhere in America
The lyrics to "Somewhere In America There's A Street Named After My Dad" by Was (Not Was) represent a dream or a romanticized version of the American Dream. The singer starts by describing a peaceful neighborhood, free of crime and danger, where people of different cultures and backgrounds coexist peacefully. The fact that there are "no bars on the windows" and "no sabre-toothed neighbors" indicates a utopian-like society, where everyone lives in harmony.
The second stanza speaks to the hard work and determination required to achieve the American Dream. The singer mentions working for a low wage but saving what they can in order to someday own a piece of land and be self-sufficient. The idea of raising cows and carrots ties into the self-sufficiency theme that runs throughout the song. The singer mentions falling along the way, but "taking it like a man", which speaks to the idea of perseverance and resilience that are necessary in order to succeed.
The final stanza lists a number of negatives that the singer wishes to avoid in their ideal version of America. There are no bland TV dinners or collisions, no showbiz beginners or fast food assassins. Instead, there is only truth and compassion. This final stanza emphasizes the idea that the ideal version of America must be one where people are kind, honest, and compassionate towards one another.
Line by Line Meaning
At night only crickets
There are no criminal activities or disturbances during nighttime, only the chirping of crickets.
No prowlers, no sirens
Neither burglars nor sirens can be heard at night.
No pinky ring hustlers
There are no con artists or tricksters with flashy jewelry.
No angel dust Byrons
There are no drug addicts who go by names like Byron.
No bars on the windows
The houses don't have metal structures on their windows to prevent break-ins.
No sabre-toothed neighbors
The neighbors are not aggressive or hostile, unlike fierce sabre-toothed tigers.
Just good simple folks
The community is made up of ordinary, friendly people.
In a rainbow of flavors
People from different ethnic backgrounds and races live together harmoniously.
Somewhere in America
There is a place in the United States.
There's a street named after my dad
One street in particular is dedicated to my father's memory.
And the home we never had
It's a representation of the peaceful and loving home we never had.
I'll work for Mr. Fowler
I am going to work for Mr. Fowler.
Making fifty cents an hour
My wage is fifty cents for every hour of work.
And I'll save what I can
I will keep and set aside as much money as possible.
So I can get a piece of land
My goal is to acquire a plot of land.
I'll raise some cows and carrots
I plan to rear cattle and grow vegetables like carrots.
Get ahead on my own merits
I will make progress based on my individual efforts and abilities.
And if I fall I'll take it like a man
If I fail, I will accept and face the consequences bravely.
No more bland TV dinners
We won't eat tasteless, TV dinners anymore.
No ten car collisions
There aren't as many car accidents with numerous vehicles involved.
No showbiz beginners
People who are new to show business are not given too much attention.
Making global decisions
These beginners are not capable of making worldwide choices.
No daycare Fellinis
There are no bizarre or surreal situations in the childcare facilities.
No fast food assassins
There are no employees in fast food chains who intentionally poison the food.
No billboard bikinis
The advertisements don't exploit the image of women in swimsuits.
Just truth and compassion
There is honesty and kindness in the society.
Oh whoa whoa
An exclamation is made to add emphasis and enthusiasm.
The home we never had
An idealistic image of the home that we couldn't have, but dreamed of.
The home we never had, somewhere in America
This perfect home is located in a specific place in the USA.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD E. FAGENSON, DAVID JAY WEISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind