America - The Band

[Rune Blackwings]

I'd Really Love To See You Tonight is another song they inflict on us at work. Dammit, if they're gonna play all that AC nonsense, why can't they play a little Eddie Cochran, Booker T And The MG's, or Stevie Wonder?


Ironically, though, listening to that kind of music had the exact opposite effect. Or at least that's what Denis Leary suggested once. He said that if parents could sue heavy metal bands for causing their kids to commit suicide, he should be able to sue James Taylor for turning him into a pussy. "Your Honor, between this guy and Dan Fogelberg, I couldn't get laid for seven years!!!!!".

let's be honest-I don't know too many chicks who would bang Leary whether he played James Taylor or not...

[Jefferson James]

I love "Daisy Jane" so very much; what a great song with a killer hook. Very '70s. Yodlegoat mentioned "Sister Golden Hair" which is another fave. Never heard a full album but shall remedy that this rainy afternoon.

I read somewhere that Tom Waits once said, "'Horse With No Name' is boring; now, if they're written it as "Horse With No Legs", now that would've been interesting."

[Yodelgoat]

I have to say that this style of music - "sappy" some may call it, has a genuine appeal across a wide audience. It seems like its not what I would call "lowest common denominator" music, but it is really nice, listenable music. It doesnt seem too threatening, like its going to steal your soul (like rap, or death metal tends to do). Its kind of cool from a "California" perspective - a bit like the Beach boys, but from a different era. Seems like something that reminds me of a nice day at Disneyland (if you've ever experienced one of those) good memories of a kind of historic time in pop music.

[perpetual strange]

I think the important distinction here is that you are *only* supposed to listen to the America/James Taylor/Dan Fogelberg LPs when the female guest is physically present. Any guy who listens to that stuff on his own, and even worse, actually starts to believe the sentiments expressed as representing some sort of reality... Well then I'm sure Mr. Leary's fate is all but certain.

Okay, so maybe I see part of my problem. I tend to always play Thinking Plague and King Crimson when a lady is present. Perhaps I should see if different music makes a difference.

[GuitarGeek]

let's be honest-I don't know too many chicks who would bang Leary whether he played James Taylor or not...

Who knows? He may have been hot back in the 70's.

[the winter tree]

America were my "gateway" between bubblegum and more substantial music when I was around 11 or 12 back in the early/mid 70s.
Other than their many hits, they also usually had a few cool deep tracks on their albums like "Midnight", " People In the Valley", and "Willow Tree" to name but a few.
Seals and Crofts have some very good music. The "Summer Breeze" album is a classic. Jim Seals won a big Texas fiddler's contest when he was nine years old and against all the adults.

[Vic2012]

NP: Ventura Highway. .....on the jukebox. Doo doot doo doo, doo doot doo doo.

[3LockBox]

Doo doot doo doo, doo doot doo doo.

a recurring motif in a lot of their songs actually

[GuitarGeek]

a recurring motif in a lot of their songs actually

Case in point: You Can Do Magic. "doo doo doo doo doo DIT, doo, doo doo, doo DIT" or something like that.

I swear the reason you hear stuff like that in records is because the lyricist couldn't come up with enough words for another verse, so they just vamp on a vocal riff like that. Of course, they'll tell you that it's because they're paying homage to the great doo wop groups of the 50's, but I think the real reason is that not everyone shares Bob Zimmerman's ability for writing endless verses on whichever melody he's chosen for a given song.

Either that or someone(s) in the band can't remember all the words (literally, that's where the vocal riff in Land Of A Thousand Dances came from, the lead singer couldn't remember all the words, so he improvised that riff to pad out the song).

[Jerjo]

Reminds me of the story of Otis Reddings "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)". Otis always sang what the horn part should be rather than chart it and on that song they decided to leave his guide vocal in.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Goosebumps over America?? TBH, Ventura sounds too much like HWNN to me.

Jeez, Hugues - can't you read? That original post of mine said 'gossebumps', not goosebumps!

Different thing altogether, man. Gossebumps are gossamer outgrowth from the skin, kinda like Goldblum in 'The Fly'. I always get that when listening to "Ventura Highway".

[perpetual strange]

Just heard 'Tin Man' on a store Muzak system. Sounded really good, actually. Definitely a gossebumps moment.

[SteveSly]

Just heard 'Tin Man' on a store Muzak system. Sounded really good, actually. Definitely a gossebumps moment.

One of their best songs IMO.

[Galactic Bulldozer]

I only have the first 4 albums, shame on me. All gold dust. I always find the line 'I almost forgot to ask, did you hear of my enlistment?' chilling.

Better than Badfinger doing The Beatles

[Supersonic Scientist]

For being a "Soft Rock" kind-of band, I enjoyed the fact that Dewy often used a Big Gibson Arch-top Jazz guitar (Kessel)


DB kessel.jpg

[3LockBox]

I could make a comp.of my fave America songs and never even use a track from History. There are a few tracks from that greatest hits package I could do without ever hearing again, like Muskrat Love - pure dreck.

[pb2015]

There are a few tracks from that greatest hits package I could do without ever hearing again, like Muskrat Love - pure dreck.

Oddly, that wasn't an original, but a song they liked and issued as a single against the record company's advice.

[BigSixFan]

Kings of the nonsense song! They had so many songs with lyrics that made no sense at all.

Seriously? This on a site that knows every word of every lyric Jon Anderson wrote?!?

To me, America was one of many bands (including CSN to a degree) who attempted to pick up where the Beatles left off. Tight, solid band with several decent songs, basically CSN without the muscular instrumentation or politically charged lyrics. This is a blessing, as one can listen to America and not feel dated. I can do without Graham Nash's maundering about sponges or whatever...

[Mr. Toad]

One of the very first albums that I bought when I was in high school was “History – America’s Greatest Hits” and with the exception of “Muskrat Love” I still love most of the songs on that album.

Muskrat Love? WTF is this? I thought this was one of the most annoying songs EVER and it was done by The Captain and whoever the fuck it was. This fucking song would come the school bus radio and we would riot. "TURN THIS CRAP OFF!". But we were good kids and STFU when Miss Mary the Bus Driver would say "the radio is either ON or OFF. Which shall it be?". We suffered a lot under that AM radio but heard some great stuff too.

America has some good tunes. I like Tin Man, which is true when said "Oz never did give nothing to The Tin Man that he didn't already have".

[SteveSly]

Muskrat Love? WTF is this? I thought this was one of the most annoying songs EVER and it was done by The Captain and whoever the fuck it was. This fucking song would come the school bus radio and we would riot. "TURN THIS CRAP OFF!". But we were good kids and STFU when Miss Mary the Bus Driver would say "the radio is either ON or OFF. Which shall it be?". We suffered a lot under that AM radio but heard some great stuff too.

America has some good tunes. I like Tin Man, which is true when said "Oz never did give nothing to The Tin Man that he didn't already have".

Agreed, "Muskrat Love" has to be right up there on the list of worst songs of all time. The Captain and Tenille had a big hit with it, but America recorded it first. The original recording was by the songwriter Willis Allan Ramsey.

[3LockBox]

America has some good tunes. I like Tin Man, which is true when said "Oz never did give nothing to The Tin Man that he didn't already have".

I remember reading an article way about farout lyrics in songs... Tin Man, IIRC, finished 2nd just behind Good Morning Starshine for the most WTF lyrics.

[Dan Roth]

Gerry Beckley has a new solo album coming out in September. These are the first two singles - sounds like some classic America to me:



This one was co-written with Bill Mumy:

[Fracktured]

The Bill Mumy from lost in space? I have his Christmas song.


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