I'm Afraid of Americans

I think in the song Mr. Bowie is expressing his fear of the Americanisation of the world:

"I'm afraid of Americans I'm afraid of the world"

He's afraid he is also being absorbed into the American culture against his will:

"I'm afraid I can't help it I'm afraid I can't."

And yes, he goes on to describe the things Americans seem to be obsessed with nowadays. Thinks like getting high, getting laid, and getting material posessions.

"God is an American" has a double meaning. One, most Americans view god as a version of themselves. The biggest bible-thumpers in America are also the biggest patriots (generally speaking), be they military people or just people who like to scream "USA! USA!" at the top of their lungs. And two, God is the controller of the universe according to christian mythology, and in reality, Mr. Bowie feels that America is gaining control of the universe, hence god and America are the same thing.

That's my take.

'Johnny' in the song is from 'John Doe' which is used to identify an unknown victim of a crime.

'Coke' is NOT cocaine, but Coca-Cola, a worldwide image of America. Even in countries that are anti-America, they still love Coke.

This song is simply saying that America and Americans are shallow and destructive; instead of adding to the world in a meaningful way, they take the basest and the easiest path.

Compare THIS song about America to the song he wrote earlier in his career, 'Young Americans' and you can see how his views of America and Americans have changed.

The connotation of this song is obvious: David Bowie is worried about the state of American culture...afraid of it even. Like he says, "Nobody needs anyone. They don't even just pretend." Every man is a castle in America (everyone living the rugged individualist's wet dream), and there is no cohesive culture to speak of. There is no respect, not even recognition, for one's neighbors and fellow men and women here. So, inevitably, there is vast exploitation and manipulation...hedonism enabled via stepping on the toes of others...validated through the antiquated belief systems called modern religions. Some would say Americans are so boisterously arrogant and selfish as to call god (gods?) one of their own. Many have validated this country's financial and technological success in this way. David Bowie sees this greed, arrogance, carelessness, and exploitation and worries for the world. After all, the world has looked to America in the past for direction.

Ironically, when this song was first released, we knew not what the last 8 years could possibly hold for American culture. But it seems as if David Bowie's worst fears have actually materialized. Our self-centered culture has finally caught up with us. Now the world must pay for it.

I'd be afraid of Americans too if Trent Reznor were chasing me around with that lustful look in his eye. :-]

I am in love with this song, people. Bowie + Treznor = Dream Team

"God is an American..."

Sends shivers down my spine each time I hear it. Just totally captures how egocentric the average U.S. citizen can be.

wow... this ^^ is exactly what is wrong with the states and what he was writing about (i know the songs not about iraq ) .....just America's supposed "manifest destiny"

unoit4real wrote:

"God is an American..."

Sends shivers down my spine each time I hear it. Just totally captures how egocentric the average U.S. citizen can be.

I get shivers too, but I think the song ends on a very different note. The whole video, for example, you see Bowie creating all these illusory fears for himself. About US violence, about the things Americans are interested in and pursue. Then whenever he brings himself back to reality (taking a second look, maybe that means thinking for himself rather than listening to the media), he sees that the fears are irrational. That Americans are not gun-loving nuts (at least not the ordinary Americans, the people he sees in the video). The priests and the police (societal order) do their job, citizens (the young African kids, the old man, the girl who is doing spray paint art) are all reasonable. Each time, they look at Bowie like HE is the weirdo (and they do this, because HE IS). At the end, the "Day of the Dead" is probably the heaviest part of the whole song. As here you can see all the people Bowie thought were violent (the priest, Jonny, the others), having what you could understand as a celebration of life. I'd say the most cool thing about the end is Trent carrying his own cross. And don't put religion into that either. Just look at it as a symbol. Trent could be carrying nothing more in opposition to what Bowie's prejudices were.

i didn't read every post so if i repeat something someone already said im sorry but i always thought this song was about capitalism and how me and my fellow americans only want things and as the rest of the world becomes capitalist hes scared they will start to act the same way.

I agree with the general consensus that this song is about the fear the world has of America, and the mindless following of popular, true-blue American culture by its people. (Not to say, of course, that other countries don't have mindless followers of their own culture, but that's another story.) In addition, when I heard the "God is an American" part, I saw it as David Bowie mocking the American assumption that God is just a typical American. Perhaps he is stating it over and over to impress the listener with how absurd a statement it really is. I could see it being other ways, but that's what it meant to me.