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The American Lyrics

Here comes the wake
The speed-decade shake
I see you wake, shake
Fit on those overalls
What do you know about this world anyway?

I see a man
With an airfield plan
I caught a boy fall out of the sky
What do you know about this world anyway?

Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American

Every time you touch this place
It feels like sin
Every time the handshake starts
The face draws thin
What do you know about this world anyway?

Here comes the sun
I see the sun
In here the sun shines so bright
My eyes go blind
What do you know about this world anyway?

Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American

Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American

Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, Ameri, American
3 Meanings

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Cover art for The American lyrics by Simple Minds

It’s about the nuclear testing by the Americans in the South Pacific. “Light up the sky”, “sun burns so bright”, “ I caught a boy fall out the sky” - the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was called Little Boy.

Cover art for The American lyrics by Simple Minds

This song seems to be about American military intervention in Europe. "What do you know about this world anyway?" feels like Kerr is admonishing Americans for not really understanding foreign issues.

They funny thing is that Simple Minds perform this song in the United States and everyone gleefully sings along to a song that mocks them.

My Interpretation

@briantz6

No, this is what its actually about:

It's difficult to determine when The American was actually written. Apparently it was inspired by the bright colours of an exhibition of modern American art that Jim visited, being written in the back of a van while driving through the East Coast of America.

http://www.simpleminds.org/sm/songs/ead/ta1.htm

Cover art for The American lyrics by Simple Minds

This song is about Nassau Club, from early 1900s, not about WW2. It is not mocking the Americans at all, but a song in favor of the American spirit (of independence)

@xoxox10111

No, this is what its actually about:

It's difficult to determine when The American was actually written. Apparently it was inspired by the bright colours of an exhibition of modern American art that Jim visited, being written in the back of a van while driving through the East Coast of America.

http://www.simpleminds.org/sm/songs/ead/ta1.htm

 
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