America is a b-side of the James single Sometimes released in August 1993.
Originally played at Alton Towers and acoustically on the 1992 US and UK tours, America failed to make the final cut for the Laid album. A live version of the song, recorded using solar power for Greenpeace at a concert in Los Angeles, appeared as the b-side to Sometimes and on the Japanese version of the album.
An alternative version recorded by BBC Radio 1 in London on the band’s December 1992 acoustic tour was included on the live disc of The Gathering Sound boxset.
The song’s lyrics deal with “basically about giving America a blow job and we realised then that we’d be playing it to rednecks and they may not like it.”
Details
LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
We're going down on America
Going down on America
You made me blush
You made me scream
But was it pain or ecstasy?
I was never sure
I was never sure
You sucked the life right out of me
My loving cup was well received
Everyone was thrilled
Everyone was thrilled
Going down on America
Going down on America
The priceless jewels,
The rush of fame
I want to play your heady game
Deeper than before
Deeper than before
Those swollen lips I can resist
Just aching for a prince's kiss
Longer than before
Longer than before
Going down on America
Going down on America
On America, on America, on America, on America
Going down on America
You made me blush
You made me scream
But was it pain or ecstasy?
I was never sure
I was never sure
You sucked the life right out of me
My loving cup was well received
Everyone was thrilled
Everyone was thrilled
Going down on America
Going down on America
The priceless jewels,
The rush of fame
I want to play your heady game
Deeper than before
Deeper than before
Those swollen lips I can resist
Just aching for a prince's kiss
Longer than before
Longer than before
Going down on America
Going down on America
On America, on America, on America, on America
| Song: | America |
| Released: | 30th August 1993 |
| Main Associated Album (or Single): | Sometimes (Lester Piggott) |
| First Heard Live: | Stockholm Moderna Museet – 27th June 1992 |
- Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :Studio, Single, 1993
- Laid – Japanese promo tape :Promo, Album, 1993
- Laid (Japan) :Studio, Album, 1993
- Sometimes US CD promo :Promo, Single, 1993
- The Gathering Sound (full promo) :Promo, Box Set, 2012
- The Gathering Sound :Compilation, Box Set, 2012
- Laid / Wah Wah Super Deluxe Edition :Compilation, Box Set, 2015
- The Greenpeace Palace Concert :Live, Album, 2016
- 1993 Singles & B-Sides :Compilation, Album, 2023
- Manchester Castlefield Bowl – 2nd July 2022
- London Town And Country Club – 16th December 1992
- Leeds Town And Country Club – 14th December 1992
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – 13th December 1992
- Los Angeles The Palace Theater – 23rd November 1992
- Chicago World Music Theatre – 18th November 1992
- New York The Ritz – 1st November 1992
- New Britain, CT, The Sting – 25th October 1992
- Chicago Riviera – 13th October 1992
- Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, Los Angeles – 25th September 1992
- The Other Side – September 1992
- Alton Towers – 4th July 1992
- Stockholm Moderna Museet – 27th June 1992
James - America
Taken from the single Sometimes
Written and performed by James
Backing Riff:
e----------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------0------0----------------------------0------
D------2------2----------------------0------0-------4---4---4----
A--0-0---0--0---0-3-3---3--3---3----------------5-5---5-------5--
E--------------------------------3-3---3--3---3------------------
Slide Riff:
e-------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D--5/7---7/9-9/10-10--105-5---5/7----------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Main Riff:
e--3/5-5---5-5---5-5--3/5-5---5-5---5-5--53-3---3-3---3-3--32-2-2-2--
B--------5-----5------------5-----5------------3-----3-----------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
This a song of two halves. In the opening quiet half two guitars play. The backing riff, presumably played by Jim because Saul's fiddling, is repeated until the drums kick in, although a slightly slow variation is played at the very start of the song. Larry's Slide Riff is is also repeated continuously until the drums kick in, at which point the backing riff drops out and Larry starts playing the Main Riff. Although this Main Riff only occurs at two points, variations crop up throughout the rest of the song.
And the chords never change from a progression of Am C G D.
Lyrics/Chords:
Am C G D
We're going dow-ow-own on America-ah
Am C G D
Going dow-ow-own on America-ah
Am
You made me blush
You made me scream
C
But was it pain or ecstasy?
G
I was never sure
D
I was never sure
Am
You sucked the life right out of me
C
My loving cup was well received
G
Everyone was thrilled
D
Everyone was thrilled
Going down on America
Going down on America
The priceless jewels,
The rush of fame
I want to play your heady game
Deeper than before
Deeper than before
Those swollen lips I can resist
Just aching for a prince's kiss
Longer than before
Longer than before
Going down on America
Going down on America
On America, on America, on America, on America
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
Taken from the single Sometimes
Written and performed by James
Backing Riff:
e----------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------0------0----------------------------0------
D------2------2----------------------0------0-------4---4---4----
A--0-0---0--0---0-3-3---3--3---3----------------5-5---5-------5--
E--------------------------------3-3---3--3---3------------------
Slide Riff:
e-------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D--5/7---7/9-9/10-10--105-5---5/7----------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Main Riff:
e--3/5-5---5-5---5-5--3/5-5---5-5---5-5--53-3---3-3---3-3--32-2-2-2--
B--------5-----5------------5-----5------------3-----3-----------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
This a song of two halves. In the opening quiet half two guitars play. The backing riff, presumably played by Jim because Saul's fiddling, is repeated until the drums kick in, although a slightly slow variation is played at the very start of the song. Larry's Slide Riff is is also repeated continuously until the drums kick in, at which point the backing riff drops out and Larry starts playing the Main Riff. Although this Main Riff only occurs at two points, variations crop up throughout the rest of the song.
And the chords never change from a progression of Am C G D.
Lyrics/Chords:
Am C G D
We're going dow-ow-own on America-ah
Am C G D
Going dow-ow-own on America-ah
Am
You made me blush
You made me scream
C
But was it pain or ecstasy?
G
I was never sure
D
I was never sure
Am
You sucked the life right out of me
C
My loving cup was well received
G
Everyone was thrilled
D
Everyone was thrilled
Going down on America
Going down on America
The priceless jewels,
The rush of fame
I want to play your heady game
Deeper than before
Deeper than before
Those swollen lips I can resist
Just aching for a prince's kiss
Longer than before
Longer than before
Going down on America
Going down on America
On America, on America, on America, on America
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
Share:
