Neil Diamond » Tracks » America

Neil Diamond – America (4:17)

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About This Track

a patriotic song written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond, released in 1980 as part of the The Jazz Singer soundtrack album. The song was a hit single in 1981, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although the single version was a studio recording, it sounds live because of crowd overdubs in the song.

The song’s theme is a positive interpretation of the history of immigration to the United States, and seems to take place both during the early 1900s wave as well as in contemporaneous times. Formed of Diamond’s typical combination of powerful melody, dynamic arrangement, and bombastic vocal, it ends with an interpolation of the traditional patriotic song “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”. In Diamond’s concerts, the song is a very popular number both home and abroad, with a large United States flag often displayed from the rafters on cue to the lyric, “Every time that flag’s unfurled / They’re coming to America.”

The song has since been used in a number of contexts, including as a theme song for Michael Dukakis’s 1988 Presidential campaign, because of its immigrant theme. Neil Diamond sang it at the rededication of the Statue of Liberty on the occasion of its one hundredth anniversary. Also, the song was used for conservative talk-show host Ken Hamblin’s Black Avenger radio show prior to commercial breaks.

A Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Will Ferrell as Diamond explains the song as an expression of the singer’s “massive” hatred of immigrants.
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Albums featuring this track

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  • bAzTNM

    Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, tune.

    22 days ago

  • jembf

    Why? who's there ? :-D

    27 days ago

  • ladycaroledowns

    One day!!

    27 days ago

  • LocoThom

    Love this song... first song I played on my iPod as I was striding through LAX terminal building... emotional and powerful... Go Neil! farfafarf The beginning of this song is super cheese - your emoticon picture is pretty cheesy too but I like it!

    last month

  • sterntaler123

    >>>>>>>>>KLASSE<<<<<<<<<<!!!!!!!!!!

    last month

  • farfafarf

    The beginning of this song is super cheese.

    March 2012

  • rikrijean

    A PLEASURE.......

    January 2012

  • sirthorty

    my personal fav' of him

    November 2011

  • greenvillepa

    Great Song !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    October 2011

  • ameguin

    Neil Diamond is a great concert!!!

    September 2011

  • HelenHennigan

    Saw Neil at Red Sox's Fenway Park a couple of years ago......Was the Best!!!!!

    July 2011

  • Andersonsaa

    We R full... No vacancy!

    June 2011

  • TonyFridas

    OSAMA IS DEAD AWESOME

    May 2011

  • Elodave

    One of the greatest singer-songwriters ever.So many artists have him to thank for their best stuff.Well worth a listen,anytime.

    April 2011

  • sirthorty

    what a timeless song - isn't it?

    April 2011

  • Andersonsaa

    No more! out of room!.... our tired our hungry!... we did that.... now we tired n hungry.... sorry... ?!

    April 2011

  • FICTON1

    ohhh yes !!!!!! ... *,*

    March 2011

  • mer48

    quiero saber pues soy de argentina para comprar el cd THE JAZZ SINGER ME INTERESARIA saber de donde son ustedes. gracias.!!!!!!!!aqui no lo h e encontrado sniffffffffff gracias

    March 2011

  • FICTON1

    just fantastic .... *,*

    March 2011

  • Andersonsaa

    Proud 2 be!...Yea fuck them hebs

    February 2011
See all 89 shouts

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