David Bowie - I'm afraid of Americans (HQ)

"I'm Afraid of Americans" is a song and single by David Bowie from the 1997 album Earthling. The song, co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, originally appeared as a rough mix on the soundtrack to the film Showgirls and was subsequently remade for Earthling.

A Taxi Driver-influenced music video was produced for the "I'm Afraid of Americans (V1)" remix, starring David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor. Directed by Dom and Nic, it features Bowie being stalked through New York City by Jonny, a hostile American, played by Reznor. As Bowie continues to be harassed and becomes more and more paranoid, he witnesses (or imagines he witnesses) random acts of violence perpetrated by citizens on one another — but their hands are empty, as if holding invisible guns. The video ends with Bowie ducking behind a taxi while Reznor fires an imaginary assault rifle that inflicts severe damage on a vehicle. Bowie awakens later, only to witness Reznor carrying a crucifix in a parade reminiscent of Day of the Dead celebrations or the movie Something Wicked This Way Comes. The music video premiered on MTV Live, and later received a MTV Video Music Award nomination in 1998 for Best Male Video.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• David
• Bowie
• Pop
• HQ
• Americans

[Kjedi1]

Don't fret Mr Bowie, I'm affraid of Americans too :P

[JamesCmuse]

Trent Reznor plays a great part in this song, both musically and in video. Very creepy!

[FiercelyReality]

he's afraid of Americans yet lives in New York :P

the facial hair is extremely sexy in this video tbh

[sixpackofdogs1]

Most Europeans would be speaking German without us uncultured arrogant Americans..How quickly you forget what our people have sacrificed

[sixpackofdogs1]

God is an American! I love it...well this settles it..David Bowie is definitely a dumbass!

[sixpackofdogs1]

You all should be afraid..be very afraid! I love America

[elephant54376]

4 people want to kill david bowie like in the video

[deltaomegaable]

@Mrariesdave as if the dutch dont come to america to poke fun at us? as if the dutch are so damn righteous to not do the same? its called, 'tourisim' for a reason pally.. hate it or love it it is still a decent chunk of hollands GNP... even us americans have to tolerate lame-ass foreigners (even american foreigners from other, more ignorant states in the union) yet you dont see any of us bitching and moaning about how we view you.

[aicitone]

i m afraid of nicolas sarkozy ....

[Mrariesdave]

When I lived in Amsterdam in the mid '80s, this is how they viewed Americans: psychotic, violent, alienated, shallow, culture-less, arrogant. I could hear them coming a canal away, leering, greedy for entertainment, food, drink, sex. I always crossed the street to escape them as they bulldozed their way down the little cobblestone streets, overweight and missing their big cars at home, making fun of Dutch culture and how old everything is.

[churchic]

@Kjedi1 AND you damn well should be. We're crazy over here :P

[evanwallace909]

@jonnoel1 No shit right :/