David Bowie - I'm Afraid of Americans

"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.

Bowie describes the feelings behind the song: It's not as truly hostile about Americans as say "Born in the U.S.A.": it's merely sardonic. I was traveling in Java when [its] first McDonald's went up: it was like, "for fuck's sake." The invasion by any homogenised culture is so depressing, the erection of another Disney World in, say, Umbria, Italy, more so. It strangles the indigenous culture and narrows expression of life.

The working title for the song was "Dummy".

"I'm Afraid of Americans" originally appeared as a rough mix on the soundtrack to the film Showgirls (in which the chorus is "I'm afraid of the animals" instead of the later "I'm afraid of Americans") and was subsequently remade for Earthling. This version and two of the Nine Inch Nails remixes were released on the bonus disc of the Digibook Expanded Edition of Earthling in 2004. The song is sampled for a remix of Company Flow's "Patriotism" when El-P performs it.

A CD single for "I'm Afraid of Americans" was released in the United States. The single did not include the album version of the song; instead, it featured remixes of the track performed by Bowie's former tourmates, Nine Inch Nails, and drum and bass artist Photek. The (V1) mix became more popular than the original version, largely in part of the accompanying video, leading to its appearance on the retrospective Best of Bowie.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• David
• Bowie
• I'm
• Afraid
• of
• Americans

[elderberry9]

He said "Johnny want's to suck on a Coke", Look the lyrics up on the internet.

[theultrawolf]

Why is there not the version of this song without Trent Reznor on youtube? -,-

[franknilop]

@BeyondDreamTime Oh okay, that makes alot more sense, hahaha

[BeyondDreamTime]

@franknilop :D But it's actually "Johnny wants to suck on a Coke." That being said however... feel free to interpret. XD

[DaddyDigital87]

nasty,NASTY  tune

[whorlus]

Bowie just gets hotter...

[diaryofascholar]

This is not Nine Inch Nails V1 Mix.

[anevaude]

Wow, thank you so much for posting a high quality version!! :)

[maineiacial]

dude thanks so much for this. such a great concept that rob thomas used it for 'this is how a heart breaks'

[Harshjones]

If Americans where this freaky I would be afraid too, awesome tune.