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Young Americans Lyrics

Artist: David Bowie

They pulled in just behind the bridge
He lays her down, he frowns
"Gee my life's a funny thing, am I still too young?"
He kissed her then and there
She took his ring, took his babies
It took him minutes, took her nowhere
Heaven knows, she'd have taken anything, but
CHORUS (SHE)
All night
She wants the young American
Young American, young American, she wants the young American
All right
She wants the young American
Scanning life through the picture window
She finds the slinky vagabond
He coughs as he passes her Ford Mustang, but
Heaven forbid, she'll take anything
But the freak, and his type, all for nothing
He misses a step and cuts his hand, but
Showing nothing, he swoops like a song
She cries "Where have all Papa's heroes gone?"
CHORUS (SHE)
All the way from Washington
Her bread-winner begs off the bathroom floor
"We live for just these twenty years
Do we have to die for the fifty more?"
CHORUS (HE)
All night
He wants the young American
Young American, young American, he wants the young American
All right
He wants the young American
Do you remember, your President Nixon?
Do you remember, the bills you have to pay
Or even yesterday?
Have you have been an un-American?
Just you and your idol singing falsetto 'bout
Leather, leather everywhere, and
Not a myth left from the ghetto
Well, well, well, would you carry a razor
In case, just in case of depression?
Sit on your hands on a bus of survivors
Blushing at all the afro-Sheilas
Ain't that close to love?
Well, ain't that poster love?
Well, it ain't that Barbie doll
Her heart's been broken just like you have
CHORUS (YOU)
All night
You want the young American
Young American, young American, you want the young American
All right
You want the young American
You ain't a pimp and you ain't a hustler
A pimp's got a Cadi and a lady got a Chrysler
Black's got respect, and white's got his soul train
Mama's got cramps, and look at your hands ache
(I heard the news today, oh boy)
I got a suite and you got defeat
Ain't there a man you can say no more?
And, ain't there a woman I can sock on the jaw?
And, ain't there a child I can hold without judging?
Ain't there a pen that will write before they die?
Ain't you proud that you've still got faces?
Ain't there one damn song that can make me
break down and cry?
CHORUS (I) (repeat 3 times)
All night
I want the young American
Young American, young American, I want the young American
All right
I want the young American

Comments/Interpretations

by Ju�n Nahuel Amarante Cort�s on 7/16/2008 12:22pm
Right

by Stardust Girl on 9/4/2008 7:35pm
Uhhh hey man you got some lyrics wrong. hee hee

by zep on 9/13/2008 2:41am
afro sheeners yam bag!!

by beamer on 11/19/2008 10:55pm
I remember Nixon, but what on earth prompted all those lyrics? What was he thinking? I just don't understand.

by cascadia07 on 2/2/2010 8:00pm
best song ever!

by enoon on 6/6/2010 4:52pm
look at your hands shake

by Sherry Bennett on 6/16/2010 5:59pm
Why don't we just acknowledge it--most of the time the lyrics make no sense. This is a great example of that.

by matfan on 2/5/2011 3:27pm
Mama's got a Trans am, look at your hands shake.

by ANTHONY_SFM on 4/8/2011 3:05pm
I think my friend Roger B here, practically explained the song's meaning. Well done, thats what i would have said, but in a more simple and stupid way. hahahaha

by Edward CLXIV on 1/15/2012 11:38am
This song is just more anti-American claptrap from the usual leftist entertainment crowd, a poor attempt at holding up the U.S. as somehow unique in it's flaws and therefore deserving of unparalled criticism. Speaking of unpaid bills Bowie, look into your own country's history (U.K.) and you will find more crimes committed against other countries than by any other nation. That fact doesn't play well in Britain, but its the truth.

by Edward CLXIV_sucks_donkey_dicks on 5/25/2012 6:23pm
Edward...you are such a dumb-ass douche nozzle. Sad, pathetic little weenie promoting your tiny thoughts as best you can while miserably humping your pillow all alone at night dreaming of being something important...but you never will.

by David on 11/29/2013 4:59pm
And it quotes a Beatles song too.

by P. Scearce on 10/16/2023 9:59am
Behind the fridge, not bridge. It’s a reference to a British comedy of the same name.