I Like America

Album: Masters (1949)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to the Noël Coward Society, this song originated in 1949, and went into Ace Of Clubs the following year.

    Quintessential English gentleman Coward was no stranger to the United States, having set sail for New York aboard the SS Aquatania in May 1921, but his fascination with the country predates this; "The Baseball Rag" which he co-wrote with Doris Joel was published in 1919. This love affair was mutual, his plays were as familiar to Broadway audiences as to those in the West End of London. This song though is a slightly frivolous take on the love habits of Americans; in at least one recording where he plays or is accompanied on the piano, the closing strains of the song include a few bars of "Yankee Doodle"; he used a similar musical joke in "Mad Dogs And Englishmen".
  • If the song lauds the United States it is strangely uncharitable to Jamaica. Tax exile Coward retired to the island where he died in March 1973; he was buried in the garden of his home, Firefly. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Sam Hollander

Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews

The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

Richie McDonald of Lonestar

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.