America (You're Freaking Me Out)

Album: Hello Exile (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first song on Hello Exile features a sack load of observational social commentary and political comment. Frontman Greg Barnett told Kerrang the lyrics were inspired by seeing a lot of America firsthand as the band tours the country. "It's even in little things, like getting an hour outside of Philadelphia and suddenly seeing the billboards change and the bumper stickers on people's cars getting more angry," he said." I hear politicians on the TV and think, 'There's no way anyone actually believes this stuff.' And then you're in a coffee shop in Alabama and you hear people talking and realize, 'Oh, people do believe this kind of madness.'"
  • Barnett sings about the disconnect between the youth and their parents.

    Oh, ain't it a shame what we choose to ignore
    What kind of monsters did our parents vote for?


    He explained to Kerrang: "We're constantly having to have these difficult conversations, with the people that you love, of, 'How could you vote against the interests of your own children about the environment, and about everything?' It's really difficult when you love somebody so much, but they don't really see that your future is being jeopardized."
  • Every song on Hello Exile went through three or four different versions; for this track, Barnett wrote around 50 verses before it was finished.
  • The song's music video was directed by Rob "Whitey" McConnaughy (Band of Horses, ZZ Top) from a concept that the four band members had come up with. Barnett explained to Kerrang they had the idea "of an alien crash-landing in America and being completely freaked out by what they see."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.