American Dream

Album: American Dream (1988)
Charted: 55
Play Video
  • I used to see you on every T.V
    Your smiling face looked back at me
    I used to see you on every T.V
    Your smiling face looked back at me

    Then they caught you with the girl next door
    People's money piled on the floor
    Accusations that you try to deny
    Revelations and rumors begin to fly

    Now you think about reaching out
    Try to get some help from above
    Now you think about reaching out
    Try to get some help from above
    Reporters crowd around your house
    Going through your garbage like a pack of hounds
    Speculating what they may find out
    It don't matter now, you're all washed up

    You wake up in the middle of the night
    Your sheets are wet and your face is white
    You tried to make a good thing last
    How could something so good, go bad, so fast?

    American dream, American dream
    American dream, American dream

    Don't know when things went wrong
    Might have been when you were young and strong
    Don't know when things went wrong
    Might have been when you were young and strong

    Reporters crowd around your house
    Going through your garbage like a pack of hounds
    Speculating what they may find out
    It don't matter now, you're all washed up

    Don't know when things went wrong
    Might have been when you were young and strong
    American dream, American dream
    Don't know when things went wrong
    Might have been when you were young and strong
    American dream, American dream Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Jonny Pineapple from Laguna BeachWhen I first read the lyrics I thought the song was about Jim Baker. I was a baby when the song was released. I don’t know who Gary Hart is. I always learn new stuff at SongFacts.
  • Anonymous from Arroyo Grande CaBring the guys back..they are like no other.
  • Leia from San FranciscoThe last cut on this album, "Night Song" was written for the twenty-seventh episode of the reboot of the television series "The Twilight Zone."

    This program aired as the third episode of the second season in 1986–87 with a slight difference in the show's titling: "Nightsong."

    "Nightsong" is the only Twilight Zone episode to ever air without the iconic narration/voice over at either the beginning and the end. "Instead, the track for "Night Song" is played intro/outroing the episode.
  • Kevin from Reading , PaThis was a pretty poor Neil Young song, but, still, probably the third best song on this disappointing album. The best tracks were "Name of Love" also by Young and "Clear Blue Skies," a typically lightweight environmental tune from Nash, but still better than the rest of the dreck on this album.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Country Song Titles

Country Song TitlesFact or Fiction

Country songs with titles so bizarre they can't possibly be real... or can they?

Def Leppard Quiz

Def Leppard QuizMusic Quiz

Can you name Def Leppard's only #1 hit in America? Get rocked with this adrenalized quiz.