Song Info
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Livin' in America
What if I was a Jamaican immigrant?
Take charge
Charts position
» highest in charts: # 313 (62,744 songs currently listed in World)
» highest in sub-genre: # 84 (12,961 songs currently listed in World > Reggae)
» highest in sub-genre: # 84 (12,961 songs currently listed in World > Reggae)
About the song
One day a friend asked me what inspired me to write. I said "it could be anything I suppose". He asked if I could write reggae and I said I'd never tried that and asked what he'd like it to be about. He asked me to write a reggae song called Livin' in America about being a Jamaican immigrant who couldn't find a decent job, ended up drinking too much and eventually wound up with a band and doing well. It took about 7 minutes. The chanting at the beginning of the song is really the vocals from the final chorus isolated and played backwards.
Lyrics
Oh, livin’ in America isn’t too ecstatical to me
Oh, how am I supposed to know and where am I supposed to go
Won’t you please tell me?
(chorus)
I’m livin’ in America, livin’ in America, on the edge of town
I’m livin’ in America, livin’ in America, on the edge of town
So I think I take a walk downtown just to see what’s goin’ down
See who there that I know
Next thing I know I’m standin’ in a liquor store and I don’t even know what for
And I don’t understand
Chorus
Once I work in the factory, but now I’m in this band you see
I play the reggae song (I love my job)
At night the people come to hear us play
They pay & pay & pay & pay and we just say “okay”
Chorus
Oh, how am I supposed to know and where am I supposed to go
Won’t you please tell me?
(chorus)
I’m livin’ in America, livin’ in America, on the edge of town
I’m livin’ in America, livin’ in America, on the edge of town
So I think I take a walk downtown just to see what’s goin’ down
See who there that I know
Next thing I know I’m standin’ in a liquor store and I don’t even know what for
And I don’t understand
Chorus
Once I work in the factory, but now I’m in this band you see
I play the reggae song (I love my job)
At night the people come to hear us play
They pay & pay & pay & pay and we just say “okay”
Chorus
