America (band)

Love them, they had so many great singles...

 

Indeed!

And by the way, great avatar!!

 

'The Border' is one of my favourites, should have been a bigger hit.
The music video is great, I've just watched it for the first time.

 

Thanks!

 

If the term had been around in their heyday, America would have been labelled Yacht Rock.

 

Some might find this blasphemous, but I rather enjoy the George Martin remixes and crossfades on the History: America's Greatest Hits album.
Cool Phil Hartman artwork as well.

Never realized until recently that Sandman was never released as a single.
I always thought it was, as it got tons of airplay back in the day.

 

I meant to say Holiday, not Hideaway. i always get those two confused.
I think Hideaway was where the quality started to dip. Or maybe it wasn't that, so much as the fact that they did not seem to be offering anything they had not offered before.

 

They are the Krispy Kreme of sugary faux-Americana, and I mean that as an enthusiastic compliment.

They're not on my main menu, but when I get a certain sweet tooth nothing else will do. The Steve Hoffman SACD version of the debut is fantastic.

 

It's on my compilation CD, and one of my favourites from that disc - but of course they did not write it, it was written by Jimmy Webb.

 

Missed opportunities! Also putting Riverside on a b-side is unforgivable.

What is the consensus here for George Martin taking over the production reins? Their music definitely became more Beatlesque. And how was this beauty not a hit?

 

Love it!

 

I would consider I Need You/Riverside a double A side single, both songs are great imo.

 

I always liked this baby, too. Love the production touches. McCartney must have choked when (or if) he heard it.

 

Wasn't Sandman the B-side of Horse With No Name?

 

Initially, it was Everyone I Meet Is From California. Don't know about any possible reissues.

 

Sounds like the line from the song "Hollywood"

 

Everyone I Meet Is From California AKA California Revisited is one of my favorites!

 

Interesting thing about America: By their fourth single, they had a Top 40 hit written separately by each member of the group. The only other group I can name who ever accomplished that is Queen, and it took them a lot longer.

 

As a young person who just listened to their stuff on Classic Rock radio stations, my impression of them is from the Neil Young sounding song and the George Harrison sounding song.

Is the reason they aren't remembered more fondly, because Horse With No Name and Sister Goldenhair sound like songs by more popular artists? I know Philly stations still play Sister Goldenhair pretty regularly.

 

Loved them ever since the first time I heard Horse With No Name on the radio. Hat Trick is one of the most underrated albums ever.

 

To me, America, along with many other bands, were at their very best when they kept the production/instrumentation/number of people involved to a minimum > less is more < rather than burying some good tunes with over production.

 

I'm not really a fan of the pacing of their first record - it seems like all the peppy folk rock stuff is one side 1, and side 2 is ballad after ballad. Homecoming, on the other hand, has great pacing. The AF disc through my Vandersteens is a match made in heaven.

 

Baby It's Up To You...great song...

 

Maybe. Maybe not. They certainly learned from their peers. Having said all of that, the lyrics for Horse With No Name are so bad at points Neil Yo7ng would never write anything like them. On the other hand, it’s melodically Rich.

 

I was lucky to see them live in 1981...great show. I did miss seeing Dan Peek though...