America
Stephen Sondheim, Marilyn Cooper, Chita Rivera
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Puerto Rico, You lovely island, Island of tropical breezes. Always the pineapples growing, Always the coffee blossom blowing. Puerto Rico, You ugly island, Island of tropic diseases. Always the hurricanes blowing, Always the population growing, And the money owing, And the babies crying, And the bullets flying. I like the island Manhattan. Smoke on your pipe and put that in! Girls sans Rosalia: I like to be in America! O.K. by me in America! Everything free in America For a small fee in America! I like the city of San Juan. I know a boat you can get on. Hundreds of flowers in full bloom. Hundreds of people in each room! Girls sans Rosalia: Automobile in America. Chromium steel in America. Wirespoke wheel in American, Very big deal in America! I'll drive a Buick through San Juan If there's a road you can drive on. I'll give my cousins a free ride. How you get all of them inside? Immigrants goes to America. Many hellos in America. Nobody knows in American, Puerto Rico's in America! I'll bring a T.V. to San Juan. If there's a current to turn on! I'll give them new washing machine. What have they got there to keep clean? I like the shores of America. Comfort is yours in America. Knobs on doors in American, Wall-to-wall floors in America! When I will go back to San Juan. When you will shut up and get gone! Everyone there will give big cheer! Everyone there will have moved here
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Written by: Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Musical Origin"America" is a song from the musical "West Side Story," which premiered on Broadway in 1957. Leonard Bernstein composed the music, and the lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim.
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Character RepresentationIn the musical, Latina character Anita, played by Chita Rivera in the original Broadway production, primarily performs "America."
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Cultural IdentityThe song serves as a commentary on the immigrant experience in America. It articulates the contrasts between the promise and glamour perceived in the American Dream versus the harsh realities facing new immigrants.
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Movie Adaptation"America" was featured in the 1961 film adaptation of "West Side Story" and was once again highlighted in the 2020 remake directed by Steven Spielberg.
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Award-Winning SongThe movie version of "America" won the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture. In the film, the song was performed by Rita Moreno who went on to win an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita.
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Choreographic AchievementsThe song and its accompanying dance sequence, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, are considered iconic in the canon of musical theatre.
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Lyric ChangesIn the original Broadway production, the song was a duet between Anita and Bernardo. However, for the 1961 film adaptation, Stephen Sondheim revised the lyrics, transforming it into a playful argument between female Puerto Rican immigrants, who defend America, and their male counterparts, expressing disillusionment with American life.
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Musical ProwessThe song features shifting tempos between 6/8 and 2/4 time, showcasing Leonard Bernstein's compositional virtuosity.
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Cross-Genre Influence"America" has been covered by numerous artists across different genres, with performances ranging from symphony orchestras to punk rock bands.
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Cultural ImpactEven decades after its initial release, the song remains culturally significant and is often used in discussions on immigration, reflecting the continuing debates about the American Dream.
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Citation
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"America Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/26151818/Stephen+Sondheim/America>.
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