American Girls by Counting Crows

Album: Hard Candy (2002)

Charted: 33

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Songfacts®:

This is about an arrogant guy who gets dumped by his girlfriend after taking her for granted. The song was written by lead singer Adam Duritz, who says it is a dark and nasty song, but you won't know that unless you really listen to it.

Duritz has said that all of the songs he wrote are about him, and many of them are about the many girls he dated.
Sheryl Crow sang backup. She and Counting Crows shared space on many radio station playlists in the mid-late '90s.
After releasing this, the group spent a week opening for The Who on their US tour.

Comments: 8

Mark from Elko, NvEver since I was a kid, I thought this song was about a dude that was a woman trapped in a man's body and he/she was having a difficult time coping. "I wish it was anyone but me. She could've been anyone you see.". But, the explanations above make sense too.
Gabe from Antioch, CaShe's coming out of the closets she's doing drugs in. She locks herself away from him physically and emotionally, immune to his constant pleads for her to get help.
The "little silver" he's talking about is heroin, instead of him changing her she changed him. She says come back tonight referring to come back tonight for more drugs. She never came last friday because she ran off with some other guy. She took his heart when he talks about almost everything, and she robbed his apartment. He's going through his closets meaning he's doing all the drugs she used to do. He wishes it was someone else becuz his heart is broken and he's on drugs.
The last line in the chorus, when he refers to the incredible feeling he means the feeling of the drugs. The rest of the song sounds kinda gay, but he did get a dark message in there. Stay away from broken hearted girls, and drugs.
Gabe from Antioch, CaShe comes out on Fridays every time to get her drugs. He was a random guy she saw on the streets that night, it could've been any guy. She's going to seduce him into taking her out and giving her money. She was clean for a week, but then started doing drugs again. The constant reference to "she had something breakable under her skin" is meant to allude to the needle she's using and her heart. American girls are all weather and noise because he's talking about the exhilarating emotions he goes through while being with the girl (happy, miserable, etc). The incredible feeling he's talking about is the love he feels for the girl.
Liah from Kansas City, Moi agree with rain king. but i dont think the part about putting her clothes on is really what he is trying to put across. he is saying he has the same baggage as her, he bares the same clothes as her metaphorically.
Kara from Montreal, QcAccording to Adam Duritz, this song is really quite simple..."Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl leaves, boy wears the girls clothes."
Charlie from Durham, EnglandAh comment below is SO right, I realised that all my favourite songs are superficially happy sounding, even poppy at times (tho a lot more folky) but all have deeper, sad meanings... I love the contrast!

And though I am a dedicated fan of Crows, I can even agree with Jackh's comment - Duritz' voice can get a little whiney, my ex used to always groan when I put them on, tehe
Rainking from Chicago, IlLike other CC songs, American Girls has a poppy sort of sound to it, but is very dark and depressing. It's about thinking you're in love, then realizing love has nothing to do with it. The girl didn't stay with him the one night because she liked him, it was because of her vulnerabilities and her frame of mind, etc. He could have been anyone that night. She just needed someone. Ironically, he's sort of in the same position as her. He's lonely. He needs somebody else too, but the difference is she meant something to him, but not vice-versa. You know you're pretty lonely and twisted when you're trying on some girl's clothes weeks after a one-night-stand, but there's something very honest and realistic about it. He's basically not a bad guy and his sensitivities are being trampled all over by this screwed-up, self-confident, but confused, American girl.
Jackh from Spokane, WaI just dont like Counting Crows they bug me

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