Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World

Album: Bleed American (2001)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

The band recorded this when they didn't have a record deal. Dozens of radio stations across the States started playing it anyway, which led their signing with Dreamworks.
"Bleed American" is much more pop-influenced then Jimmy Eat World's previous songs. Lead singer Jim Adkins claims that he found it more difficult to write concise pop songs than the more abstract material they had performed in the past, but this undoubtedly led to their mainstream acceptance.
Adkins said of this song: "It's about a general dissatisfaction and a yearning for something more... It describes a feeling that something's missing."
This was engineered by Mark Trombino, who has also worked on many blink-182 tracks.
The album came out in July 2001 and was originally named after this song. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, the album was re-titled.
Drummer Zach Lind told Rock Sound magazine how new influences made Bleed American stand apart from their other albums: "We'd gotten interested in people like Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen - guys who wrote really great, big American rock songs. We'd never really thought about that before, as previously we'd been drawing on more punk and alternative stuff. With Bleed American we liked the idea of trying to make a record in that vein. Clarity wandered quite a lot - it went off on a lot of different tangents and we let it go whatever way we wanted. This was more focused."

Comments: 9

Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnAngry song but it's catchy enough to be commercial.
Sarah from La, Ca♥♥ I LOVE THIS SONG!! It has a great beat!♥♥
Geeker from Snickers, WiThis was Jimmy Eat World's sell-out pop album. It was all down hill after this and now have no originality like they once did with 'Clarity'.
No_id_please from Hippy Town, Coi think this song is cool. it shows how modern america is kinda overated an, well silly. the way people have come to accept things.

"I'm not alone because the TV's on, yeah
I'm not crazy 'cause I take the right pills, every day and rest
Clean your conscience
Clear your thoughts with speyside with your grain

that obviously sais something aobut how we veiw the world. we think electronics can make up for people. and pills can solve all our problems.
Rachel from Sullivan, MoThe imagery in the opening lines of this song is so awesome...the whole "i'm not alone cause the tvs on now" and "im not crazy cause i take the right pills everyday"...really says something about the emotional state that he was in when writing this song. Powerful song...another great one from Jimmy Eat World. I've come to expect great things from them.
Shelby from Norfolk, NeAdkins was also reported saying something along the lines of this song being partially about his anxiety attacks and to get rid of them he would drink Speyside (alcoholic drink---"Clean your conscience, clear your thoughts with speyside") and that the part where he says "bleed from my arm" is about his decision to change. Also alot of this was about getting up and not wasting life. This is a very powerful song.
Garret from Indianapolis, Inrenaming often to the SELF-TITLED LP "Jimmy Eat World" as if it was to be their debute album
Andy from Halifax, EnglandThis was also the pre-9/11 name for the album
Tim from Whitchurch, Hants, Englandthe release was pulled and renamed to "salt, sweat, sugar" in england due to the sept 11th tragedy.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Thinking About YouCalvin Harris

"Thinking About You" was the ninth track from Calvin Harris' 18 Months album to enter the UK singles Top 10. No other artist has obtained so many hits from one LP - Michael Jackson was the previous record holder with seven Top 10 tunes from both his Bad and Dangerous sets.

Don't You Want MeThe Human League

Phil Oakey of The Human League recorded his vocals for "Don't You Want Me" in the studio bathroom. The recording was disrupted by guitarist Jo Callis reaching through an open window from outside to repeatedly flush one of the toilets.

Born In The U.S.A.Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." was inspired by the book (later a movie) Born On The Fourth Of July by Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who protested the war when he returned home.

Silver SpringsFleetwood Mac

Stevie Nicks got the title for the Fleetwood Mac song "Silver Springs" from the city of Silver Spring, Maryland, but the song has nothing to do with the city - it's a message to her bandmate Lindsey Buckingham following their split.

I Write The SongsBarry Manilow

Barry Manilow didn't write his #1 hit "I Write The Songs." Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys wrote it.

Moves Like JaggerMaroon 5

Mick Jagger was a little freaked out when Maroon 5 released "Moves Like Jagger," a celebration of his stage moves. "It puts a bit of pressure on me when I go out dancing," he said.