Songfacts®:

• During the 2008 American elections, Portugal. The Man frontman John Gourley was in Germany and found himself discussing politics with a German. The conversation made Gourley realize that his new friend knew far more about America and its political scene than he did about Germany's. That gave him the idea for the song. "I've been to Germany nine or 10 times and know so little, if not absolutely nothing, about the country's politics," Gourley told Spinner. "It's just so funny because the way we [Americans] are is pretty relaxed, like, 'Do what you want. I'm not going to be a part of this.' And I thought it's so American to just let things go and say whatever and just let it happen."