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Bowie has had a fixation with the United States for about as long as he’s been writing. First tempting the topic overtly with, no, not Young Americans, but actually one of the best songs from one of his best albums, a song called Panic In Detroit:

He looked a lot like Che Guevara, drove a diesel van
Kept his gun in quiet seclusion, such a humble man
The only survivor of the national people’s gang.

Panic in Detroit. I asked for an autograph
He wanted to stay home. I wish someone would phone
Panic in Detroit.

He laughed at accidental sirens, that broke the evening gloom
The police had warned of repercussions, they followed none too soon
A trickle of strangers, were all that were left alive

Panic in Detroit. I asked for an autograph
He wanted to stay home. I wish someone would phone
Panic in Detroit

Putting on some clothes I made my way to school
An’ found my teacher crouching in his overalls
I screamed and ran to smash my favorite slot machine
An’ jumped the silent cars that slept at traffic lights.

Having scored a trillion dollars, made a run back home.
Found him slumped across the table, a gun and me alone.
I ran to the window.
Looked for a plane or two.

Panic in Detroit. he’d left me an autograph
Let me collect dust. I wish someone would phone
Panic in Detroit

Now, the lyrics to that one are to say the very least, a load. Che Guevara? I’ve never really thought this was a song about Detroit, re America. I think it’s purely a song about his favorite American performer of the time, Iggy Pop. Iggy looked a lot like Che Guevara, and he was from the Detroit area. In addition, at this time, Bowie was more into personalities than geographies. It’s not that Iggy was AN American to Bowie, Iggy WAS Bowie’s example of America. And, that time particularly, it was a drugged haze that Bowie seems to have very little recollection of. People wonder why Bowie always seems to have some fear of the US, drugs and sleep deprivation will do it every single time.

Bowie again explored the US as a topic with “Young Americans“:

They pulled in just behind the fridge
He lays her down, he frowns
“Gee my life’s a funny thing, am I still too young?”
He kissed her then and there
She took his ring, took his babies
It took him minutes, took her nowhere
Heaven knows, shed have taken anything, butAll night
She wants the young American
Young American, young American, she wants the young American
All right
She wants the young American Scanning life through the picture windows
She finds the slinky vagabond
He coughs as he passes her ford mustang, but
Heaven forbid, shell take anything
But the freak, and his type, all for nothing
He misses a step and cuts his hand, but
Showing nothing, he swoops like a song
She cries where have all papas heroes gone?All night
She wants the young American
Young American, young American, she wants the young American
All right
She wants the young American

All the way from Washington
Her bread-winner begs off the bathroom floor
We live for just these twenty years
Do we have to die for the fifty more?

All night
He wants the young American
Young American, young American, he wants the young American
All right
He wants the young American

Do you remember, your president Nixon?
Do you remember, the bills you have to pay
Or even yesterday

Have you been an un-American?
Just you and your idol singing falsetto bout
Leather, leather everywhere, and
Not a myth left from the ghetto
Well, well, well, would you carry a razor
In case, just in case of depression
Sit on your hands on a bus of survivors
Blushing at all the afro-sheeners
Ain’t that close to love?
Well, ain’t that poster love?
Well, it ain’t that Barbie doll
Her hearts been broken just like you have

And
All night
You want the young American
Young American, young American, you want the young American
All right
You want the young American

You aint a pimp and you ain’t a hustler
A pimps got a Cadi and a lady got a Chrysler
Blacks got respect, and whites got his soul train
Mamas got cramps, and look at your hands ache
I heard the news today, oh boy
I got a suite and you got defeat
Ain’t there a man you can say no more?
And, ain’t there a woman I can sock on the jaw?
And, ain’t there a child I can hold without judging?
Ain’t there a pen that will write before they die?
Aint you proud that you’ve still got faces?
Ain’t there one damn song that can make me
Break down and cry?

All night
I want the young American
Young American, young American, I want the young American
All right
I want the young American
Young American
Young American, young American, I want the young American
(I want with you, I want with you want)
All right
(you want it, I want you you, you want i, I want you want)
Young American, young American, I want the young American (I want to want, to want, to want , to want i, I want you)
All right
(lord I wanted the young American)
(young American)
Young American, young American
I want the young American
Mmmmmm mmm

Bowie seems fascinated with Americans’ fixation on materialism and almost total disregard of positive moral values. But, he seems enticed by it, it’s a mindset he just doesn’t seem to get, but wants to. Although Bowie mentions Washington, he’s living in Los Angeles. Think about what his exposure and influences of America are at that point. He never tried living in Somerset, Kentucky. I’d like to have seen his interpretation of that!

He tackled the US theme again with “This is Not America”:

This is not America, sha la la la laA little piece of you
The little peace in me
Will die [This is not a miracle]
For this is not America Blossom fails to bloom
This season
Promise not to stare
Too long [This is not America]
For this is not the miracleThere was a time
A storm that blew so pure
For this could be the biggest sky
And I could have
The faintest idea

[For this is not America, sha la la la la, sha la la la la, sha la la la la
This is not America, no, this is not, sha la la la la]

Snowman melting
From the inside
Falcon spirals
To the ground [This could be the biggest sky]
So bloody red
Tomorrow’s clouds

A little piece of you
The little piece in me
Will die [This could be a miracle]
For this is not America

There was a time
A wind that blew so young
For this could be the biggest sky
And I could have the faintest idea

[For this is not America, sha la la la la, sha la la la la, sha la la la la
This is not America, no, this is not, sha la la la
This is not America, no, this is not
This is not America, no, this is not, sha la la la]

This one was for the soundtrack of Falcon and the Snowman. It doesn’t really reflect America, it’s about the characters in the movie.

Bowie touched on American values repeatedly over the years, then tackled them once again with “I’m Afraid of America” from Earthling:

Johnny’s in America, low-techs at the wheel
No-one needs anyone, they don’t even just pretend
Johnny’s in AmericaI’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the world
I’m afraid I cant help it
I’m afraid I cant
Johnny’s in America Johnny wants a brain, Johnny wants to suck on a coke
Johnny wants a woman, Johnny wants to think of a joke
Johnny’s in AmericaI’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the world
I’m afraid I cant help it
I’m afraid I cant
Johnny’s in America

Johnny’s in America, Johnny looks up at the stars
Johnny combs his hair and Johnny wants pussy and cars
Johnny’s in America

I’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the world
I’m afraid I cant help it
I’m afraid I cant
Johnny’s in America

God is an American
I’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the world

I’m afraid I cant help it

I’m afraid I cant

I’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the words
I’m afraid I cant help it
I’m afraid I cant
Johnny’s in America
Johnny’s in America

Now, this one looks as unflattering as possible on first read. And, a lot of people take it that way. But, I don’t think it’s what it first appears to be. To me, this song is not about Bowie being afraid of Americans, it’s the perception of the US Bowie sees elsewhere ( supposedly in Indonesia? ). Bowie’s been an American, his interpretation previously was much more complex. To come back and dumb it down is so not-Bowie. He often writes from a third-person perspective, even if HE is the third person. When looking at it from that perspective, it makes a lot more sense to me. Others have other interpretations, I’d like to hear them.

Some people use “I’m Afraid of Americans” as clear-cut evidence that Bowie hates America. I think a lot of evidence points otherwise. When the US was possibly feeling it’s lowest following the attack of 9/11/01, amidst the rubble of downtown New York City, a concert was given to benefit the emergency workers who were working tirelessly twenty-four hours a day non-stop, putting their lives and health at risk with no concern for themselves. This concert was meant only as a morale booster for those people. Front and center for that concert was David Bowie. His rendition of ‘Heroes’ that day is one of his best. He had no reason to do that, he was living in Australia and safe from the terrorism and despair the US was feeling at the time. But, the United States, particularly his memories and friends in New York, apparently left a lasting impression. And, apparently, it wasn’t all bad. And, one thing to remember, if you watch the video, Bowie gets a ROUSING reception. People were dancing in the aisles to ‘Heroes’. And, eventually, they’d boo Hillary Clinton and Richard Gere. What the hell, let’s just watch it!

So, as usual, you can translate Bowie several different ways on this topic. My particular take is like many other things such as religion and how the mind works, Bowie has always been fascinated with America. And, has never figured it out.

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