America (Prince song)

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"America"
"America" cover
U.S. 7" single
Single by Prince
from the album Around the World in a Day
B-side(s) "Girl"
Released 2 October 1985
Format 7" single
12" single
Recorded The Warehouse, St. Louis Park; 1984
Genre Pop, Rock
Length 7"/album: 3:40
12" single: 21:46
Label Paisley Park Records
Writer(s) Prince and the Revolution
Producer(s) Prince and the Revolution
Chart positions
  • #35 R&B
  • #46 U.S.
Prince singles chronology
"Pop Life"
(1985)
"America"
(1985)
"Kiss"
(1986)
Prince (UK) singles chronology
"Pop Life"
(1985)
"Kiss"
(1986)

"America" was the final U.S. single off Prince and The Revolution's 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The song is critical of the mid-1980s United States, discussing Communism, poverty and nuclear war. The song begins as if it is a record being spun by a DJ. This leads into a guitar solo and a rising keyboard line. The main tune is standard rock and roll and fades out at 3:40. The 12-inch single extended version is notable for being over 20 minutes and including various instrumental solos. The song even fades in this version; in the original extended version the listener can actually hear the audio tape run out, being that Prince and the Revolution had jammed the song out until there was no more room on the tape.

The B-Side of the track was "Girl", a light pop number which speaks of Prince's lust for a woman. The extended version features backward masking of Wendy Melvoin singing the lyrics with the word "boy" replacing "girl".

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