Single:
American Woman entered the Australian singles chart* on 13 April 1970 and peaked at #43.
Songwriters:
Burton Cummings, Garry Peterson, Jim Kale, Randy Bachman
Producer:
Jack Richardson
Record label of Australian release:
RCA Victor
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Songfacts:
One of the most misinterpreted songs ever, this is often heard as a patriotic ode or a tribute to American women. It’s usually American listeners who arrive at the jingoistic conclusions, ignoring a very clear lyric: “American Woman, get away from me.”
The Guess Who are Canadian, and Burton Cummings (the song’s lyricist) insists it has nothing to do with American pride. “What was on my mind was that girls in the States seemed to get older quicker than our girls and that made them, well, dangerous,” Cummings told the Toronto Star in 2014. “When I said ‘American woman, stay away from me,’ I really meant ‘Canadian woman, I prefer you.’ It was all a happy accident.”
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/the-guess-who/american-woman
Lyrics:
American woman, stay away from me
American woman, mama, let me be
Don’t come a-hangin’ around my door
I don’t wanna see your face no more
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time growin’ old with you
Now woman, I said stay away
American woman, listen what I say
Click for full lyrics
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