sparkospunky's Full Review: History - America's Greatest Hits by America (Rock...
History--America's Greatest Hits, was first released in October of 1975, and rereleased in July of 1987. The album represents a collection of some of the most popular songs of this trio which were recorded in their relatively brief career. Some of the songs on the album were remixed by Beatle guru George Martin, whose engineering skills are unquestionable.
According to the liner notes, America's members were all sons of United States Air Force officers, and they met in an American school in England. Their love of acoustic music, clean harmonies and simple musical arrangements brought them together, and the result was a string of Top Ten hits over a very short period of time.
The members of America, and their contributions, are as follows:
A list of the tracks and my comments on each follow:
1. A Horse With No Name--This was America's first hit. It's an acoustic-guitar driven song with a bouncy, signature bass line, and some excellent "la-la" harmomies in the refrain. The acoustic guitar solo has some nice overdubbed harmony parts, and has a somewhat jazzy feel. The lyrics are almost surreal; the singer could be describing a desert seen while in the throes of a delirium, or a drug-induced hallucination.
2. I Need You--A really pretty melody which is somewhat Beatlesque. A beautiful piano line drives this song, complimented by an array of acoustic guitars. The arrangement features a time change in the bridges, and the three-part harmonies are lush.
3. Sandman--This song is in a minor key, which gives it a somewhat dark, rainy feel. A twelve-string acoustic guitar is the musical foundation, joined by a melodic bass line, and some really fine harmonies. The tempo picks up, featuring a twelve-string solo and a driving bass line, before returning to the original beat. This one has one of my favorite lines--"We ain't had no time to drink that beer". The acappela vocals at the end are a nice touch.
4. Ventura Highway--This tune is a stark contrast to the prior song--it's bright and upbeat. The key is a major seventh, which accounts for the uplifting feel of the song. There's a neat acoustic guitar lick throughout which features an overdubbed harmony line, and the three-part vocals are again top notch.
5. Don't Cross The River--This one has a banjo part contributed by a sessions player, and it contributes to the decidedly folk flavor of this song. It sounds sort of like a modern "Oh, Susannah", and it has a distinct rustic feel.
6. Only In Your Heart--A piano-driven song that to me is faintly reminiscent of some of the early British groups. It's really a pretty unremarkable song, and is my least favorite track on the album. The line "Mary, have you seen better days" might be an anti-drug comment. The ending reinforces this idea with the electric, psychedelic-sounding guitar lick.
7. Muskrat Love--A playful little ditty about Muskrat Susie and Muskrat Sam, in a major seventh key. The arrangement is very simple and subdued, and the acoustic guitar is central to the tune. Background harmonies are wonderful again.
8. Tin Man--Another song in a major seven key, with a stuttering, distinctive bass line. It features some interesting lyrics related to the Wizard of Oz, and the harmonies really define this group.
9. Lonely People--An acoustic guitar starts this one, accompanied by a melodic bass line. The message is somewhat sad, but the music and bridge provide an optimistic uplift. The harmonica solo, after the singer says "Hit it!" is really special, and the rollicking piano solo which follows tops it off.
10. Sister Golden Hair--This is about as rockin' as America ever got--a driving acoustic guitar kicks it off, ornamented by a tasteful slide guitar. When the entire band joins in, the song moves along pretty good, although it's far from hard rock n' roll. Everything stops, and the intro is repeated, and it's a good effect. The background harmonies fill it out.
11. Daisy Jane--A piano starts this somewhat subdued, reflective song. The harmonies are simply gorgeous and intensely moving, and the tune creates in me a sense of longing. The violin line adds just the right somber touch.
12. Woman Tonight--The song is about beat--we're well into the song before we we can put a finger on the rhythm. This is a piece of formulaic pop, well-distanced from the folk roots of this group. The fuzz bass solo is well done, and the electric guitar and piano compliment it perfectly.
America will not go down in history as one of the great bands of all time, and their influence on other musicians is probably not pervasive at all. They were a fine group for their type of music, and their vocal harmonies had a distinct style.
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