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{{More footnotes|date=September 2020}}{{short description|Song from the musical West Side Story}}
{{Short description|Song from the musical West Side Story}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:America (''West Side Story'' song)}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:America (''West Side Story'' song)}}
'''America''' is a song from the 1957 [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[West Side Story]]''. [[Stephen Sondheim]] wrote the lyrics and [[Leonard Bernstein]] composed the music.
"'''America'''" is a song from the 1957 [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[West Side Story]]''. [[Stephen Sondheim]] wrote the lyrics and [[Leonard Bernstein]] composed the music.


==Content==
==Content==
In the original stage version, Anita &ndash; the [[girlfriend]] of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, and the most important female character after Maria &ndash; praises [[United States|America]] while a fellow [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]], Rosalia, supports Puerto Rico.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maslon |first=Laurence |author-link=Laurence Maslon |date=October 8, 2021 |title=The divided states of "America" – why Rita Moreno objected to West Side Story's original lyrics |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/the-divided-states-of-america-why-rita-moreno-objected-to-west-side-storys-original-lyrics/18671/ |access-date=August 20, 2023 |website=[[PBS]]}}</ref> This version of the song deprecates the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life ("I'll drive a [[Buick]] through [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]/If there's a road you can drive on"). The irony of this supposedly pro-American number, however, is its vibrantly [[Hispanic]] musical style, with [[Latin percussion]], complex [[cross-rhythm]] and [[Classical guitar|Spanish guitar]].

In the original stage version, Anita &ndash; the [[girlfriend]] of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, and the most important female character after Maria &ndash; praises [[United States|America]] while a fellow [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]], Rosalia, supports Puerto Rico. This version of the song deprecates the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life ("I'll drive a [[Buick]] through [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]/If there's a road you can drive on"). The irony of this supposedly pro-American number, however, is its vibrantly [[Hispanic]] musical style, with [[Latin percussion]], complex [[cross-rhythm]] and [[Classical guitar|Spanish guitar]].


In the [[West Side Story (1961 film)|1961 film version]], Anita, played by [[Rita Moreno]], still sings in favor of the United States while Bernardo, played by [[George Chakiris]], replies with corresponding criticisms of America and American ethnic [[prejudice]], especially against Puerto Ricans ("Life is alright in America/If you're all White in America"). Some of the original song's disparagement was removed. In 2004, this version finished at No.&thinsp;35 in [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs]] survey of top tunes in American cinema.
In the [[West Side Story (1961 film)|1961 film version]], Anita, played by [[Rita Moreno]], still sings in favor of the United States while Bernardo, played by [[George Chakiris]], replies with corresponding criticisms of America and American ethnic [[prejudice]], especially against Puerto Ricans ("Life is alright in America/If you're all White in America"). Some of the original song's disparagement was removed. In 2004, this version finished at No.&thinsp;35 in [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs]] survey of top tunes in American cinema.


The [[West Side Story (2021 film)|2021 film version]] of the song, sung by [[Ariana DeBose]] as Anita, [[David Alvarez (actor)|David Alvarez]] as Bernardo, [[Ana Isabelle]] as Rosalia and Ilda Mason as Luz, is a hybrid of both the stage and 1961 film versions, except now taking place the morning after the dance at the gym, and in the streets of the Puerto Rican community's area of the city.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bouzereau|first1=Laurent| url=https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/west-side-story_9781419750632| title=''West Side Story'' the Making of the Steven Spielberg Film|year=2021| isbn=9781419750632}}</ref> This film's version of song was nominated for Best Scene at the [[St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards 2021|2021 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards]] and for [[MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Moment|Best Musical Moment]] at the [[2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://awardswatch.com/st-louis-film-critics-nominations-licorice-pizza-west-side-story-lead/ |title=St. Louis Film Critics nominations: 'Licorice Pizza,' 'West Side Story' lead |first=Erik |last=Anderson |publisher=AwardsWatch |date=December 12, 2021 |access-date=December 12, 2021}}</ref>
The [[West Side Story (2021 film)|2021 film version]] of the song, sung by [[Ariana DeBose]] as Anita, [[David Alvarez (actor)|David Alvarez]] as Bernardo, [[Ana Isabelle]] as Rosalia and Ilda Mason as Luz, is a hybrid of both the stage and 1961 film versions, except now taking place the morning after the dance at the gym, and in the streets of the Puerto Rican community's area of the city.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bouzereau|first1=Laurent| url=https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/west-side-story_9781419750632| title=''West Side Story'' the Making of the Steven Spielberg Film|year=2021|publisher=Abrams | isbn=9781419750632}}</ref> This film's version of the song was nominated for Best Scene at the [[St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards 2021|2021 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards]] and for [[MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Moment|Best Musical Moment]] at the [[2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://awardswatch.com/st-louis-film-critics-nominations-licorice-pizza-west-side-story-lead/ |title=St. Louis Film Critics nominations: 'Licorice Pizza,' 'West Side Story' lead |first=Erik |last=Anderson |publisher=AwardsWatch |date=December 12, 2021 |access-date=December 12, 2021}}</ref>


The song employs a [[mixed meter]]:
The song employs a [[mixed meter]]:
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{{Listen
{{Listen
|filename=Original Broadway Cast-West Side Story America.ogg
|filename=Original Broadway Cast-West Side Story America.ogg
|title=Original Broadway Cast "America" (1957)
|title=Original Broadway Cast "America" (1957)
|description=27 second sample from the original Broadway casting of "West Side Story".
|description=A 28-second sample from the [[West Side Story (Original Broadway Cast)|original Broadway cast recording of ''West Side Story'']]
|format=[[Ogg]]}}
|format=[[Ogg]]}}


The alternating bars of {{music|time|6|8}} (six eighth-notes in two groups of three) with {{music|time|3|4}} (three quarter-notes) (similar to a [[Guajiras (Flamenco)|guajira]]) is a distinctive characteristic of the song. This rhythm has been called both a [[hemiola]] and a [[habanera (music)|habanera]] but is not really either.&ensp;The two bar-types alternate and are not superposed, as in a hemiola.&ensp;The alternation is comparable with the "[[Habanera (aria)|Habanera]]" from "[[Carmen]]", but "America" lacks the distinctive characteristic underlying rhythm of the habanera form.
The alternating bars of {{music|time|6|8}} (six eighth-notes in two groups of three) with {{music|time|3|4}} (three quarter-notes) (similar to a [[Guajiras (Flamenco)|guajira]]) is a distinctive characteristic of the song. This rhythm has been called both a [[hemiola]] and a [[habanera (music)|habanera]] but is not really either. The two bar types alternate and are not superposed, as in a hemiola. The alternation is comparable with the "[[Habanera (aria)|Habanera]]" from "[[Carmen]]", but "America" lacks the distinctive characteristic underlying rhythm of the habanera form.


[[Stephen Sondheim]] claims that [[Leonard Bernstein | Bernstein]] returned from a holiday in [[Puerto Rico]] and told him he had come across a wonderful dance rhythm called Huapango which gave him the idea for the song. Many years later, a friend of Sondheim's found, in a box of Bernstein's papers, an unproduced ballet called Conch Town which contained the tune. Sondheim concludes that Bernstein had invented the story of finding the rhythm on holiday simply so he could reuse an old tune.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |type=Commentary Track |others=[[Stephen Sondheim]] |id=MGM Home Video |title-link=West Side Story (1961 film) |title=West Side Story (1961 film) |publisher=MGM Home Video |year=2012}}</ref>
[[Stephen Sondheim]] claims that [[Leonard Bernstein |Bernstein]] returned from a holiday in [[Puerto Rico]] and told him he had come across a wonderful dance rhythm called Huapango which gave him the idea for the song. Many years later, a friend of Sondheim's found, in a box of Bernstein's papers, an unproduced ballet called Conch Town which contained the tune. Sondheim concludes that Bernstein had invented the story of finding the rhythm on holiday simply so he could reuse an old tune.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |type=Commentary Track |others=[[Stephen Sondheim]] |id=MGM Home Video |title-link=West Side Story (1961 film) |title=West Side Story (1961 film) |publisher=MGM Home Video |year=2012}}</ref>


The composer's tempo instruction is “Tempo di [[Huapango]].
The composer's tempo instruction is "Tempo di [[Huapango]]".


==Cover versions==
==Cover versions==
An instrumental version, with the signature rhythm reduced to a uniform {{music|time|4|4}}, was released in 1963 by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass on their album ''[[Volume 2 (Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass album)|Volume 2]]''.
*An instrumental version, with the signature rhythm reduced to a uniform {{music|time|4|4}}, was released in 1963 by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass on their album ''[[Volume 2 (Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass album)|Volume 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000652942|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 28, 2023}}</ref>
*[[Trini Lopez]] covered "America" in 1963 for his first album ''[[Trini Lopez at PJ's]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/trini-lopez-at-pjs-mw0000591232|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 28, 2023}}</ref>

*In 1968, [[The Nice]], featuring [[Keith Emerson]], covered an instrumental version of "America" as the band's second single. This version had the main theme playing against a straight {{music|time|4|4}} beat, also including pieces of [[Dvořák]]'s ''[[New World Symphony]]'', then changing in the middle to {{music|time|6|8}} for improvised guitar and organ solos. At a July 7, 1968, concert at the [[Royal Albert Hall]], the band controversially burned an American flag after performing the song.<ref>Dome, Malcolm. [http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-12-10/story-behind-the-song-america-by-the-nice "The Story Behind The Song: America by The Nice"]. Retrieved June 28, 2017. {{webarchive |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201009071607/https://www.loudersound.com/features/story-behind-the-song-america-by-the-nice |date=October 9, 2020}}.</ref> Emerson later folded the melody into a great many of his jams including the finale medley on [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]]'s 1992-1993 tours, which also used musical themes from "[[Blue Rondo à la Turk]]", a jazz standard composed by [[Dave Brubeck]]. An example of this medley can be found on the album ''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Emerson, Lake and Palmer album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]''.
[[Trini Lopez]] covered "America" in 1963 for his first album ''[[Trini Lopez at PJ's]]''.
*The English psychobilly band [[King Kurt]] covered this song on an EP called ''America'', released in 1986.

*[[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem]] performed an instrumental rendition on a 1979 episode of ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' before being interrupted by various [[The Muppets|Muppets]] from other countries.
In 1968, [[The Nice]], featuring [[Keith Emerson]], covered an instrumental version of "America" as the band's second single. This version had the main theme playing against a straight {{music|time|4|4}} beat, also including pieces of [[Dvořák]]'s ''[[New World Symphony]]'', then changing in the middle to {{music|time|6|8}} for improvised guitar and organ solos. At a July 7, 1968, concert at the [[Royal Albert Hall]], the band controversially burned an American flag after performing the song.<ref>Dome, Malcolm. [http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-12-10/story-behind-the-song-america-by-the-nice "The Story Behind The Song: America by The Nice"]. Retrieved June 28, 2017.</ref> Emerson later folded the melody into a great many of his jams including the finale medley on [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]]'s 1992-1993 tours, which also used musical themes from "[[Blue Rondo à la Turk]]", a jazz standard composed by [[Dave Brubeck]]. An example of this medley can be found on the album ''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Emerson, Lake and Palmer album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]''.
*A version of this song was performed by the in-house band and singers to introduce a 2012 episode of the Polish version of [[Name That Tune]], ''Jaka to Melodia?'', complete with a set of dancers.

*This song was also used in an episode of ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' (season 3 episode 5: "[[The First Time (Glee)|The First Time]]"), and sung by [[Naya Rivera]] (as [[Santana Lopez]]) in the role of Anita, and [[Mark Salling]] (as [[Puck (Glee)|Noah "Puck" Puckerman]]) in the role of Bernardo.
The English psychobilly band [[King Kurt]] covered this song on an EP called ''America'', released in 1986.
*The [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]]' [[America (Yes)|cover]] of [[Simon & Garfunkel]]'s "[[America (Simon & Garfunkel song)|America]]", bassist [[Chris Squire]] quotes the ''West Side Story'' song near the conclusion of their instrumental intro.

The heavy-metal band [[Metallica]] incorporated a few bars from the song in the opening riff from their song, "[[Don't Tread on Me (Metallica song)|Don't Tread on Me]]". The "America" melody again featured prominently in a 1986 jam with [[Paul Shaffer]] on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]''.

[[Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem]] performed an instrumental rendition on a 1979 episode of ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' before being interrupted by various [[The Muppets|Muppets]] from other countries.

A version of this song was performed by the in-house band and singers to introduce a 2012 episode of the Polish version of [[Name That Tune]], ''Jaka to Melodia?'', complete with a set of dancers.

This song was also used in an episode of ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' (season 3 episode 5: "[[The First Time (Glee)|The First Time]]"), and sung by [[Naya Rivera]] (as [[Santana Lopez]]) in the role of Anita, and [[Mark Salling]] (as [[Puck (Glee)|Noah "Puck" Puckerman]]) in the role of Bernardo.

In the [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]]' [[America (Yes)|cover]] of [[Simon & Garfunkel]]'s "[[America (Simon & Garfunkel song)|America]]", bassist [[Chris Squire]] quotes the ''West Side Story'' song near the conclusion of their instrumental intro.


==Usage in popular culture==
==Usage in popular culture==
A theme from "America" was referenced by [[John Williams]] for his celebratory ''[[For New York]]'', composed in 1988 for Bernstein's 70th birthday gala.<ref>{{cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Joseph |title=For New York, variations on themes of Leonard Bernstein for orchestra |work=[[AllMusic]] |url=http://www.allmusic.com/composition/for-new-york-variations-on-themes-of-leonard-bernstein-for-orchestra-mc0002492137 |access-date=January 30, 2015}}</ref>
*A theme from "America" was referenced by [[John Williams]] for his celebratory ''[[For New York]]'', composed in 1988 for Bernstein's 70th birthday gala.<ref>{{cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Joseph |title=For New York, variations on themes of Leonard Bernstein for orchestra |work=[[AllMusic]] |url=http://www.allmusic.com/composition/for-new-york-variations-on-themes-of-leonard-bernstein-for-orchestra-mc0002492137 |access-date=January 30, 2015}}</ref>
*In 1989, a verse of the song was sampled in [[Big Audio Dynamite]]'s single "[[James Brown (song)|James Brown]]" with a [[Four on the floor (music)|4/4]] beat underneath.

*In 2011, the song was covered by the cast of musical comedy television series ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' in the fifth episode of the [[Glee (season 3)|third season]], "[[The First Time (Glee)|The First Time]]" (aired on November 8), with character [[Santana Lopez]] (portrayed by [[Naya Rivera]]) on the lead.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://popdust.com/2011/11/04/glee-the-first-time-west-side-story-uptown-girl/ |title="Glee" Performs "West Side Story" and Billy Joel on Tuesday's "The First Time" - Popdust |access-date=2013-10-25 |archive-date=2013-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200134/http://popdust.com/2011/11/04/glee-the-first-time-west-side-story-uptown-girl/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> A minor controversy was caused over using the film version of the song, while a high school would normally use the stage version.
In 1989, a verse of the song was sampled in [[Big Audio Dynamite]]'s single "[[James Brown (song)|James Brown]]" with a [[Four on the floor (music)|4/4]] beat underneath.
*In 2003, the song was used in advertisements for [[Admiral Insurance]] though with different lyrics.

*In 1994, the song was the unofficial anthem at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]] in the United States and was sung by the [[Three Tenors]] (Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti) at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles to an estimated global TV audience of 1.3 billion viewers. The BBC also used it as its theme for its coverage of the World Cup.
In 2011, the song was covered by the cast of musical comedy television series ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' in the fifth episode of the [[Glee (season 3)|third season]], "[[The First Time (Glee)|The First Time]]" (aired on November 8), with character [[Santana Lopez]] (portrayed by [[Naya Rivera]]) on the lead.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://popdust.com/2011/11/04/glee-the-first-time-west-side-story-uptown-girl/ |title="Glee" Performs "West Side Story" and Billy Joel on Tuesday's "The First Time" - Popdust |access-date=2013-10-25 |archive-date=2013-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200134/http://popdust.com/2011/11/04/glee-the-first-time-west-side-story-uptown-girl/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> A minor controversy was caused over using the film version of the song, while a high school would normally use the stage version.
*A version of the song with truncated lyrics is used in the end credits of the 2018 film ''[[Vice (2018 film)|Vice]]''.

*In 1991, [[Metallica]] interpolated the chorus as the intro of their song '[[Don't Tread on Me (Metallica song)|Don't Tread On Me]]".<ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211203-the-music-of-west-side-story-from-bernstein-to-metallica The music of 'West Side Story', from Bernstein to Metallica]</ref> The "America" melody again featured prominently in a 1986 jam with [[Paul Shaffer]] on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]''.
In 2003, the song was used in advertisements for [[Admiral Insurance]] though with different lyrics.
*''[[The Simpsons]]'' released a short titled "West Wing Story" that featured a parody of the song performed by [[Donald Trump]] and [[The Squad (United States Congress)|The Squad]].<ref>{{cite web |title=West Wing Story THE SIMPSONS |work=[[The Simpsons]] |date=20 August 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErhaWVG0o1I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/ErhaWVG0o1I |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=November 27, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

*The song is parodied during a medley of Broadway songs in ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''’s 2020 sketch “Airport Sushi” about New York City's [[LaGuardia airport]], performed by [[John Mulaney]], [[Cecily Strong]], and [[Kenan Thompson]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airport Sushi - SNL |work=[[Saturday Night Live]] |date=29 February 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7Vk_qaiB8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/6d7Vk_qaiB8 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=March 23, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In 1994, the song was the unofficial anthem at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]] in the United States and was sung by the [[Three Tenors]] (Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti) at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles to an estimated global TV audience of 1.3 billion viewers.
* A [[supercut]] of the musical number, combining the footage of the 1961 and 2021 film versions of the sequence, was edited and uploaded by narrative/documentary filmmaker [[Max Hechtman]] to his [[YouTube]] channel on March 13, 2022 and was featured in an article for ''[[Collider (website)|Collider]]'' on "10 Great Movies That Had a Decades-Long Gap Between Them and Their Remake."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0jVQT0Brzw "America" - West Side Story 1961/2021 Supercut on YouTube]</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Pineda Pacheco|first=Diego|title=Better Late Than Never: 10 Great Movies That Had a Decades-Long Gap Between Them and Their Remake|url=https://collider.com/better-late-than-never-films-that-had-gap-between-original-and-remake/#39-west-side-story-39-1961-and-2021|work=Collider|access-date=29 January 2024|date=September 26, 2022}}</ref>

A version of the song with truncated lyrics is used in the end credits of the 2018 film ''[[Vice (2018 film)|Vice]]''.

In 1991, [[Metallica]] interpolated the chorus as the intro of their song '[[Don't Tread on Me (Metallica song)|Don't Tread On Me]]".<ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211203-the-music-of-west-side-story-from-bernstein-to-metallica The music of 'West Side Story', from Bernstein to Metallica]</ref>

''[[The Simpsons]]'' released a short titled "West Wing Story' that featured a parody of the song performed by [[Donald Trump]] and [[The Squad (United States Congress)|The Squad]].<ref>{{cite web |title=West Wing Story THE SIMPSONS |work=[[The Simpsons]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErhaWVG0o1I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/ErhaWVG0o1I |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=November 27, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The song is parodied during a medley of Broadway songs in ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''’s 2020 sketch “Airport Sushi” about New York City's [[LaGuardia airport]], performed by [[John Mulaney]], [[Cecily Strong]], and [[Kenan Thompson]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airport Sushi - SNL |work=[[Saturday Night Live]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7Vk_qaiB8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/6d7Vk_qaiB8 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=March 23, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 70: Line 53:
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060602095342/http://www.westsidestory.com/site/level2/lyrics/america.html Song lyric (stage version)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060602095342/http://www.westsidestory.com/site/level2/lyrics/america.html Song lyric (stage version)]
*[http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/amerika.htm Song lyric (film version)]
*[http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/amerika.htm Song lyric (film version)]
*{{YouTube|w0jVQT0Brzw|"America" (1961/2021 Supercut)}}
*[http://loc.gov/loc/lcib/0709/westside.html Birth of a Classic: West Side Story (September 2007) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin]
*[http://loc.gov/loc/lcib/0709/westside.html Birth of a Classic: West Side Story (September 2007) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin]


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{{Stephen Sondheim}}
{{Stephen Sondheim}}
{{West Side Story}}
{{West Side Story}}

{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}


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[[Category:Immediate Records singles]]
[[Category:Immediate Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Stephen Sondheim]]
[[Category:Songs written by Stephen Sondheim]]
[[Category:Trini Lopez songs]]

Latest revision as of 14:15, 23 September 2024

"America" is a song from the 1957 musical West Side Story. Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics and Leonard Bernstein composed the music.

Content

[edit]

In the original stage version, Anita – the girlfriend of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, and the most important female character after Maria – praises America while a fellow Puerto Rican, Rosalia, supports Puerto Rico.[1] This version of the song deprecates the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life ("I'll drive a Buick through San Juan/If there's a road you can drive on"). The irony of this supposedly pro-American number, however, is its vibrantly Hispanic musical style, with Latin percussion, complex cross-rhythm and Spanish guitar.

In the 1961 film version, Anita, played by Rita Moreno, still sings in favor of the United States while Bernardo, played by George Chakiris, replies with corresponding criticisms of America and American ethnic prejudice, especially against Puerto Ricans ("Life is alright in America/If you're all White in America"). Some of the original song's disparagement was removed. In 2004, this version finished at No. 35 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

The 2021 film version of the song, sung by Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Ana Isabelle as Rosalia and Ilda Mason as Luz, is a hybrid of both the stage and 1961 film versions, except now taking place the morning after the dance at the gym, and in the streets of the Puerto Rican community's area of the city.[2] This film's version of the song was nominated for Best Scene at the 2021 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards and for Best Musical Moment at the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards.[3]

The song employs a mixed meter:

"I like to be in A-mer-i-ca" from West Side Story.
"I like to be in A-mer-i-ca" from West Side Story.

The alternating bars of 6
8
(six eighth-notes in two groups of three) with 3
4
(three quarter-notes) (similar to a guajira) is a distinctive characteristic of the song. This rhythm has been called both a hemiola and a habanera but is not really either. The two bar types alternate and are not superposed, as in a hemiola. The alternation is comparable with the "Habanera" from "Carmen", but "America" lacks the distinctive characteristic underlying rhythm of the habanera form.

Stephen Sondheim claims that Bernstein returned from a holiday in Puerto Rico and told him he had come across a wonderful dance rhythm called Huapango which gave him the idea for the song. Many years later, a friend of Sondheim's found, in a box of Bernstein's papers, an unproduced ballet called Conch Town which contained the tune. Sondheim concludes that Bernstein had invented the story of finding the rhythm on holiday simply so he could reuse an old tune.[4]

The composer's tempo instruction is "Tempo di Huapango".

Cover versions

[edit]
[edit]
  • A theme from "America" was referenced by John Williams for his celebratory For New York, composed in 1988 for Bernstein's 70th birthday gala.[8]
  • In 1989, a verse of the song was sampled in Big Audio Dynamite's single "James Brown" with a 4/4 beat underneath.
  • In 2011, the song was covered by the cast of musical comedy television series Glee in the fifth episode of the third season, "The First Time" (aired on November 8), with character Santana Lopez (portrayed by Naya Rivera) on the lead.[9] A minor controversy was caused over using the film version of the song, while a high school would normally use the stage version.
  • In 2003, the song was used in advertisements for Admiral Insurance though with different lyrics.
  • In 1994, the song was the unofficial anthem at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States and was sung by the Three Tenors (Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti) at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles to an estimated global TV audience of 1.3 billion viewers. The BBC also used it as its theme for its coverage of the World Cup.
  • A version of the song with truncated lyrics is used in the end credits of the 2018 film Vice.
  • In 1991, Metallica interpolated the chorus as the intro of their song 'Don't Tread On Me".[10] The "America" melody again featured prominently in a 1986 jam with Paul Shaffer on Late Night with David Letterman.
  • The Simpsons released a short titled "West Wing Story" that featured a parody of the song performed by Donald Trump and The Squad.[11]
  • The song is parodied during a medley of Broadway songs in Saturday Night Live’s 2020 sketch “Airport Sushi” about New York City's LaGuardia airport, performed by John Mulaney, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson.[12]
  • A supercut of the musical number, combining the footage of the 1961 and 2021 film versions of the sequence, was edited and uploaded by narrative/documentary filmmaker Max Hechtman to his YouTube channel on March 13, 2022 and was featured in an article for Collider on "10 Great Movies That Had a Decades-Long Gap Between Them and Their Remake."[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ Maslon, Laurence (October 8, 2021). "The divided states of "America" – why Rita Moreno objected to West Side Story's original lyrics". PBS. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Bouzereau, Laurent (2021). West Side Story the Making of the Steven Spielberg Film. Abrams. ISBN 9781419750632.
  3. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 12, 2021). "St. Louis Film Critics nominations: 'Licorice Pizza,' 'West Side Story' lead". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  4. ^ West Side Story (1961 film) (Commentary Track). Stephen Sondheim. MGM Home Video. 2012. MGM Home Video.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  6. ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  7. ^ Dome, Malcolm. "The Story Behind The Song: America by The Nice". Retrieved June 28, 2017. Archived October 9, 2020, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ Stevenson, Joseph. "For New York, variations on themes of Leonard Bernstein for orchestra". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  9. ^ ""Glee" Performs "West Side Story" and Billy Joel on Tuesday's "The First Time" - Popdust". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  10. ^ The music of 'West Side Story', from Bernstein to Metallica
  11. ^ "West Wing Story THE SIMPSONS". The Simpsons. 20 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  12. ^ "Airport Sushi - SNL". Saturday Night Live. 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "America" - West Side Story 1961/2021 Supercut on YouTube
  14. ^ Pineda Pacheco, Diego (September 26, 2022). "Better Late Than Never: 10 Great Movies That Had a Decades-Long Gap Between Them and Their Remake". Collider. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
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