American Dreams (song)
"American Dreams" is a single by American rock band Papa Roach, off of their studio album Crooked Teeth. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017.
"American Dreams" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Papa Roach | ||||
from the album Crooked Teeth | ||||
Released | April 21, 2017 | |||
Recorded | 2016 | |||
Genre | Hard rock[1][2] | |||
Length | 3:23 | |||
Label | Eleven Seven | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Papa Roach singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"American Dreams" on YouTube |
Background
The song was released as a single on April 21, 2017.[3][4] A lyric video was released a week later, on April 28, featuring a static-filled television set that flashes images of war and the American flag alongside the song's lyrics.[5][6] The band released a video of a live acoustic performance of the song in July 2017.[7] In August 2017, the band released a music video for the song, consisting of the band interviewing Americans about their thoughts about the hardships of achieving the "American Dream", interviewing people in a school, barbershop, a boxing gym, and tattoo parlor.[8][9]
Composition and themes
The band teamed up with modern music producers Nicholas Furlong and Colin Brittain to create a sound for the song that melded the band's nu metal sound from their first major record label release Infest, with more modern sounding music.[10] The song starts with a simple guitar chord being played, leading to a heavier, wall of sound of guitar by Jerry Horton and vocals by band frontman Jacoby Shaddix.[11] Shaddix delivers forceful and rhythmic aggressive vocals in the verses, leading up to a large, soaring melodic chorus.[11][12] Lyrically, the song explores sentiments of doubt and detriment in the concept of "The American Dream", with the chorus containing the lines "American lies / We're trying to see through the smoke in our eyes / So give me the truth / Don't tell me your lies / Cause it's harder to breathe / When you're buried alive by American Dreams."[11][13] The lyrics were inspired by Shaddix's resentment of current state of American politics, notably the lowbrow arguments of the 2016 Presidential Debates.[14]
Reception
The song received a mixed reception from critics. Loudwire ranked it as the 19th best hard rock song of 2017.[1] Cryptic Rock praised the song for being "quasi-political" and asking some "eerily pivotal questions", concluding that it was "an interesting direction for the band, it is a truly catchy, upbeat rocker that tackles some weighty subject matter."[15] Conversely, "Metal Sucks" strongly criticized the song's vocals, calling it "terrible".[16]
Personnel
- Jacoby Shaddix – lead vocals
- Jerry Horton – guitar
- Tobin Esperance – bass
- Tony Palermo – drums
Charts
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
---|---|
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] | 16 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[18] | 3 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[19] | 40 |
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[20] | 17 |
References
- http://loudwire.com/25-best-hard-rock-songs-of-2017/
- http://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/album-review/2017/05/review-papa-roach-crooked-teeth/
- Irizarry, Katy (April 21, 2017). "Papa Roach Premiere New Song, "American Dreams"". Revolvermag. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "New Song Premiere: PAPA ROACH's 'American Dreams'". blabbermouth.net. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "Papa Roach premieres "American Dreams" lyric video - Music News - ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "PAPA ROACH Releases Lyric Video For New Song 'American Dreams'". blabbermouth.net. April 28, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/papa-roach-performs-acoustic-version-of-american-dreams-video/
- http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/papa_roach_american_dreams_music_video
- http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2017/8/15/papa-roach-goes-to-school-in-american-dreams-video.html
- "Listen to new Papa Roach track American Dreams". teamrock.com. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "Papa Roach Talk Tainted 'American Dreams' in New Song". Loudwire. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "Crooked Teeth - Papa Roach - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "Papa Roach's 'American Dreams' Sound More Like Nightmares". newrock99x.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- https://theringer.com/jacoby-shaddix-papa-roach-q-a-crooked-teeth-showmanship-politics-paul-ryan-aa4abb7c1155
- "Papa Roach - Crooked Teeth (Album Review) - Cryptic Rock". crypticrock.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "Listen to the Terrible New Papa Roach Song "American Dreams"". MetalSucks. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201746 into search. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
- "Papa Roach Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- "Papa Roach Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- "Papa Roach Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.