American Life
Madonna * Track #1 On American Life (The Remixes)
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Album American Life (The Remixes)
- #1American Life
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- #2
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American Life (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix)Madonna
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American Life (Felix Da Housecat’s Devin Dazzle Club Remix)Madonna
- #5American Life (Peter Rauhofer’s American Anthem, Pt. 1)
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- #6American Life (Peter Rauhofer’s American Anthem, Pt. 2)
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Die Another Day (Calderone & Quayle After Life Mix)Madonna
American Life by Madonna
Release Date
Performed by
MadonnaAbout
“American Life” is the lead single and title-track of Madonna’s ninth studio album. A pop, techno and folk song, its lyrics feature political and religious views from the singer, who questions the shallowness of modern life and the illusion of the American Dream, specially during the presidency of G...
American Life Lyrics
[Intro]
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
[Verse 1]
I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
It's why I wrote this song
This type of modern life, is it for me?
This type of modern life, is it for free?
[Verse 2]
So, I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It's more easily said
It's always been the same
This type of modern life, is not for me
This type of modern life, is not for free
[Chorus]
American life (American life)
I live the American Dream (American Dream)
You are the best thing I've seen
You are not just a dream (American life)
[Verse 3]
I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But somehow I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more
This type of modern life, is it for me?
This type of modern life, is it for free?
[Refrain]
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
[Chorus]
American life (American life)
I live the American Dream (American Dream)
You are the best thing I've seen
You are not just a dream (American life)
[Verse 4]
I tried to be a boy
Tried to be a girl
Tried to be a mess
Tried to be the best
Tried to find a friend
Tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
Fuck it
[Refrain]
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
[Break]
Ah, fuck it
Ah, fuck it
Ah, fuck it
Ah, fuck it
[Verse 5]
I'm drinking a soy latte, I get a double shoté
It goes right through my body, and you know I'm satisfied
I drive my Mini Cooper and I'm feeling super-duper
Yo, they tell I'm a trooper, and you know I'm satisfied
I do yoga and pilates, and the room is full of hotties
So I'm checking out the bodies, and you know I'm satisfied
I'm digging on the isotopes, this metaphysics shit is dope
And if all this can give me hope, you know I'm satisfied
I got a lawyer and a manager, an agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant, and a driver and a jet
A trainer, and a butler, and a bodyguard of five
A gardener and a stylist, do you think I'm satisfied?
I'd like to express my extreme point of view
I'm not a Christian and I'm not a Jew
I'm just livin' out the American Dream
And I just realized that nothin' is what it seems
[Outro]
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American Dream)
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American Dream)
Do I have to change my name?
(American life, I live the American Dream)
(American life, I live the American Dream)
(American life, I live the American Dream)
(American life)
American Life Q&A
Who wrote American Life's ?
American Life was written by Madonna & Mirwais Ahmadzaï.
Who produced American Life's ?
American Life was produced by Madonna & Mirwais Ahmadzaï.
When did Madonna release American Life?
Madonna released American Life on Mon Mar 24 2003.
What did Madonna say about "American Life"?
“[The song] was like a trip down memory lane, looking back at everything I’ve accomplished and all the things I once valued and all the things that were important to me. What is my perspective now? I’ve fought for so many things, I’ve tried so hard to be number one and to stay on top, to look good,...
Has Madonna said anything about the controversy behind the music video?
I feel lucky to be an American citizen for many reasons – one of which is the right to express myself freely, especially in my work. I understand that there have been reports about my upcoming video ‘American Life’ in the media – much of which is inaccurate. I am not Anti-Bush. I am not pro-Iraq. I...
Was an alternate music video released?
Originally, no. The videos below, labelled as the “Directors Cut” were never officially released in 2003, and were pulled and replaced with a new video. On April 26, 2023, the explicit Directors Cut was officially released by Madonna through YouTube for the first time.
Directors Cut (Version 1) [Cl...
How did the song perform commercially?
The song peaked at #7 in Australia, #37 on the US Hot 100, #1 on US Dance Club Songs chart, as well as #1 in Canada and #1 in Denmark.
More chart positions are available via acharts.
Does Madonna feel she made the right decision pulling the explicit music video?
I do. I did it because I didn’t want people throwing rocks at my children on the way to school. I did it for them, not for me. There’s a lynch mob mentality that goes on. If you’re one person on your own and you have no responsibility for people around you then that’s one thing, but I had to think a...
What has Madonna said about her rapping in the fifth verse?
Basically, we [she and Ahmadzaï] had recorded the whole song and we had this instrumental thing at the end, and Mirwais was like, ‘You know what, you have to go and do a rap.’ And I was like, ‘Get out of here, I don’t rap.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah you do. Just go in there, just do it.’ He totally enc...