“North American Scum” comes on like a 21st Century impressionist painting of early Talking Heads, sharpened, hardened and reshaped out of modern electro. It’s sparse, funky, driving, and as catchy as hell. The formula is not that different from “Daft Punk is Playing In My House”, but where that song...
[Intro]
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
[Verse 1]
Oh, I don't know, I don't know, oh, where to begin
We are North Americans
And for those of you who still think we're from England
We're not, no
We’ve been on planes and on trains 'til we think we might die
Far from North America
Where the buildings are old and you might have lots of mimes
Uh-huh, oh, oh
I hate the feelin' when you're lookin' at me that way
'Cause we're North Americans
But if we act all shy, it'll make it okay
Makes it go away
Oh, I don't know, I don't know, oh, where to begin
When we're North American
But in the end, make the same mistakes all over again
Come on, North Americans
[Chorus]
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh, oh
We are North American scum
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh
We're from North America
[Verse 2]
And all the kids, all the kids don’t wanna make a scene
Here in North America
When all your kids get to read it in your magazines
We don't have those
So where's the love? Where's the love? Where's the love?
Where's the love? Where's the love, tonight?
But there's no love, man, there's no love when the kids are uptight
Uh, uh
So throw a party ‘til the cops come in and bust it up
Let's go, North Americans
Oh, you were planning it? I didn't mean to interrupt
Sorry
I did it once and my parents got pretty upset
Freaked out in North America
But then I said, "The more I do it, the better it gets"
That's my North America
[Chorus]
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh, oh
We are North American scum
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh
We're from North America
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh, oh
We are North American scum
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh
We are North American
[Verse 3]
New York's the greatest if you get someone to pay the rent
Wahoo, North America
And it's the furthest you can live from the government
Uh-huh, huh
Some fat American Christians might disagree
Here in North America
But New York's the only place we keep them off the street
Ooh, ooh
Now, we can't have parties like in Spain where they go all night
Shut down in North America
Or like Berlin where they go another night, alright
Uh-huh, uh-huh
You see, I love this place that I have grown to know
Alright, North America
And yeah, I know you wouldn't touch us with a ten-foot pole
'Cause we're North Americans
[Chorus]
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh, oh
We are North American scum
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh
We are North Americans
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh, oh
We are North American scum
(Ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh
We love North America
[Outro]
(Ah-ah) Take me back to the states, man
North American scum
(Ah-ah) Where we can be in any one of a million new bands
North America
(Ah-ah) Where the DJ gigs aren't as fun
Here in North American scum
(Ah-ah) But don't blame the Canadians
Look out, North America
North American Scum was written by James Murphy.
North American Scum was produced by The DFA.
LCD Soundsystem released North American Scum on Mon Feb 26 2007.