I wrote this novel just for you
It sounds pretentious but it's true
I wrote this novel just for you
That's why it's vulgar
That's why it's blue
And I say, thank you
And I say, thank you

I wrote this novel just for Mom
For all the mommy things she's done
For all the times she showed me wrong
For all the time she sang god's song
And I say thank you Mom
Hello Mom
Thank you Mom
Hi Mom

I read a book about Uncle Tom
Where a whitey bastard made a bomb
But now Ebonics rule our song
Those motherfuckers got it wrong
And I ask
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
You are

I read a book about the self
Said I should get expensive help
Go fix my head
Create some wealth
Put my neurosis on the shelf
But I don't care for myself
I don't care for myself
I don't care for myself
I don't care

I wrote this novel just for you
I'm so pretentious, yes it's true
I wrote this novel just for you
Just for you
Just for you



Lyrics submitted by Ice

"Blue American" as written by Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, Steven Hewitt

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Blue American song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is not as complicated as it may seem. Brian just wanted to say 'hello' to his mother and tell her that he doesn't blame her for anything, and still loves her. At the same time he tries to reveal his attitude towards Christianity - you mustn't be uncle Tom just beacause the society waits it from you. And you're not wrong just becuase you try to resist something you don't accept. The are different points of view. Great lyrics
    Flag wyermolaevaon January 23, 2012   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:i new he had to be atleast bisexual....lol. but ya this song when i first heard it made me cry so hard...realy depresing song.
    Flag emochick123on September 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've been reading a book called 'Prozac Nation' recently and upon listening to this song today felt that they could perhaps be related in some sense.

    Blue America aka a Prozac Nation,

    The book is about her depression and is dedicated to her mother, but writes about a lot of negative experiences with her mother, thus seems a touch ironic at times. "I wrote this novel just for Mom"

    "said I should get expensive help"- a theme running through the book is the idea of how difficult it was for her to get proper therapy because of the cost etc...

    I know the song probably wasn't intentionally linked to the book, but for anyone interested, it made me think twice about the lyrics.
    Flag JEFon September 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Perfect song... Pure perfection.
    Flag teenagewifeon May 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:after reading what AFIinside said, it may seem like he's just opening up to his mother - feels closer to her I assume as he says Scotland is his real home, where his mother is from - about his father and his disgust of that heritage and the shame he has, "i don't care for myself", but never mentions his dad though he's the American as he doesn't want to hurt him directly, and "Uncle Tom" is used as he doesn't want to lose his dad, just that culture

    I agree with reanimation also, I don't think Brian is trying to hide behind his words or make it so complicated; he's straight to the point with sarcasm.
    Flag gimmefateon May 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah, I think you guys may be investing too much into the face value of Uncle Tom, and not what it means to be an Uncle Tom. To be an Uncle Tom means to please the people you know so that you don't lose what you have.
    Flag Reanimationon August 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So... I think this song is about life being dictated to you and how the dictation of life isn't true and instead comes off as pretentious in most cases. The song addresses several ways of life being dictated to you

    1) Mom- Motherly advice gone too far. He is unable to experience life for himself.

    2) Uncle Tom- In the novel, Uncle Tom is the obedient slave who accepts the white way so to speak. He is not experiencing or learning about life for himself.

    3) Self-help books- A pretty blatant slam of books that are supposed to teach you about your own life. Only you can live your own life, and self help books are bogus.

    My conclusion summed up in a few words "live life for yourself"
    Flag BeckyH4uon July 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"I wanted to say hi to my mum... Hi, Mom. It's so American. And, you know, I still love my mother... I thought it would be really nice to make her quite happy... at one point, maybe for one verse at least, she might think, "Oh, that's nice. My son still loves me." Brain in an interview in 'Melody Maker'
    Flag Faile Neumeon March 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song, but it always leaves me feeling sad; it's so sarcastic and bitter. I almost feel like he's making fun of the people who write books slating their families - maybe it's my personal response because my mum tries hard but is very passive, so things are difficult with her partner, but the bitter line about his 'mommy' sounds sarcastic and a bit too close to home. It makes me feel really awkward, and I almost feel sorry for the weak parents whose unhappy home lives get publised because they have an abusive partner. Molko sounds, to me, a little sadistic here too - like he's provoking her into a response. It also sounds like his mother has tried but he is just detached from family now; devoid of emotion and love for his family. I do love this song, but what it means to me means I feel uncomfortable listening to it.
    Flag Pretentiouslyhappyon December 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Saddest song ever:

    I wrote this novel just for you
    It sounds pretentious but it's true
    I wrote this novel just for you
    That's why it's vulgar
    That's why it's blue
    And I say, thank you
    And I say, thank you

    its about dedicating your life(novel) to someone, only to get crushed by them, but you've already wasted too much time to re-write it.
    cause remember the authors usually at the start of novels write "this book is dedicated to-"


    I wrote this novel just for Mom
    For all the mommy things she's done
    For all the times she showed me wrong
    For all the time she sang god's song
    And I say thank you Mom
    Hello Mom
    Thank you Mom
    Hi Mom

    its about his mother land(america) and how its seen as wrong to be gay, and that gays have no rights.and the church doesnt accept homosexuals and all that.

    I read a book about Uncle Tom
    Where a whitey bastard made a bomb
    But now Ebonics rule our song
    Those motherfuckers got it wrong
    And I ask
    Who is uncle Tom?
    Who is uncle Tom?
    Who is uncle Tom?
    You are

    there's a book called 'uncle tom' as stated before. this verse is defenatly aout all the racisim in america.

    I read a book about the self
    Said I should get expensive help
    Go fix my head
    Create some wealth
    Put my neurosis on the shelf
    But I don't care for myself
    I don't care for myself
    I don't care for myself
    I don't care

    its abot how self help books don't work, and they all just end up telling you to go to a psychiatrist, which are really expensive. and half the self help books are written by psychiatrists.
    Flag Alfungoon September 12, 2007   Link

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