If these walls came crumbling down
Fell so hard to make us lose our faith
From what's left you'd figure it out
Still make lemonade taste like a sunny day

Stay, beautiful baby
I hope you stay, american baby
American baby

Nobody's laughing now
Gods grace lost and the devil is proud
But I've been walking for a thousand miles
One last time I could see you smile

I, I, hold, hold on to you
You bring me hope
I'll see you soon
And if I don't see you
I'm afraid we've lost the way

Stay, beautiful baby
I hope you stay, american baby
American baby
American baby

I hold on, to you, you lift me up
And always will
I see you in life
Hope I don't get left behind

I, I, hold, hold on to you
You bring me hope
I'll see you soon
And if I don't see you
I'm afraid we've lost the way

Stay, beautiful baby
I hope you stay, american baby
I hope you stay, beautiful baby
I hope you stay, american baby
American baby
American baby
Alright, stay, american baby
Beautiful

Nobody's laughing now
'Cause you could always make me laugh out loud
Stay, American baby
American baby
Stay, american baby
American baby (american baby)


Lyrics submitted by walrusstapler

American Baby Lyrics as written by Mark Christopher Batson David John Matthews

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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American Baby song meanings
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71 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    I think that yes, this song is not the best our kings have summined up BUT it certainly has a DMB feel to it, in fact this song makes me feel as if it belongs to the Everyday album.

    I do enjoy this song very much thought cause after listening to it, it becomes so clear that this is another one of those awesome songs that the entire group put heart in soul into.

    Plus Dave Heads, no worries, because as we all know from the past, that the radio singles are almost NEVER the best songs on the cd, there simply the songs that DMB thinks the public would enjoy most so stay tear free for I thing "Stand Up"(new album) has some great things in store for us!

    if you are in any doubt go download Joy Ride and sugar will plus many other new songs from weeklydavespeak.com !!!

    and yes, obviously this is another one of DMB's genius patriotic

    Just1_BigEyedFishon March 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i really like this song, i heard them play it on Rove Live and i was into it straight away, sure its different to some of there old stuff, but times change and its still DMB.

    can someone explain the political implications/motives/morals of the song? if there is any

    DeadlyCombinationon March 23, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The lyrics are weak. But this song just makes you feel solid. It just sounds good and gives off that vibe. It's a good song over-all. But you guys are picky about DMB songs. Everyday was a great album. It wasn't the 'typical' album and that doesn't make it bad. New things are good too. This song is no different.

    theradiomansayson March 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm not quite sure what this song means though in my mind i imagine that we shouldn't give up, being Americans. And that we shouldn't loose hope. I have to listen to it more to get a full grasp on it.

    DaveMatthewsgirlon March 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with DaveMatthewsgirl. Woah, okay people. I don't think you're looking deep enough into these amazing lyrics. The song means that America has had some tough times in the past few years and that the country as a whole has changed. We are losing our values of which this country was built on. He's telling us to stay American, stay beautiful, and not forget what our country is all about.

    and yes, maybe its not the best that DMB has to give. the rest of the new album should be better and will be, damn it!

    eatdrinknbmerryon April 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    thank you eatdrinkbmerry, i agree with you completely. Being connected with the war, elections, 9/11, and terrorists. Dave is telling us we should stay together as a country cuz if we seperate things will go down. We have to stick together to fight the evil away.

    I love this song, been stuck in my head... Can't wait to buy the new album! Isn't it called Stand Up? I'm pretty sure that's what it's called... Anyone heard the other songs on it?

    Cant wait! going to their concert on June 26!!!!!! WOOT! I LOVE TICKETMASTER!

    DaveMatthewsgirlon April 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    favorite line is "nobody's laughing now, god's grace lost and the devil is proud" wow. dave is deep, know what i mean? though it doesn't sound a lot like their past stuff doesn't mean it is a weak song, just different.

    shelovesbonoon April 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this song, it's so great, as for the political motives, i think it's not really taking a shot at anything, but taking a look at our country over the years, and that dave hopes that our country lives up to what it used to be back around ww1 and ww2 and not morph into the "bully" of the world

    and another note to Just1 BigEyedFish, unfourtunatly, joy ride and sugar will are not going to be on the album, if you go to antsmarching.org you can see the track list, both joy ride and sugar will are on the b-side, so you can get them by pre-ordering the album through the Warehouse, but sadly they're not on the album

    LordNikonon April 11, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    here is the track list for those of you who want it

    Dreamgirl Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back) Stand Up (For It) American Baby Intro American Baby Smooth Rider Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives) Out of My Hands Hello Again Louisiana Bayou Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd You Might Die Trying Steady As We Go Hunger for the Great Light

    LordNikonon April 11, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think that it might be about losing a loved one and hoping you might not see them again after death.

    americanbaby05on April 11, 2005   Link

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Well, in my opinion this song is about being a young & maybe a little naive &/or introverted girl and finding yourself loving a man who is at first very charming, carefree & outgoing, and seems at first to be without limits, as in "There was a time you opened up every doorway you didn't mind if everything wasn't your way" then that man starts to gradually become more introverted & shows their more possessive/obsessive side to you as the relationship progresses, even while they keep up the appearance of being carefree & outgoing to everyone else, "Don't pull away that goes against what you told me I look in your eyes I realize what you've sold me is love in a vacuum" so you confront them about the way they're acting and of course they deny it, "I think you've changed but you insist that that's not true" quite possibly they are an addict of some sort, my guess would be cocaine, &/or showing very obsessive behavior towards you (early on in the video for this song we see the man hanging a picture up, it is a very large portrait of Aimee & it is prominently displayed in his/their apartment for the duration of the song), thus their "love in a vacuum", "You look so strange, so distant that you're hardly you Now I can see how you have been acting different You say it's me but I know that it isn't it's love in a vacuum" but still you are in love with them and don't want to leave them and you know that they are truly in love with you and they don't want you to leave them either, maybe they are convinced you can save them from themself, maybe they are so broken that the possibility of an overdose &/or suicide attempt is very real and you want to get through to them that their behavior not only dangerous but it is also just pissing you off and if they don't wise up they run the risk of loosing you, as in the lines "You will be lonely if you leave me alone", so you want to save them but can't get through to them due to the addiction &/or emotional problems they have, "Love in a vacuum and that's not enough love in a vacuum You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way You will be lonely if you leave me alone You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way it's just not enough" you want them to understand that the love they are giving you is not enough when it is filtered through the vacuum of their drug addiction &/or emotional impairment, "You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way it's just not enough and just wait you will be lonely Love in a vacuum Love in a vacuum and that's not enough Love in a vacuum". 'Love In A Vacuum' for me is a hauntingly truthful acute argument on the loneliness of obsession and almost inevitable loss of love that follows people who are broken in some way or another; the obsessives, the coke heads, the drunks, addicts or the just-plain-old emotionally broken; a razor sharp, lyrically driven, deceptively poppy, yet ultimately-depressing-in-the-best-way song. Quintessential Aimee Mann.