Papa Roach

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
It feels like, American Dreams caught on fire
We're tearing down the white picket fences
A soldier bleeds, and a soldier dies
Have you ever thought that war was a sickness?
I’m a son of it, fucked up from it
Casualty of my family cause of it
We dare to dream, or live to die
Reunited by the truth at the right time
Something’s wrong here
Or so it seems
'Cause I’m not sleeping in

[Chorus]
American Dreams, 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

[Verse 2]
With every bullet hole, there's a blood stain
Another family that's struggling to keep sane
'Cause their neighborhood ain't a safe place
Got us all wearing black every Sunday
And I'm growing numb to the violence
Sing along to the sounds of the sirens
We're trying to keep ourselves alive
But it's hard to get by when it feels like
Something’s wrong here
Or so it seems
'Cause I'm not sleeping in
[Chorus]
American Dreams, 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

[Chorus]
'Cause I'm not sleeping in
American Dreams, 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
By American Dreams

If you're a fan of rock music, or specifically, if you're a fan of Papa Roach, then you must have heard of their second single, American Dreams. The song is the second single off of the Crooked Teeth album, and it was released on April 21st, 2017. American Dreams is very different from what we're typically used to from Papa Roach's music; it's politically shaped, and its lyrics address a range of social issues in American society.

About American Dreams

American Dreams deliver deep lyrics, and they are in fact, politically shaped, which is not typical of Papa Roach's music. Rather than singing about personal struggles, love, or breakups as we've previously known them for, they're focusing more on social issues in this song. Political lyrics and music are a way for an artist or band to voice out their opinion on current issues and criticize the government's actions surrounding them.

The song was inspired by the United States Presidential Election in 2016, and according to Jacoby Shaddix, the lead vocalist, he started writing the song during the presidential debates. He even described how he couldn't bring himself to let his kids watch the two candidates on TV because they seemed immature and unpresidential, talking about the presidential races being like high school elections.

The title of the song, American Dreams, is a sarcastic jibe at the American values that people claim to believe in or aspire to attain: Liberty, equality, and democracy. The lyrics of the song, American Dreams, point out the social issues in American society and politics. The song starts with the lines that immediately capture your attention:

"All our dreams are a product," and "all our love is synthetic."

These lines are about how the modern-day American Dream is a facade, an artificial construct built to make people believe they can succeed as long as they work hard enough, that they have a chance to live the life they want to. The song argues that all of it is false advertising, and the chances for people to thrive and succeed are restricted by their social class, location, and education.

The lyrics of the song primarily focus on the negative aspects of American society and politics. The lines:

"Welcome to the new America, the rise of hysteria," and "sinking in the quicksand of our sins," Juxtaposed with the line "The land of the free, the home of the brave."

Immediately strike as political commentary. The song addresses issues that affect American society, such as crime, wars, and violence. It is quite a different approach to music for Papa Roach, more so the fact that they have been a band for over 20 years now.

The song is musically authentic, which is expected of Papa Roach. They combine alternative metal, hard rock, heavy metal, and rap rock genres perfectly which creates a unique sound. This unique sound, coupled with the deep lyrics, makes American Dreams a must-listen for anyone looking for socially impactful music.

The chorus of the song is an excellent blend of grit and soulful melody:

"All American lies, all hi-rise bigger size," "You can run, but you can't hide, all American lies."

The lyrics, at first glance, might seem pessimistic and hopeless, but upon listening to the song closely, it's evident that it carries a message of hope and of fighting to make the world a better place.

The song's music video supplements the message of the song perfectly, showing scenes of political demonstrations, symbols of American values being demolished or splattered with blood, all while the band performs the song in the foreground.

Takeaway

The song American Dreams is a significant change of form for Papa Roach. It exemplifies their commitment to using their music to speak out against social issues in the USA. The song highlights the fact that the American Dream has always been an illusion for many Americans, and that, at the end of the day, dreams are nothing more than products sold to people through false advertising.

American Dreams' lyrics address the significant social issues that directly affect American society, such as gun violence, wars, and crime. They also tackle the media that contributes to the spread of misinformation, which leads to the compounding of these problems.

The song is well written and impactful throughout its length, with the combination of Jacoby's rough vocals and rich instrumental accompaniment making it one of the most memorable works of Papa Roach.

• Release Date: April 21, 2017
• Artist: Papa Roach