American Dreams (song)

This article is about the Papa Roach song. For the Flobots song, see Noenemies.

"American Dreams"
Single by Papa Roach
from the album Crooked Teeth
Released	April 21, 2017 (2017-04-21)
Recorded	2016
Genre	Hard rock[1][2]
Length	3:23
Label	Eleven Seven
Songwriter(s)	Jacoby Shaddix Anthony Esperance Nicholas Furlong
Producer(s)	Nicholas Furlong Colin Brittain
Papa Roach singles chronology
"Help" (2017) "American Dreams" (2017) "Born for Greatness" (2017)
Music video
"American Dreams" on YouTube

"American Dreams" is a single by American rock band Papa Roach, from their studio album Crooked Teeth. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017.

Background

The song was released as a single on April 21, 2017.^[3][4] A lyric video was released a week later, on April 28, featuring a static-filled television set that flashes images of war and the American flag alongside the song's lyrics.^[5][6] The band released a video of a live acoustic performance of the song in July 2017.^[7] In August 2017, the band released a music video for the song, consisting of the band interviewing Americans about their thoughts about the hardships of achieving the "American Dream", interviewing people in a school, barbershop, a boxing gym, and tattoo parlor.^[8][9]

Composition and themes

The band teamed up with modern music producers Nicholas Furlong and Colin Brittain to create a sound for the song that melded the band's nu metal sound from their first major record label release Infest, with more modern sounding music.^[10] The song starts with a simple guitar chord being played, leading to a heavier, wall of sound of guitar by Jerry Horton and vocals by band frontman Jacoby Shaddix.^[11] Shaddix delivers forceful and rhythmic aggressive vocals in the verses, leading up to a large, soaring melodic chorus.^[11][12] Lyrically, the song explores sentiments of doubt and detriment in the concept of "The American Dream", with the chorus containing the lines "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."^[11][13] The lyrics were inspired by Shaddix's resentment of current state of American politics, notably the lowbrow arguments of the 2016 Presidential Debates.^[14]

Reception

The song received a mixed reception from critics. Loudwire ranked it as the 19th best hard rock song of 2017.^[1] Cryptic Rock praised the song for being "quasi-political" and asking some "eerily pivotal questions", concluding that it was "an interesting direction for the band, it is a truly catchy, upbeat rocker that tackles some weighty subject matter."^[15] Conversely, "Metal Sucks" strongly criticized the song's vocals, calling it "terrible".^[16]

Personnel

• Jacoby Shaddix – lead vocals
• Jerry Horton – guitar
• Tobin Esperance – bass
• Tony Palermo – drums

Charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[17]	16
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[18]	3
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[19]	40
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[20]	17

References

1. "25 Best Hard Rock Songs of 2017". Loudwire.com. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
2. "Review: Papa Roach – Crooked Teeth". Moshville.co.uk. May 18, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
3. Irizarry, Katy (April 21, 2017). "Papa Roach Premiere New Song, "American Dreams"". Revolvermag.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
4. "New Song Premiere: PAPA ROACH's 'American Dreams'". Blabbermouth.net. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
5. "Papa Roach premieres "American Dreams" lyric video - Music News - ABC News Radio". Abcnewsradioonline.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
6. "PAPA ROACH Releases Lyric Video For New Song 'American Dreams'". Blabbermouth.net. April 28, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
7. "PAPA ROACH Performs Acoustic Version Of 'American Dreams' (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. July 27, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
8. "Papa Roach comment on the current state of America in new music video for "American Dreams"". Alternative Press Magazine. August 15, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
9. "Papa Roach goes to school in "American Dreams" video - Music News - ABC News Radio". Abcnewsradioonline.com. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
10. "Listen to new Papa Roach track American Dreams". Teamrock.com. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
11. "Papa Roach Talk Tainted 'American Dreams' in New Song". Loudwire.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
12. "Crooked Teeth - Papa Roach - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
13. "Papa Roach's 'American Dreams' Sound More Like Nightmares". Newrock99x.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
14. Harvilla, Rob (June 7, 2017). ""It Just Seems Like Monkeys Throwin' Shit at Each Other"". The Ringer. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
15. "Papa Roach - Crooked Teeth (Album Review) - Cryptic Rock". Crypticrock.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
16. "Listen to the Terrible New Papa Roach Song "American Dreams"". MetalSucks.net. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
17. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 46. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
18. "Papa Roach Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
19. "Papa Roach Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
20. "Papa Roach Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.