David Bowie: 'I'm Afraid of Americans"

Well, It's nice to know that somebody loves us. Anyway, my experience in life has been that fear is usually the product of ignorance. Bowie says that he was inspired to write the song when he was visiting the Island of Java and came across a McDonald's. 'Java' sounds exotic and all, but it's really the main Island of Indonesia (which I have visited a few times), and is one of the most densely populated pieces of land on earth with gigantic urban centers such as Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya, places where one would expect to find a McDonald's even if it does violate the cultural-purity expectations of David Bowie. It's also perhaps worth noting that Bowie has made an entire life off of a particularly American-invented cultural genre... called Rock and Roll:

David Bowie I'm Afraid of Americans Lyrics:

Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's in America
Low techs at the wheel
Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Nobody needs anyone
They don't even just pretend
Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's in America

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans

Johnny's in America
Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny wants a brain
Johnny wants to suck on a Coke
Johnny wants a woman
Johnny wants to think of a joke
Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's in America
Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans

Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah

Johnny's in America
Johnny looks up at the stars
Johnny combs his hair
And Johnny wants pussy and cars

Johnny's in America, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's in America, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans

God is an American
God is an American

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't

Yeah, I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the words
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
I'm afraid of Americans

Johnny's an American
Johnny's an American

Johnny's an American, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's an American, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's an American, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah
Johnny's an American, Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah

My Own Inconvenient Truth