American Girls
From "Hard Candy"

??She comes out on Fridays every time
Stands out in a line
I coulda been anyone she'd seen

She waits another week to fall apart
She couldn't make another day
I wish it was anyone but me
I coulda been anyone you'd see
She had something breakable?
Just under her skin

CHORUS:
American girls
All weather and noise
Playing the changes for all of the boys
?Holding a candle
Right up to my hand
Making me feel so incredible


She comes out of closets every night
B?ut then she locks herself away
?Where she can keep everything from me
I coulda ?been anyone you'd see?
There's nothing but porcelain underneath
Her skin

CHORUS

?LIttle shivers shaking me everyday
But I can get this same thing anywhere
?So if she goes away well
It's alright and I'm OK
?She said "Come back again tonight"
I said "I might I might I might"?
She said "Well? that's alright"
If it's alright, if it's alright with you
Then it's alright, it's alright with me

?I waited for an hour last Friday night
She never came around
She took almost everything from me

I'm going through my closets
Trying on her clothes
Almost everyday

I coulda been anyone you'd see
I wish it was anyone but me
There's nothing but pills and ashes
Under my skin yeah

CHORUS

If I made you cry
Please tell me why
I'd try again if you let me try
American girls
All feathers and cream
Come into bed so edible

American girls
OH American girls
American girls
OH OH OH OH OH
American Girls
OH American Girls
American Girls
OH OH OH OH OH

You made me cry
You made me cry
You made me cry yeah
You made me cry

?You made me cry
Hey Miss American Girl
Ohh yeah
?     This song was the first song off of "Hard Candy" and really continued where the band left off with "This Desert Life".  It seems like the band has settled into their 'sound', and we should be happier for it.
     AD says this song is about a guy who meets a girl outside a bar, she turns out to be insane and he "gets what he deserves".  Duritz explains "All of you who have dated know what I'm talking about.  One of you is insane and the other gets exactly what they deserve".
     To me, this song is about meeting people in bars in general.  It never works out and the end is usually messy.  But it's inevitable that when you are single, you take a chance and actually make an attempt at something larger with someone you meet at a bar.
     Your optimism usually doesn't last long because either you realize just how big a role alcohol played in you talking to that person in the first place or you go out a couple of times and one of you goes completely nuts.
     It's such an empty feeling when you know it's over before it begins, and when meeting people in bars is all you have, it feels kind of pointless.  To me this song is about knowing you shouldn't, but going against everything you know and doing it anyway, only to have it end the way you knew it would all along.  I've done it time and time again, no matter how many times I said I was done with that scene.  And time and time again it's ended in flames.
     It gets exhausting, but for every frustration, those moments when the candle is held right up to your hand keep you thinking that maybe it's worth it.  It's not, and you end up crying in the end until next week rolls around and it's time to stand out in a line again.
Home Counting Crows
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