Please recommend anti-American songs.

June 27, 2008 2:03 PM

Trying to put together a playlist of anti-American songs, or songs about leaving America. For instance, Green Day's "American Idiot" qualifies. This is for a going-away party, and very much tongue-in-cheek. Songs that hate on specific regions (particularly New York, New Jersey, DC and LA) are also good. Thank you!
posted by Mr Bunnsy to media & arts (78 comments total)

Fear's "New York's All Right (If You Like Saxophones)" skips right to mind.
posted by Skot at 2:10 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

James McMurtry: "We can't make it here anymore"
Iris DeMent: "Wasteland of the free"
posted by jbickers at 2:11 PM on June 27, 2008

Rufus Wainright: "Going to a Town"
posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:12 PM on June 27, 2008

The Briefs - "Destroy the USA"
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:14 PM on June 27, 2008

LCD Soundsystem's "North American Scum." Well, it isnt very anti-american but its a good party song. "New York I Love You But Youre Bringing Me Down" is a great pro/anti- New York song but not a great party song.
posted by minicloud at 2:14 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Aenema by Tool is an anti-LA screen but most people hate Tool so use it at your own risk.
posted by Electrius at 2:14 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Death Cab for Cutie- Why You'd Want to Live Here, for LA hating.
posted by lizzicide at 2:15 PM on June 27, 2008

Two songs that are against a specific police department:

The Strokes - New York City Cops

The Offspring - LAPD

(Those just sprung to mind -- I'm really not anti-police!)
posted by Jaltcoh at 2:17 PM on June 27, 2008

The Clash - I'm So Bored With The U.S.A
posted by rhizome at 2:19 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

New World, by X.

"It was better before before they voted for what's his name.
This is supposed to be the new world."
posted by gingerbeer at 2:22 PM on June 27, 2008

"Murder the Government", by NoFX?
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 2:26 PM on June 27, 2008

American Woman.
California Uber Alles.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 2:26 PM on June 27, 2008

Rhizome took my first suggestion.

How about some Sleater-Kinney songs

From One Beat
"One Beat"
"Combat Rock"

And some mildly anti-West Coast stuff from The Woods
"Wilderness"
"Jumpers"
posted by Weebot at 2:28 PM on June 27, 2008

Bowie- I'm afraid of Americans
posted by ManInSuit at 2:28 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Bad Religion - American Jesus
Steppenwolf - Monster/Suicide/America
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 2:29 PM on June 27, 2008

Franco Un-American by NOFX.
posted by birdherder at 2:29 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

"Los Angeles I'm Yours" by the Decemberists is my favorite, if you want more anti-L.A. stuff.
posted by chowflap at 2:29 PM on June 27, 2008

Another thought: "California Girls" by the Magnetic Fields
posted by Weebot at 2:31 PM on June 27, 2008

Oh, I skipped the specifics:

Bad Religion - Los Angeles is Burning
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (anti-NJ though not explicitly)
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 2:33 PM on June 27, 2008

"The War of 1812" (Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie)
"Asshole" (Dennis Leary)
posted by Dipsomaniac at 2:33 PM on June 27, 2008

Creedence, "Fortunate Son"
posted by miss tea at 2:33 PM on June 27, 2008

Also maybe David Byrne's "Miss America"

And I kissed America, when she was fleecing me
She knows I understand that she needs to be free
And I miss America and sometimes she does too
And sometimes I think of her
When she is fucking you
posted by ManInSuit at 2:34 PM on June 27, 2008

Violent Femmes - America Is
posted by sciurus at 2:34 PM on June 27, 2008

Public Enemy, "Burn Hollywood Burn"
Billy Joel, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood"
Goldfinger, "The City With Two Faces" (AKA "Fuck L.A.")
posted by Skot at 2:34 PM on June 27, 2008

Dick is a Killer. Hilarious, with a great beat you can dance to.
posted by adamrice at 2:34 PM on June 27, 2008

Washington Bullets by The Clash
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 2:43 PM on June 27, 2008

Billy Bragg's Marching Song of the Covert Battalions.
posted by Mayor Curley at 2:44 PM on June 27, 2008

Martin Sexton - The Beast in Me
paints a rotten picture of LA - with subsequent leaving involved
posted by quadog at 2:45 PM on June 27, 2008

Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore-John Prine
posted by TedW at 2:50 PM on June 27, 2008

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Loyal to My Sorrowful Country
posted by aetg at 2:50 PM on June 27, 2008

Anything from Firewater. I just discovered them... ex pat awesomeness.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 2:51 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Faith No More - "We Care A Lot"
excerpt:
We care a lot about the army navy air force and marines
We care a lot about the SF, NY and LAPD
We care a lot about you people, about your guns
about the wars you're fighting gee that looks like fun
posted by aquanaut at 2:55 PM on June 27, 2008

Counting Crows- Holiday in Spain talks about picking up and getting out of America.

Bad Religion- The Empire Strikes First (the actual song, not the entire album) never explicitly states it's anti-American, but it certainly is.

Bad Religon- Streets of America

The Offspring- Americana (again the actual song not the album)

They Might Be Giants- I'm Sick (of this American Life) might work, but it's a pretty weird song.

I'm not honestly sure if the Dropkick Murphys- The New American Way is anti-American or not.

And, you know, half of America from West Side Story is anti-American.
posted by Caduceus at 2:58 PM on June 27, 2008

Also maybe David Byrne's "Miss America"
Styx Miss America
posted by TedW at 3:00 PM on June 27, 2008

"Pennsylvania" by Bloodhound Gang

"Miss America" by David Byrne

"Texas" by Boss Hog

"American Life"
"Electric Uncle Sam"
"DMV" by Primus

"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl

"Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" by Frank Zappa. Many, many other songs by FZ fit the criteria, too, like "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted", "Tinsel Town Rebellion" and "Dumb All Over"

Maybe too slow for a party...
"Baltimore" by Randy Newman
"America" poem by Allen Ginsberg with music by Tom Waits
posted by bonobo at 3:06 PM on June 27, 2008

Makeshift Patriot
posted by any major dude at 3:11 PM on June 27, 2008

Scottish band, and doesn't mention America by name (could be about anywhere, really), but "Let's Get Out of This Country" by Camera Obscura comes to mind. Talks about waving goodbye to thankless jobs and finding a "cathedral city".
posted by weezetr at 3:12 PM on June 27, 2008

There's always "Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart" by the once mighty Manic Street Preachers.

Altogether now, "Big mac, smack, phoenix r, please smile y'all. Cuba, mexico can't cauterize our discipline..."
posted by merocet at 3:17 PM on June 27, 2008

"America" by Bree Sharp

"American Nightmare" by kmfdm (this song is maybe too industrial for a party)
posted by overglow at 3:19 PM on June 27, 2008

American Gangster Time by Elvis Costello.

Fuck This Town by Robbie Fulks (Nashville).
posted by ibmcginty at 3:21 PM on June 27, 2008

Late to the party, most of my first thoughts are already above.... but there's also...

Lou Reed/John Cale - Small Town ("Where did Picasso come from? There's sure no Michelangelo coming from Pittsburgh.")

Pretenders - My City Was Gone ("My pretty countryside had been paved down the middle by a government that had no pride.")
posted by rokusan at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2008

California Uber Alles, Dead Kennedys -- actually, pretty damn near anything by DK.
Texas, Big Black
Jordan Minnesota, Big Black

oh, wait, tongue-in-cheek? damn, that's a bit harder.
posted by boo_radley at 3:25 PM on June 27, 2008

Typical American by the Goats - not to mention many of the other songs off their awesome first album

also, many of the pieces off the album Sonic Jihad by Paris
posted by jammy at 3:25 PM on June 27, 2008

California Songs by Local H.

Disses Ca. and L.A. and tosses in a bonus "fuck New York too!"

How can you go wrong?
posted by Max Power at 3:26 PM on June 27, 2008

Los Angeles is Burning, by Bad Religion

Burn On (Cleveland), by Randy Newman

Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out on Broadway), by Billy Joel
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:34 PM on June 27, 2008

Rammstein - Amerika
Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn
Dead Prez - They School
The Perceptionists - Memorial Day
KMFDM - WWIII
posted by phrontist at 3:43 PM on June 27, 2008

Bright Eyes - When the President Talks to God
posted by phrontist at 3:45 PM on June 27, 2008

Tom Lehrer - Pollution
Tom Lehrer - Send the Marines
Tom Lehrer - So Long, Mom
posted by phrontist at 3:48 PM on June 27, 2008

Thievery Corporation - Truth and Rights

"The prostitutes gather at the top of Constitution Avenue to dictate what I can say or do"
posted by phrontist at 3:50 PM on June 27, 2008

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - This Land

(they use the origional lyrics, which are more critical of the US)
posted by phrontist at 3:53 PM on June 27, 2008

"i blew up the united states" by was not was.
posted by rmd1023 at 4:01 PM on June 27, 2008

"Back in the USSR"
posted by availablelight at 4:06 PM on June 27, 2008

TISM - Kill Americans
posted by onya at 4:19 PM on June 27, 2008

Seconding TEH BOWIE
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 4:31 PM on June 27, 2008

My City Was Gone, The Pretenders (aka, "Ay, oh, way to go, Ohio...")
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:32 PM on June 27, 2008

The Sounds, "Living in America" -- "We're not living in America, but we're not sorry."
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 4:36 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

No "I Hate California" by Jonathan Coulton yet?

There's something out there I just don't get
I know your friends out there must think I'm pretty strange
Because I dress as if the weather's gonna change
But it never does
posted by calistasm at 4:37 PM on June 27, 2008

Every State Line. Ani DiFranco.
posted by desuetude at 4:40 PM on June 27, 2008

Thank you everyone, these are great!
posted by Mr Bunnsy at 4:41 PM on June 27, 2008

Why that would have to be Fuck the USA by The Exploited. Guess the refrain!
posted by vodkaboots at 4:49 PM on June 27, 2008

Choking Victim - Fuck America (Ska-Punk mixed with Metal)
Defiance, Ohio - The New World Order (Folksy, Quite tongue in cheek)

Actually, the Defiance, Ohio puts all their songs online for free on their site.
posted by symbollocks at 4:54 PM on June 27, 2008

Some older stuff:

Keep on Rockin' in the Free World - Neil Young
Ignoreland - REM

and maybe:

You're a Whole Different Person When You're Scared - Warren Zevon
posted by dilettante at 5:15 PM on June 27, 2008

I'll go with Bomb New Jersey, by Voltaire...
posted by atavistech at 5:16 PM on June 27, 2008

Eminem - White America
posted by shothotbot at 5:59 PM on June 27, 2008

If the people leaving the States are coming up to the great white north, then how can I do anything but recommend Moving to Canada by Cloud Cult? Even if not, well it's about the re-election of Bush and moving away.

(I'd link it, but the only youtube video I found has terrible levels.)
posted by Lemurrhea at 6:41 PM on June 27, 2008

On the "songs about leaving America" front, try "Steven's Last Night in Town" by Ben Folds Five.
posted by kindall at 7:56 PM on June 27, 2008

My Strange Nation

Susan Werner
posted by mcbeth at 8:06 PM on June 27, 2008

New Jersey from the obscure 80's film "It's a Complex World" immediately comes to mind. It's worth a listen just for the entertainment value!
posted by platinum at 9:09 PM on June 27, 2008

America Is Not The World by Morrissey, from You Are The Quarry.
posted by 2oh1 at 10:07 PM on June 27, 2008

Tim Dog "Fuck Compton"
REM "Don't Go Back to Rockville"
Liz Phair "California"
Pavement "Box Elder"
LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum"
posted by citron at 10:36 PM on June 27, 2008

America is Waiting from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Byrne and Eno is not without groove and definitely _feels_ anti-American or some sort or another.
posted by codefinger at 11:35 PM on June 27, 2008

D'oh - Sheryl Crow, "Leaving Las Vegas"
Juliana Hatfield, "Feelin' Massachusetts"
Low "Hey Chicago"
Luna "Calfornia All the Way"
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
Revolting Cocks "Beers, Steers, & Queers" (just to class it up a bit)
Rick Ross "Push It" [Miami song]
Roisin Murphy "Dear Miami"
Gladys Knight "Midnight Train to Georgia" (this is so great!!!)
posted by citron at 11:41 PM on June 27, 2008

Matson Jones - New York City Fuck Off
posted by clearlydemon at 11:45 PM on June 27, 2008

X's "Los Angeles"
posted by brujita at 11:56 PM on June 27, 2008

Southern Man by Neil Young
posted by TedW at 4:55 AM on June 28, 2008

Less Than Jake - Never Going Back to New Jersey
posted by workerant at 8:51 AM on June 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

In fact, Less Than Jake's History of a Boring Town kinda fits the bill too.
posted by workerant at 9:01 AM on June 28, 2008

You want to check out some Grant Lee Buffalo, who often match lush vocals and a rich Americana-rock sound with (admittedly, sometimes strident and muddled) lyrics about how fucked-up the U.S. is:
Stars N' Stripes
America Snoring
Side by Side
Homespun
Comes to Blows
posted by kittyprecious at 9:34 AM on June 28, 2008