"Americano" (Spanish for "American") is a song by Lady Gaga off Born This Way. The song title was revealed through Vogue magazine. During The Monster Ball on May 3, 2011 in Mexico, Gaga debuted an acoustic version of the song. She also stated that “It sounds like a pop record, but when I sing it, I see Edith Piaf in a spotlight with an old microphone." On May 5, Gaga performed the song with Fernando Garibay during her concert at Foro Sol. Lady Gaga revealed at the Born This Way press conference in Mexico City that there are two versions of the song. One is a mariachi and techno version that is bilingual, while the other is an extended, mariachi only version where Gaga is singing completely in Spanish. The song was registered on Gaga's BMI on May 17, 2011. The Gregori Klosman Remix was registered on May 25.
Background
During an interview with Vogue, Gaga described the song as “a big mariachi techno-house record, where I am singing about immigration law and gay marriage and all sorts of things that have to do with disenfranchised communities in America.” She then goes on to describe the vocals of the song. “It sounds like a pop record, but when I sing it, I see Edith Piaf in a spotlight with an old microphone.”
NME reported that the song is “Told as a love story between Gaga and a girl from L.A., this is an acid house-fuelled Mexican-themed footstomper.”
Gaga revealed that “This was [her] first proper collaboration with Fernando Garibay and White Shadow. Labels had been telling Fernando to tone down his mexican influences, but here, [they] really brought them out. It was when Prop 8 was overturned in California. The immigration law was passed in Arizona, houses were being raided for immigrants, some of whom had been here for 20 years. America was once the land of the free, and now [they're] telling everyone to get the fuck out.”
At a press conference for her new album in Mexico on May 6, 2011, Lady Gaga brought up the song Americano, saying she wrote it in response to Arizona's immigration laws. She continued by saying, "I don’t stand by many of those unjust immigration laws in my country."
Gaga revealed on twitter that the song was about what the American Dream means to her. [1]
Reference in popular culture
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Performances
| Dates | Location | City | 
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|---|
| 2011 | |||
| May 9 | Robin Hood Gala | New York, NY | 
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| Dates | Location | City |
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|---|
| Tour | Dates | Performances |
|---|
| Monster Ball:Arena version | 2011 (May 3 - May 6) | 3 |
| The Born This Way Ball | All Dates | 98 |
| Total of performances | 101 |
Lyrics
I met a girl in east L. A.
In floral shorts as sweet as May
She sang in eights in two Barrio chords
We fell in love
But not in court
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
I don't,
I don't
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Aaaahhh, America
Americano,
Mis canciones son de la re-revolución
Mi corazón me duele por mi generación
If you love me
we can marry on the west coast
On a Wednesday,
En el verano o en Agosto
I don't speak your,
I don't speak your
Languagono (La la la la la la la)
I don't speak your, (Won't speak your)
I don't speak your (Won't speak your)
Jesus Cristo (La la la la la la la)
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
I will fight for, I have fought for
How I love you (La la la la la la la)
I have cried for, I will die for
How I care (La la la la la la la)
In the mountains, las campanas
Están sonando (La la la la la la la)
Todos los chicos (chicas), y los chicos (chicas)
Están besando (La la la la la la la)
I don't speak your,
I don't speak your
Languagono (La la la la la la la)
I don't speak your,
I won't speak your
Jesus Cristo (La la la la la la la)
I don't speak your, (Won't speak your)
I don't speak your (Won't speak your)
Americano (La la la la la la la)
I don't speak your, (Won't speak your)
I don't speak your (Won't speak your)
Jesus Cristo (La la la la la la la)
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Aaaahhh, America
Americano.
Don't you try to catch me,
Don't you try to catch me,
No, no, no, no,
I'm living on the edge of,
Living on the edge of
the law, law, law, law,
Don't you try to catch me,
Don't you try to get me,
No, no, no, no,
Don't you try to catch me
Living on the edge of
the law, law, law, law .
- Notes
- "Mis canciones son de la re-revolución" (Spanish, "My songs are about the re-revolution")
- "Mi corazón me duele por mi generación" (Spanish, "My heart aches for my generation")
- "En el verano o en Agosto" (Spanish, "In the summer or in August")
- "Las campanas están sonando" (Spanish, "The bells are ringing")
- "Todos los chicos (chicas) y los chicos (chicas)" (Spanish, "All the boys (girls) and the boys (girls)")
- "Están besando" (Spanish, "They are kissing")
Remixes
- Gregori Klosman Remix - 6:08
Credits
- Programming — Fernando Garibay, DJ White Shadow
- Instrumentation and arrangement — Fernando Garibay, Cheche Alara
- Music prep/copying/librarian — Cristina Abaroa (Moon Moosic, Inc.)
- Keyboards, guitars — Fernando Garibay
- Mariachi band:
- Guitarrón & vihuela — Mario Hernandez
- Guitar — Stephanie Amaro, Fernando Garibay
- Requinto Guitar — Andy Abad
- Violin — Julio Hernandez, Suemy Gonzalez
- Trumpet — Harry Kim
- Background vocals — Fernando Garibay, Lady Gaga
- Additional background vocals — Carlos Murguia, David Gómez, Jorge Alavrez
- Recording — Dave Russell at Studio Bus
- Additional recording — Rafa Sardina at The Mix Room (Burbank
) - Mixing — Dave Russell at The Mix Room (Burbank )
- Assistant — Paul Pavao
- Mastering — Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering (Burbank )
Publishing
- Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
- Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./ Garibay Music Publishing (BMI)
All rights on behalf of itself and Garibay Music Publishing administered by WB Music Corp. - Maxwell and Carter Publishing, LLC (ASCAP), administered by Universal Music Publishing Group
