This song has long been one of my favourite tunes (you’ll see how long in a minute), but it never occurred to me that it was a song about Rock Star Life. It is! The main theme is partying while travelling, “tear the hotel down“, and about groupies. Except, they don’t call them groupies. As the lyric says: “Four young chiquitas in Omaha“, who were waiting for the band in the hotel lobby intent on meeting the boys in the band. And they did!
They make special mention of a super-groupie, Connie Hamzy, who claims to have ‘had’ Don Brewer, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Huey Lewis, Peter Criss, and Bill Clinton when he was governor of Arkansas, among others, I’m sure.
The other person they reference is Freddie King, a renowned blues player hailing from Texas. Freddie opened for the band during one tour and would hold poker games after the concerts. Freddie usually won.
Recorded in Florida on June 12, 1973 (42 years ago!), produced by Todd Rundgren, here is one of the best-named bands in all of rock – Grand Funk Railroad – performing We’re An American Band live in 1974. Shirtless. Rock on, dudes!
WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND
Grand Funk Railroad
Out on the road for forty days
Last night in Little Rock, put me in a haze
Sweet, sweet Connie was doin’ her act
She had the whole show and that’s a natural fact
Up all night with Freddie King
I got to tell you, poker’s his thing
Booze and ladies, keep me right
As long as we can make it to the show tonight
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
Four young chiquitas in Omaha
Waitin’ for the band to return from the show
A feelin’ good, feelin’ right and it’s Saturday night
The hotel detective, he was outta sight
Now these fine ladies, they had a plan
They was out to meet the boys in the band
They said, “Come on dudes, let’s get it on!”
And we proceeded to tear that hotel down
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
[ubiquitous guitar solo]
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
We’re an American band (whooo)
We’re an American band (whooo)
We’re an American band (whooo)
