“America” is a funky tune from Janelle Monáe’s critically acclaimed 2018 concept album Dirty Computer.
It is one of those “Born In The USA” type protest songs that if you’re not listening closely to the lyrics you can mistake it for a patriotic song.
In reality the song is a scathing exposé of several systemic issues that plague America such as racism, gender inequality, homophobia, immigration policies and police brutality. Many of these points are powerfully highlighted in the song’s spoken word bridge:
“Let me help you in here
Until women can get equal pay for equal work
This is not my America
Until same-gender loving people can be who they are
This is not my America
Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head
This is not my America, huh!
Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful
This is not my America
I can’t hear nobody talkin’ to me”
The song also concludes with the spoken word outro:
“Until Latinos and Latinas don’t have to run from walls
This is not my America
But I tell you today that the devil is a liar
Because it’s gon’ be my America before it’s all over
Please sign your name on the dotted line”
The song holds out hope that evils of American society can be conquered by the will of those who stand up and resist the oppressive status quo.