Is This What Bowie Was Singing About?
:: One By One ::
:: Gonna Get Along Without You Now ::
:: While We're Young ::
Ha ha ha! Fucking geeks! He he he! Yes, yes, it's easy to laugh and feel infinitely more hip than the likes of these squeaky clean kids from 40 years ago. So now that we've got that out of the way, let's find some more ways to knock the Young Americans. It's not hard, just look at 'em. Ha ha ha! Jesus!
Ok, I'll try to act my age and stop being a superior creep. Nah! Actually I've got a confession to make: My 17 year old niece is currently a member or this travelling congregation of wholesomeness, so I should probably watch what I say. But oh well. It's not my kind of thing. You can bet none of my kids would be caught dead standing on stage showing off their pearly whites and singing schmaltzy crap for old folks in Saticoy.
Back then, this was big news. Here were a gaggle of high school and college aged kids projecting a positive image of good old American values in an age of disillusionment and bad hair style choices. Red state America lapped it up. Numerous TV appearances and even a feature film documentary came before they headed into a big time recording studio to make this album with Grammy winning producer and gang vocal Svengali, Anita Kerr.
So sit back and pretend you've never heard Black Sabbath or Public Enemy for a moment and enjoy this ridiculous shit.
Mike
This entry was posted
on Thursday, July 20, 2006 at 5:45 AM.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:34:00 PMHAHAHA! This totally cracked me up. Thanks for writing it!
I was a member of the YAs in the 60s, and, in fact, am on the album cover you posted.
Hey - I loved being in the Young Americans. It was fun, exciting, and we got to travel a heck of a lot more than our peers and also got to be on a bunch of television shows, which was a big thrill for us back then. And though the kids may have LOOKED like the epitome of clean-cutness, they were just as out-of-their-minds as any teenagers.
By the way - a drunk Kevin Spacey - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH - good one. Actually the boy who sang that solo was all of 17 or 18 years old, and has gone on to become quite a well-known actor in Broadway musicals.
More power to you! I needed a good laugh!
Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:26:00 PM
Wow. Great to hear from a YA from the day. And one of the kids on the cover no less! Which one are you? Boy or girl?
I spent Thanksgiving with my niece, now 21 (I guess she was more like 18 or 19 when I wrote the ariticle), and still a member of the YAs and we listened to some of this album and she laughed and recognized many of the aspects of YAness. I told her I wrote an article about the album and said, "google it", then I re-read it and regretted telling her about it. Then I saw the comment from the old Young American and now I feel better about everything.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks,
Robot Mike
Friday, January 22, 2010 11:31:00 PM
I feel sorry for your niece for having to endure reading this. The Young Americans is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world.
The wonderful man that started this group has affected me in more ways than can be written here. These "fucking geeks" that you speak of have gone on to be amazing doctors, teachers, actors, producers, musicians, mothers, and fathers.
For three years these amazing individuals were my family. You may not understand or care to, but there is no reason why a grown man like yourself should be insulting such a wonderful group of individuals who give everything they have to help that little girl who is too timid to sing alone, or to comfort that little boy who just lost his mom to cancer. In my case, it was bringing joy to those families and kids devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Seeing them smile for the first time in six months since they had lost everything was one of the most memorable moments of my life.
Your niece will learn more from this group than she will from anything else she will do in her life. In the three days she is in a town on tour, she will have affected these children more than a teacher who has had them in the classroom for a year.
You'd be amazed at the incredible stories your niece surely has.
Monday, November 21, 2011 5:51:00 PM
I wish you knew how this group changes lives all over the world. My heart goes out to anyone that could say such rude things about other people, but then again. That is why we do what we do. To change the world and hope for the best.
I wish you love faith and hope. Hope that you have had a change of heart after writing this.
Love a YA
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