"Living in America" is a song written by Dan Hartman and Charlie Midnight and performed by James Brown. It was released as a single in 1985 and reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song entered the Billboard top 40 on January 11, 1986, and remained on the chart for 11 weeks. It also became a top five hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart; it was his only top 10 single in the UK. It was his first top 40 hit in ten years on the US pop charts, and it would also be his last. In 1987, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and won Brown a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
Legacy The song was prominently featured in the film Rocky IV. In the film, Brown sings the song during Apollo Creed’s ring entrance, in reference to the character's patriotic image. It appeared on the Rocky IV soundtrack album.
The song was also featured in the 2003 NASCAR Pontiac commercial with drivers Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague, Jerry Nadeau, Johnny Benson, Jr. and Ricky Craven.
The song's co-writer Dan Hartman later included his recording of the song on his 1994 album Keep the Fire Burnin'.
Personnel Credits adapted from the album Gravity. James Brown – lead vocals and backing vocals Stevie Ray Vaughan – lead guitar Dan Hartman – rhythm guitar, synthesizers and backing vocals T. M. Stevens – bass and backing vocals Ray Marchica – drums and drum machine The Uptown Horns (Arno Hecht, Bob Funk, Crispin Cioe, "Hollywood" Paul Litteral) – trumpets, saxophones and trombones
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1985–1986)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)18US Billboard Hot 1004US Billboard Hot Black Singles10US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play3US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales1US Cash Box5
Year-end charts Chart (1986)PositionBelgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)21Canada Top Singles (RPM)56Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)78Netherlands (Single Top 100)83US Billboard Hot 10065US Cash Box65
Certifications
Track listings 12" release A. "Living in America" (R & B dance version) – 6:30 B1. "Living in America" (instrumental) – 4:33 B2. "Living in America" (LP version) – 4:42
7" release A. "Living in America" – 4:08 B. "Farewell" (Vince DiCola) – 2:58
Parody "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song on his 1986 album Polka Party! in a song entitled "Living with a Hernia", describing various kinds of hernias where Brown originally listed several American cities. The parody ends with Al shouting "I feel bad!" instead of Brown's trademark "I feel good!" The music video was shot on the same set Brown performed on in Rocky IV. Paul Shanklin also parodied "Living in America" on his 1999 album Bill Clinton: The Comeback Kid Tour in a song entitled "Sneaking in America", as a reference to illegal immigration to America. The song was also parodied in TV advertisements for the TV series Daisy Does America, substituting the show's title for the song's.
References
External links Review at AllMusic