Peak
25
Weeks
11
Score
1,181
Chart Year
1963
Scores & Rankings
Chart Performance
Peak Position25
Peak DateSep 28, 1963
Weeks at Peak2
Weeks Charted11
Weeks in Top 404
Weeks in Top 100
Weeks at #20
Weeks at #10
Scoring
Summary Calc316
Weekly Calc865
Total Score1,181
Rankings
Year Ranking#208
Decade Ranking#1,915
Billboard Year#207
Top 5000#11,791
Details
Music Video
Notes
Written by the Brill Building songwriters Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, this song was first recorded by The Drifters, with lead vocals by Rudy Lewis, who sang their hits "On Broadway" and "Up On The Roof." The song was written at a time before integration, and the lyrics were originally about racism. It had the following chorus: Only in America, land of opportunity Can they save a seat in the back of the bus just for me Only in America, where they preach the Golden Rule Will they start to march when my kids go to school Atlantic Records had a problem with the lyrics, so the songwriters changed them to be a satiric message of patriotism. The Drifters recorded the song with these new "patriotic" lyrics, but refused to release it because they did not believe that message. The songwriters Mann and Weil were also upset with the changes to the song and started taking more control of how their songs were recorded, with Mann taking on more production duties. Kenny Vance of Jay & the Americans told Songfacts how they came to record this song: "I happened to go up to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's office, because I used to hang out there as a kid - they produced us. I guess I was like a barometer for them, and they played me 'Only In America.' I said, 'Boy, that would be great if we could have that,' because we're Jay & the Americans. They took us over to Atlantic recording, who had a brand newfangled machine, an 8-track machine. Up until those dark days we were recording all 4-track. [This allowed Jay & the Americans to record their vocals on the original backing tracks produced by Leiber and Stoller for the Drifters.] I remember it became a hit in Florida. There's a friend of mine, he's a film director by the name of Leon Ichaso, and he told me that when they were kids that had come from Cuba in 1963, 'Only In America' was an anthem for them. That they couldn't speak English, but phonetically they could all sing 'Only In America.' And I remember when we played down in Florida in 1963, the whole audience was Cuban, and I didn't know why. But it took me about 30 years and finally that question was answered." The original, unreleased Drifters version is available on their boxed set. Says Vance: "It's a killer version. I had the acetate and I gave it to the guy at Rhino who was putting the CD out. I saved it all those years. It just was a killer performance."
Only in America Can a guy from anywhere Go to sleep a pauper and wake up a millionaire Only in America Can a kid without a cent Get a break and maybe grow up to be President Only in America Land of opportunity, yeah Would a classy girl like you fall for a poor boy like me Only in America Can a kid who's washin' cars Take a giant step and reach right up and touch the stars Only in America Could a dream like this come true Could a guy like me start with nothing and end up with you Only in America Land of opportunity, yeah Would a classy girl like you fall for a poor boy like me Only in America (poor boy like me) Only in America (only in America) Only in America (only in America) Only in America (only in America) Only in America (only in America) Only in America
Chart History (11 weeks)
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 17, 1963 | 87 | 39 |
| 2 | Aug 24, 1963 | 71 | 55 |
| 3 | Aug 31, 1963 | 62 | 64 |
| 4 | Sep 7, 1963 | 46 | 80 |
| 5 | Sep 14, 1963 | 42 | 84 |
| 6 | Sep 21, 1963 | 35 | 91 |
| 7 | Sep 28, 1963 | 25 | 101 |
| 8 | Oct 5, 1963 | 25 | 101 |
| 9 | Oct 12, 1963 | 37 | 89 |
| 10 | Oct 19, 1963 | 42 | 84 |
| 11 | Oct 26, 1963 | 49 | 77 |