(American Trash 2011)

I had the riff first. That’s never how it works. I always have some words and then search for the chords. It came together perfectly. I knew the first time I played it for Kevin he was in. He loved the downstrokes and worked in an absolute barn-burner of a drum breakdown before the last chorus. It is a work of magic.

As for the words I wanted a new way to describe how thin someone was. Rail. Stick. NO. Skinny as the wind. I see it in my head, but I can not write it down. Never figured out the words.

Erika hates it. I’m pretty sure it’s because of the line “Just another plain white piece of American Trash.” But, Corey Hanks of Those Crosstown Rivals always screamed the chorus when we got to that part. So I guess i’m batting .500.

The opening line, “I’m another American Kid grown old”…man, did I feel that.

American Trash

I’m another American kid grown old
And the summer’s coming on so slow
I took it all and never knew when to quit
I knew all the rules but I never gave a shit

She used to like to shake her ass
In the downtown clubs for the rich white class
She had the looks, but not enough to last
Just another plain white piece
Of American trash

She’s skinny as the wind but it’s all ok
Cos she’s all strung out in the U.S.A.

She swears “they’ll never get their hands on me”
As she thumbs her way through another magazine
A perfect little face all wrapped up in plastic
Just another porcelain white skin classic
She says, “I’m so fucking tired of life
Yea but I’m to fucking scared to die”
Yea she had it all and it passed
Just another plain white piece
Of American trash

She’s skinny as the wind but it’s all ok
Cos she’s all strung out in the U.S.A.