Play it Again, Sam #13a - "American Woman"

@teamfreak16 (43421)
Denver, Colorado
June 21, 2018 3:22pm CST
Another week, another days-long hiatus, and you really don't want to know why. All you really want to know is, "where the hell has Play it Again, Sam, been?" Well, we're back. As always, Play it Again, Sam is a two part discussion consisting of an original song followed by a cover of that song. We are at #13a, the "original:" "American Woman" by the Guess Who. As classic a protest song as there ever was, the Guess Who's "American Woman" has quite the interesting story. The band was playing a concert in a curling rink in Ontario (there seems to be a bit of confusion among those involved as to WHICH curling rink, but the general consensus is that it WAS a curling rink. Yay, curling!,) when guitarist Randy Bachman broke a string. While tuning the replacement, Bachman began improvising the now-famous riff, after which vocalist Burton Cummings started making up lyrics to fit Bachman's riff. They liked what they were playing, went with it, and noticed that a kid in the front was recording a bootleg. The band asked the kid for the tape, took it into the studio, and changed pretty much nothing other than a few lyrics. By the way, when the Guess Who were invited to perform at the White House shortly thereafter, First Lady Pat Nixon requested that the band abstain from playing "American Woman" due to it's perceived anti-American stance (I would have played it anyway. Twice!) The tune was a big hit, #1 in both Canada and the US, and charted in a total of seven nations, reaching the Top 5 in five of those. You probably know where I'm going with this, but are you absolutely sure that, to paraphrase the great Paul Harvey, you really know the rest of the story? (Info verified by Wikipedia)
guess who american woman this video is not mine but is owned by WMG
4 people like this
4 responses
@crossbones27 (48395)
• Mojave, California
21 Jun 18
I am never sure, rest our anxieties. lol
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
I think everyone knew it was going to be Lenny. It's the most well known cover, after all.
1 person likes this
• Mojave, California
21 Jun 18
@teamfreak16 I am not sure, thought it would be Justin Beiber
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Jun 18
@crossbones27 - Justin Beiber wouldn't know a protest song if it bit him in the butt!
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36379)
• Toccoa, Georgia
22 Jun 18
I love that song.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Jun 18
It's a classic, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 18
I did not know this story, thanks, its an awesome story, yes I would have played it too.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
If it was Trump, I'd have played it 50 times, over and over, until he got up and left.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Jun 18
I shall wait and see who you pick.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
It's the Lenny Surfers!
1 person likes this