Well, HOMECOMING was a smash. It outsold their debut LP; Two albums & two smashing successes & yes there was a measure of jealousy by some people in the music industry. After all no one is supposed to open a career just out of high school & be so successful. The world now wondered what AMERICA'S next step would be. Everything was happening so fast, recalled GERRY.

All the strange HORSE promotions by radio stations & others were behind them now. AMERICA now armed with a new & well respected management team (Elliot Roberts & David Geffen) looked towards the next LP. It would turn out to be one of their toughest projects to date & the last one that they would self-produce - at least for a long, long time. The LP was HAT TRICK which featured the single "MUSKRAT LOVE" & contained the song "HAT TRICK", written by all 3 of the guys & lasting over 8 minutes of pure AMERICA. The guys could now exercise some creative muscle over Warners & the song HAT TRICK reflected this. The execs wanted 2 minute songs with catchy hooks; AMERICA gave them their honest & uncompromised feelings. The results included RAINBOW SONG 4:00 minutes, GREEN MONKEY 3:35, SHE'S GONNA LET YOU DOWN 3:40. RAINBOW SONG was a reflection by DEWEY on some great times in high school that he sort of missed & it very much represented the honest, down-to-earth music that would characterize AMERICA'S persona.

On the subject of "MUSKRAT LOVE", I get really riled when I think of what the kapten & toeface did to the song AFTER AMERICA had released the original version. AMERICA was the 1st to record the song, written by Willis Alan Ramsey. They truly captured the true essence of the song & laid down some wonderfully melodic tones with a rich & warming music cadence - like a warm summer time love under an old oak tree. The song was not really about rats, but the kapten & toenail turned it into some commercialized piece of junk, their advantage was a national tee vee audience. They took fine wine & made kool aid out of it. Just listen to AMERICA's version & you will understand that there is no other version. By the way it was about this time that AMERICA went about recruiting a full-time drummer & tour manager; and yes they are still with them today. More later, I need to cool down............

Last Revised: 19 September 1997