A-side "America" Genre New wave, synthpop | B-side "Jihad" Length 15:29 | |
Released April 4, 1988 (April 4, 1988) Format 12" single
7" single
CD maxi single | ||
"America" is Killing Joke's first single from their seventh studio album, Outside the Gate. It was released by E.G. Records on April 4, 1988.
Contents
"America" was the first official single by Killing Joke to be produced by members of the band, due to the departure of producer Chris Kimsey.
The song was first released as a 7" single with "Jihad" as the B-side. It was also released as a 12" single in the UK and Germany, featuring "America (The Extended Mix)" as the A-side while the B-side featured "Jihad" and a remix of "America" by Glenn Skinner.
This was the first single by Killing Joke to be released as a CD maxi single, featuring the Glenn Skinner remix of "America", "Jihad (Beyrouth Edit)", "America (The Extended Mix)" and the original 1980 remix of "Change".
Reception
"America" received generally negative reviews. Adrien Begrand of PopMatters described it as a "[laughable] ham-fisted social commentary". "Walker simply phones in his guitar work, whatever there is of it we can hear under the overbearing synths and severely gated drums. Ferguson’s drumming was replaced altogether by session musician Jimmy Copley, while Raven was so embarrassed to be part of the dismal project that he had his name removed from the album credits." However, "America" did manage to chart at No. 77 on the UK Singles Chart.
7" single
- "America" – 03:47
- "Jihad" – 06:00
12" single
Both versions of "America" were mixed by Glenn Skinner.
- "America (The Extended Mix)" – 06:45
- "Jihad" – 05:26
- "America" – 03:44
CD maxi single
Both versions of "America" were mixed by Glenn Skinner.
- "America" – 03:44
- "Jihad (Beyrouth Edit)" – 05:08
- "America (The Extended Mix)" – 06:45
- "Change (Original 1980 Mix)" – 04:00