Editing I'm Afraid of Americans (section)

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{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = I'm Afraid of Americans
| cover      = Bowie_I'mAfraidofAmericans.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[David Bowie]]
| album      = [[Earthling (David Bowie album)|Earthling]]
| A-side     = Versions 1–4 (12")
| B-side     = Versions 5–6 (12")
| released   = {{start date|1997|10|14|df=yes}}
| recorded   = August–October 1996
| studio     = Looking Glass (New York City)
| genre      = 
*[[Industrial music|Industrial]]
*[[techno]]
| length     = {{ubl|{{duration|m=5|s=00}} (album version)|Various (single remixes)}}
| label      = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
| writer     = 
*David Bowie
*[[Brian Eno]]
| producer   = 
*David Bowie
*[[Reeves Gabrels]]
*[[Mark Plati]] (album version)
*[[Trent Reznor]]
*[[Photek]] (single remixes)
| prev_title = [[Pallas Athena (song)|Pallas Athena]]
| prev_year  = 1997
| next_title = [[I Can't Read]]
| next_year  = 1997
|misc={{External music video|{{YouTube|LT3cERVRoQo|"I'm Afraid of Americans"}}}}
}}

"'''I'm Afraid of Americans'''" is a song by the English musician [[David Bowie]], released as a [[Single (music)|single]] from his album ''[[Earthling (David Bowie album)|Earthling]]'' on 14&nbsp;October 1997 through [[Virgin Records]]. The song was co-written by Bowie and [[Brian Eno]] and originally recorded during the sessions for Bowie's 1995 album ''[[Outside (David Bowie album)|Outside]]''; this version was released on the [[Showgirls (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of ''[[Showgirls]]'' (1995). The song was then remade during the sessions for ''Earthling'', featuring rewritten lyrics, [[Overdubbing|overdubs]] and transposed verses. An [[Industrial music|industrial]] and [[techno]] track, it presents a critique of America through the eyes of a stereotypical "Johnny" and is characterised by drum patterns, synthesisers, various [[Loop (music)|loops]] and vocal distortions.

The [[Maxi single|maxi-single]] release contained six different [[remix]]es mostly created by [[Trent Reznor]] and his [[Nine Inch Nails]] band members; the V3 mix featured [[Ice Cube]] while the V5 mix was created by [[Photek]].<ref name="afraidof">{{Cite AV media notes |title=I'm Afraid of Americans Credits |url=https://www.discogs.com/David-Bowie-Im-Afraid-Of-Americans/release/97226/image/SW1hZ2U6MjU2NzMyMTc= |access-date=9 August 2021 |type=liner notes |publisher=[[Virgin Records]] |id=V25H-38618 |quote=Personnel is noted as "Nine Inch Nails members" and are not given exact roles}}</ref> Reznor subsequently appeared in the [[music video]], which reflected the song's theme of a frightened European in an American city. The single was Bowie's final single to chart on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] until 2015, reaching number 66. Reznor's V1 mix has since appeared on several [[compilation album]]s.

The song has received positive responses from critics and biographers. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' named it one of the 30 most essential songs of Bowie's catalogue in 2016. Some American commentators later acknowledged the significance of the lyrics in the late 2010s. Bowie performed "I'm Afraid of Americans" frequently on his concert tours, live performances from which have been released on [[live album]]s. Reznor has performed the song live with Nine Inch Nails as well.