America

This article is about the West Side Story version. You may be looking for the Neil Diamond version.

America from West Side Story is featured in The First Time, the fifth episode of Season Three. It is sung by Mike, Puck, Rory, Santana, and Tina, with the rest of the Jets and Sharks singing backup.

During the performance, Mike can be seen giving a few glances at his mother in the audience, who is proud of his performance and part in the musical.

Lyrics[]

Santana:
Puerto Rico
My heart's devotion
Let it sink back in the ocean (Sharks: Hahaha)
Always the hurricanes blowing
Always the population growing (Sharks: Hahaha)
And the money owing (Sharks: Hahaha)
And the sunlight streaming (Sharks: Haha)
And the natives steaming (Sharks: Haha)
I like the island Manhattan (Tina: I know you do)
Smoke on your pipe
And put that in! (Sharks: Heh!)

Sharks Girls:
I like to be in America
Okay by me in America
Everything free in America

Puck:
For a small fee in America

Sharks:
Heh!

Santana:
Buying on credit is so nice

Puck:
One look at us and they charge twice

Tina:
I have my own washing machine

Rory:
What will you have though to keep clean?

Sharks:
Heh!

Santana:
Skyscrapers bloom in America

Tina:
Cadillacs zoom in America

Santana:
Industry boom in America

Sharks Boys:
Twelve in a room in America

Sharks:
Heh!

Santana:
Lots of new housing with more space

Puck:
Lots of doors slamming in our face

Santana:
I'll get a terrace apartment

Puck:
Better get rid of your accent

Santana:
Life can be bright in America

Sharks Boys:
If you can fight in America

Sharks Girls:
Life is all right in America

Sharks Boys:
If you're all white in America

Sharks:
Heh!
Lalala America
America
Lalala America
America

Sharks Girls:
Here you are free and you have pride

Mike and the Jets:
Long as you stay on your own side

Sharks Girls:
Free to be anything you choose

Mike and the Jets:
Free to wait tables and shine shoes

Sharks Girls:
I like to be in America
Okay by me in America
Everything free in America

Puck:
For a small fee in America

Sharks Girls:
I like to be in America
Okay by me in America
Everything free in America

Puck:
For a small fee in America

Puck and the Sharks:
Lalala America
Lalala America
Lalala America
Lalala America!

Trivia[]

Naya Rivera is actually half Puerto Rican.
Santana and Brittany's hair is pinned up to appear shorter.
In the original West Side Story, the Jets don't appear in this number (as stated by Emma). It is likely they were weaved in due to time constraints, and the inability to have a Jets number. This decision on the show was said to be Artie's.
The cast did the movie version, not the play version. The stage version does not feature any male singers. The version of the song in the episode is actually forbidden by the company that licenses the musical, Music Theatre International. Source
The original version of the song is slightly over 7 minutes, while the Glee version is more than 3 minutes long.
This is Rory's first solo in a group number.
According to the original script, won and released by The Box Scene Project, this song was initially supposed to be mashed up with Jai Ho. Source

Mistakes[]

During the performance, Dianna Agron can be seen briefly forgetting the words and/or cue to sing during the line "Free to wait tables and shine shoes".