"American Woman" is a song by the Canadian rock band The Guess Who, released in January 1970 as the title track of their sixth studio album, American Woman
. The single was released in March 1970 and became a major hit, reaching number one on both the United States' Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM singles chart for three weeks starting May 9, 1970
. It was certified gold by the RIAA on May 22, 1970
. The song was recorded on August 13, 1969, at RCA's Mid-America Recording Center in Chicago and produced by Jack Richardson
. The music and lyrics were reportedly improvised during a live concert jam session, with lead singer Burton Cummings improvising the lyrics on stage
. Although often interpreted as an anti-American or anti-war protest song, Cummings explained that the lyrics were inspired by his impression that American girls seemed to mature faster than Canadian girls, and the phrase "American woman, stay away from me" was meant humorously to express a preference for Canadian women
. The album American Woman was one of The Guess Who's most successful, reaching number 9 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart and number 1 on the Canadian Albums Chart
. The album features a mix of psychedelic rock and hard rock and includes other hits like "No Sugar Tonight"
. In 1999, American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz covered "American Woman" for the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and released it as a single. His version was slower and softer than the original and achieved chart success internationally
. In summary, "American Woman" is a landmark rock song by The Guess Who, notable for its chart-topping success in 1970, its improvised creation, and its cultural significance as a Canadian rock anthem with complex interpretations of its lyrics
