The Kid's American
| "The Kid's American" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Matthew Wilder | ||||
| from the album I Don't Speak the Language | ||||
| B-side | "Ladder of Lovers" | |||
| Released | January 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | Private-I | |||
| Songwriter | Matthew Wilder | |||
| Producers |
| |||
| Matthew Wilder singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Kid's American" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Matthew Wilder. It was released as the second single from his first studio album I Don't Speak the Language. "The Kid's American" peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is Wilder's second most-popular hit, behind "Break My Stride". It is also his second top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is about celebrating youthful ambition, individuality, and the dream of making it big in America.[1]
Personnel
- Matthew Wilder – lead vocals, backing vocals, Prophet-10
- Bill Elliott – acoustic piano
- Dennis Herring – guitars
- Reggie McBride – bass guitar
- Peter Bunetta – drums
- John Gilston – Simmons drum programming and sequencing
- Jerry Peterson – baritone saxophone
- Lon Price – tenor saxophone
- Greg Prestopino – backing vocals
- Joe Turano – backing vocals
- Arno Lucas – backing vocals
- Leslie Smith – backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[2] | 28 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[3] | 24 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[4] | 93 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 33 |
| US Cashbox[6] | 40 |
| West Germany (GfK)[7] | 35 |
References
- ^ Harrington, John (October 25, 2023). "The 50 Most Popular Songs About America". 24/7 Wall St. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ "Matthew Wilder – The Kid's American" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Matthew Wilder – The Kid's American" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ "Matthew Wilder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996. Sheridan Books, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Matthew Wilder – The Kid's American" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.