Talk:America (West Side Story song)

Unnamed section
The compilation album "Back on the Road" included a rock version of this song. Does anyone know who it was by?

Why is the title of this song given as "América" with an accent over the 'e'? Both the score and libretto of West Side Story refer to it simply as "America". I see no justification for this alteration. Willcwhite (talk) 21:50, 30 March 2009 (UTC)

Also, nowhere do the composer's instructions indicate "habañera". I changed this to "Huapango". Willcwhite (talk) 00:16, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

I am changing the line about Metallica 'sampling' the two bars from "America" since this doesn't constitute a sample. They are merely replaying the famous eight bars on electric guitars. 18:32, 31 May 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.232.29.160 (talk)

Anita is a member of the Sharks?
According to the booklet of my copy of the soundtrack CD, Anita isn't actually a member of the Sharks (if I recall the movie correctly, both the Jets and the Sharks are all-male); she's just the girlfriend of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

Perhaps a source could be found to clarify this. — 92.40.24.93 (talk) 12:51, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

What is "America"?
Given the statuses of Puerto Rico and Alaska/Hawaii at the time of the musical, the song seems to imply a definition of "America" as "U.S. states, federal districts, and organized incorporated territories". While I'm sure that corresponds to the definition of the average Broadway theatergoer, I don't know whether it is the definition of the average Puerto Rican. Where do Puerto Ricans stand (or where did they stand in 1957) in the debate on Americas (terminology) / American (word)? jnestorius(talk) 10:43, 26 November 2013 (UTC)


 * If it wasn't a significant controversy in the late 1950s / early 1960s, then it isn't Wikipedia's role to elevate it to a controversy. AnonMoos (talk) 15:23, 26 November 2013 (UTC)


 * Indeed. I ask the question as a prelude to wondering whether it was ever a controversy. jnestorius(talk) 15:36, 26 November 2013 (UTC)


 * One example quoted here:
 * Even in its literature, art, and aesthetics, Puerto Rico is commonly misunderstood. The musical WEST SIDE STORY is relevant here. In the words of its most popular song, the United States is referred to as 'America,' But no one in Puerto Rico ever refers to the United States as 'America' and no Puerto Rican ever did. All Latin peoples in the Southern Hemisphere believe that they are Americans, too.
 * One example is not notable of itself, perhaps, but there may be more where that came from. jnestorius(talk) 17:15, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Puerto Rican "immigrant"
Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. and Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. "Immigrant" is not the right word. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.32.62.83 (talk) 10:47, 14 August 2016 (UTC)

not an hemiola
"This rhythm has been called both a hemiola and a habanera but is not really either." Probably isn't habanera, is a hemiola in the usual definition. This objection is based in a definition that isn't cited - says who? - and that is a definition that disagrees with the extant wiki entry "Hemiola". "preferred term for a vertical two against three … is sesquialtera." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemiola#cite_note-9 J Civil 19:18, 24 August 2021 (UTC)