Според някои критици клипът в този вид няма нищо общо с посланието на песента, а тема на едноименният албум е всъщност кризата в средната възраст на една звезда, изгубила всичките си илюзии. Други обаче изтълкуваха знамената като защита на идеята за ООН и напомняне, че САЩ са само една от държавите в световната общност.
Музиката в "American Life" отново е резултат от сътрудничеството на Мадона с френския продуцент от италиано-афганистански произход Мирваис Ахмаджай (MirwaisOnline.com ), с когото през 2000 г. бе създаден и предишният й албум "Music", обяснява "Ню Йорк таймс" и допълва, че стилът синтпоп сега се възражда под името "електроклаш".
Текстът на American Life:
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
That's why I wrote this song
This type of modern life
Is it for me?
This type of modern life
Is it for free?
So I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It's more easily said
It's always been the same
This type of modern life
Is not for me
This type of modern life
Is not for free
American life
I live the American dream
You are the best thing I've seen
You are not just a dream
I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But some how I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more
This type of modern life
Is it for me?
This type of modern life
Is it for free?
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
American life
I live the American dream
You are the best thing I've seen
You are not just a dream
I tried to be a boy
Tried to be a girl
Tried to be a mess
Tried to be the best
Tried to find a friend
Tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
Fuck it
Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?
Ahh, fuck it (4)
I'm drinking a Soy latte
I get a double shoté
It goes right through my body
And you know I'm satisfied
I drive my Mini Cooper
And I'm feeling super-dooper
Yo they tell I'm a trooper
And you know I'm satisfied
I do yoga and palates
And the room is full of hotties
So I'm checking out the bodies
And you know I'm satisfied
I'm digging on the isotopes
This metaphysic's shit is dope
And if all this can give me hope
You know I'm satisfied
I got a lawyer and a manager
An agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant
And a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler
And a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist
Do you think I'm satisfied?
I'd like to express my extreme point of view
I'm not Christian and I'm not a Jew
I'm just living out the American dream
And I just realised that nothing
Is what it seems
Do I have to change my name?
Am I gonna be a star?
Do I have to change my name?
Am I gonna be a star?
Do I have to change my name?
