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Radio America is track #6 on The Libertines' debut album Up the Bracket, and is credited to Doherty and Barat. It is a really early Libertines track, penned before Plan A was introduced by Banny Poostchi to get the band signed, which explains its different sound to the rest of Up the Bracket. It is rumoured that the "poor dancing girl" referred to in Radio America's lyrics is Isadora Duncan.

Although Doherty really liked the track, it is rumoured that the rest of the band didn't, however, after Peter lent out some money to Carl , Carl agreed that the song could be included on their debut album. Doherty said in an interview; I thought 'Radio America' was alright. We never really did that live though, because the rest of the guys, I dunno, I don't think they were that into it. But I managed to get it onto our first album, like by hook or by crook. I think I owed Carl a bit of money and he was going, "Where's that money you owe me?" And I'd sort of say, "Look...." No wait.... Hang on, HE owed ME money. I canceled the debt and he let me put 'Radio America' on the album. Typical fuckin' Libertines! (Laughs) Absolutely disgraceful.

This could explain the fact that the band never regularly played the song live, and no live bootlegs or other versions of the song exist on the internet.

Appearing on

Up the Bracket

The Libertines

Album

2002-10-14

Concerts

BST, Hyde Park, London	The Libertines	Hyde Park, London	2014-07-05
Glasgow Barrowland	The Libertines	Glasgow, Scotland	2014-06-29
The Mass	Peter Doherty	Brixton, London	2008-06-17
12 Bar Club	The Libertines	London, UK	2001-02-26

Lyrics

If I get the call
I will call across Radio America
Right across America I will call
Yes I will call all across Radio America
Right across America I will call

If call I must do
To take my love my love to you

There a lovely young girl on?
And all across Africa, China and Australia
I will call

Call you down in New Mexico
In New Brighton and Tokyo
I will call

If call I must do
To take my love my love to you

For well it may hap' that these are they
Your happiest days
Oh my good old friend
I see you chanced your arm again
Cut your arm again

Red faced president
Took afternoon tea with her majesty the Queen
And they watched old films flicker
Across the old palace movie screen crying:
"What a shame as she slipped in the rain The poor dancing girl she won't dance again"

And they said it was a transmission
To take my love my love to you