AMERICA (2ND AMENDMENT)

America was adapted from West Side Story and was recorded by The Nice for a single release in 1968. This rocking rendition did not appear on any of the group's full length albums (it has however been included among the bonus tracks of CD re-issues of The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack, and on some live albums), and in my opinion is far more exciting than any of the material from their albums. I love this high energy instrumental that became one of The Nice's most well-known numbers, and the recording clearly points towards what Emerson would go on to do with ELP on Hoedown and Fanfare for the Common Man for example.

The US version of this single held an edited version of only 3:55, but the European versions were over six minutes. The b-side is The Diamond Hard Blue Apples of the Moon, another non-album track. Unlike the a-side, this one is a The Nice original written by Davison and Jackson, and featuring vocals.