America (West Side Story song) America (West Side Story song) “America” is a song from the musical "West Side Story". Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics and Leonard Bernstein composed the music. In the original stage version, Anita – the most important female character after Maria and the girlfriend of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks – praises America while a fellow Puerto Rican immigrant, Rosalia, supports Puerto Rico. This version of the song deprecates the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life ("I’ll drive a Buick through San Juan/If there’s a road you can drive on"). The irony of this supposedly pro-American number,
Written in the Stars (Elton John and LeAnn Rimes song) one with Rimes performing the first verse, the other with John. The song was later featured on Rimes' 2002 album "I Need You" and the concept album for the musical. The song was performed live at VH1 Divas Live 1999. According to an episode of VH1's "Pop-Up Video", the music video for this song was meant to evoke forbidden loves, as well as the separation between the two singers. Rimes was shown in colder, more heavenly backdrops; John was given warmer backgrounds, as in a milder depiction of hell. Written in the Stars (Elton John and LeAnn Rimes song) "Written