The video for this song, a 10-minute live version, was shot on October 27, 1985 during a "One Off" performance in Nice, France at Théâtre de Verdure and shown on MTV during an entire segment dedicated to the single. This would be the first televised interview that Prince gave since 1980 on American Bandstand. The segment included a live rendition of "America" and a one-on-one interview with fans surrounding Prince.
The main song is a standard rock-and-roll meets funk performance, ending at 3 minutes and 40 seconds. The 12-inch single extended version is notable for being over 21 minutes long and including various instrumental solos. The song fades just before the audio tape ran out, as Prince and the Revolution had jammed the song out until there was no more room on the tape.
The song is a sardonic criticism of the state of 1980s America, referencing Communism and worrying about nuclear war.