The America song containing the lyric “You take what you want and I’ll take the sunshine” is “Riverside.” Written by Dewey Bunnell, it is one of the early acoustic songs associated with the band’s folk-rock sound.
“Riverside” was recorded by America for its self-titled debut album, released in 1971. The song’s gentle guitars and close vocal harmonies reflect the trio’s early style, which drew on folk rock while keeping the arrangements spare and melodic. Bunnell later described the song as combining two pieces of writing.
The lyric’s river imagery and relaxed, self-contained attitude fit the song’s central idea: two people keeping to their own sides while accepting life as it comes. It is less famous than “A Horse with No Name” or “Ventura Highway,” so listeners sometimes remember the line but misidentify the song.
America formed in London in 1970, despite its members being American servicemen’s sons. “Riverside” has also appeared in the band’s live repertoire, including the 2002 concert album The Grand Cayman Concert.