I’m not going to do this as a poll, because… well… I don’t feel like it.
What songs do you associate with “America?” With places or ideas or just something that feels overwhelmingly “American” to you?
My first ideas:
American Pie
Motownphilly
Sweet Home Alabama
Summer of ’69
Aaron Copeland’s “Rodeo” is one of the most American songs I can think of.
Almost anything by Copeland, actually… same goes for Gershwin.
The Star Spangled Banner, Home on the Range, Hotel California, most slave trade spirituals. Yeah, I’m wierd.
Oh, and just about anything by Woodie Guthrie, of course. “This Land is Your Land” is a classic.
yup! I like the subversive verses.
as I was walking, I saw a sign there
and on that sign it said no trespassing
but on the other side it didn’t say nothing
that side was made for you and me
There are some songs which feel more regional to me – “Sweet Home Alabama” is one of those, and most the Beach Boys stuff feels very California, more than America. Songs that feel very American to me are:
American Pie – Don McLean
Jack & Diane – John Cougar
Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
State Trooper – Bruce Springsteen
The Factory – Warren Zevon
This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
America – Simon & Garfunkel
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – The Band (and others)
Rhapsody in Blue
more
New World Symphony, Antonin Dvorak.
Piano Man – Billy Joel
Allentown – Billy Joel
The Idiot – Stan Rogers (yeah, I know it’s about Canada. It still feels very American to me)
Wells Fargo Wagon – M. Willson (from The Music Man)
“For What It’s Worth” — Buffalo Springfield
“Four Dead in Ohio” — Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
(I guess I really am a child of the 60’s)
And I agree with “Rhapsody in Blue”
national anthem.
sittin’ on the dock of the bay
home on the range
that John Phillip Sousa march – “oh be kind to your web footed friends, for a duck may be somebody’s mother…”
Bruce Springsteen is archtypal blue collar midwest. Born to Run is one of the best recordings of all time. Down to the River is depressing, primarily because it’s all too common. Most of his stuff has a depressing strain to it, unfortunately.
Most of the things I can think of are heavily time based. WWI songs, WWII songs, Nam era tunes, bands the rest of the world thinks of as stereotypically yank.
Sadly, “country” music is one of our bigger musical exports and is almost exclusively north american.
American: sad, free, hopeful
Anything Bruce. I’m from Jersey, what can I say. “It’s a town full of losers, I’m pulling out of here to win!”–the American dream. Used to sing it loud with my girlfriend, also working class, though from Boston. Thunder Road was our anthem.
Gershwin is New York to me, courtesy of Woody Allen.
Woodstock, originally by Joanie Mitchell, covered by CSNY.
California, by Joanie.
Georgia, Ray Charles.
Orange Blossom Special, Johnny Cash. Most anything Johnny Cash, really.
Alice’s Restaurant, Arlo Guthrie.
Don’t Fence Me In.
King of the Road.
Mustang Sally.
Me & Bobby McGee.
Angel From Montgomery.
Amazing Grace.
We Shall Overcome.
Any Dixieland jazz. Any spirituals. Any bluegrass. All blues. Homegrown music, probably made on somebody’s porch. Fiddles, banjos, and harmonicas are as American as it gets.
oh, and:
City of New Orleans, Arlo.