Living the American life can be bittersweet, like that song Everybody’s Talkin’ from the movie Midnight Cowboy. An upbeat tempo yet somber tone sets an ironic theme of stubborn optimism to which every American can relate: personal aspirations despite countless setbacks and heedless freedom to wonder around this great land in hopes of finding a better life or at least a better view. Now with the pandemic and governmental mandates to stay home, without pay, we’re dealing with a very bitter experience—the worst time ever according to Willie Nelson (who grew up in the Depression Era). To pass the time, I thought about American influence especially during the 20th century in music, movies and pop culture. Being a child of pop music, a religious listener of Top 40 radio back in the day, I formulated a list of what I consider our country’s most ‘American’ songs: not patriotic but songs reflecting the American experience in all our truest intentions, shortcomings and slow-to-realize social evolutions. The list starts with the American Revolutionary War and ends with a Taylor Swift song. The list was revised and edited until compiled into an entertaining assortment, well to me. Too, American pop music—expressed throughout the recent centuries in folk, gospel, blues, country, jazz and rock idioms—not only reveals our collective story but also amplifies our best and worst characteristics: a warring inclination; willingness to die for liberty; and most assuredly fight in print and vocal protest for the right to pursue personal happiness, to live our own lives, and right or wrong to love the very ones who make our hearts sing.
18th Century/American Revolutionary War Era
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier was an old Irish song, Siul A Ruin. Best accompanied by a dulcimer, with a timbre reminiscent of the Old World, and sung in an ethereal soprano voice, the beautiful morose lament pierces the heart with plain lyrics telling of an earlier age when womenfolk remained behind during war while anticipating the loss of their beloved soldier:
“I’d sell my clock. I’d sell my reel.
Likewise, I’d sell my spinning wheel
to buy my love a sword of steel.
Johnny has gone for a soldier.”
Amazing Grace, written in 1772 by John Newton, known in his day as a drunkard and slave trader, the spiritually profound lyrics were inspired after he survived a violent storm at sea. Amidst the dangerous turmoil, Newton, not particularly religious though raised a Puritan, called on the Almighty for divine intervention, to save his life and everyone on board. Miraculously, the storm passed with no harm to crew or vessel. This universal song of faith and humble acceptance of God’s grace has been performed so often, its status has risen to American anthem. The lyrics weren’t set to music until decades later, using the British tune New Britain. From the opening stanza, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,” the song declares a personal revelation of God’s patient love and enduring companionship despite our human faults and failings:
“I once was lost but now am found,
was blind but now I see.”
19th Century
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child is perhaps the most poignant of all African-American spirituals, songs by slaves. This song reportedly was first performed in concert in 1870 according to gospel music archives. The song also sets the format for traditional blues lyrics, repeating a line two or three times then adding a lyrical twist at the end:
“Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
a long way from home, a long way from home.”
The song resonates today as the feelings are universal. Though the lyrics directly refer to a people taken from their Mother Homeland and plopped into a strange land of unknown language, culture, clothing, music and religion—a place where no one loved and cared for them—the song is relatable to anyone who feels orphaned or out of place.
Wabash Cannonball, originally The Great Rock Island Route, is a traditional American folk song dating back to the 1880s. The song’s history is said to have come from the hobo community, stragglers who jumped trains to ride from town to town. The upbeat tempo expresses American freedom and the newfound excitement of speed, which would become an impressive attribute defining our country during the 20th century:
“From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore,
from the queen of flowing mountains to the south belt by the shore,
she’s mighty tall and handsome and known quite well by all.
She’s a modern combination called the Wabash Cannonball.”
Early 20th Century
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, made popular in the 1920s by the Carter Family recording and radio play, was written as a Christian hymn in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon and Charles H. Gabriel. The Carters rewrote the lyrics for a tear-jerking funeral song:
“I was standing by my window
on one cold and cloudy day
when I saw the hearse come rolling
for to carry my mother away.
Will the circle be unbroken
by and by, Lord, by and by?
There’s a better home a-waitin’
in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”
The hymn’s original lyrics spoke of the entire family in time reaching eternity, completing the family’s transition from the physical world to the spiritual hereafter. But the Carter rendition is more profound and implies a family remains encircled and together even if one member or more are deceased. The family circle remains unbroken. The hymn is pure American in its Christian roots and certainty of a better life in the hereafter.
Solace, Scott Joplin’s most beautiful piano rag, is distinctively Spanish influenced. Written in 1909, the instrumental piece uniquely features a tango beat. The piece was used in the 1970s’ movie The Sting. Joplin was an American original, hard working to his own detriment, and as a musical genius intended to combine musical elements from other cultures. Sit back and relax sometime by listening to this piece, a bridge between Old West saloons and a turn-of-the-century craze called Ragtime.
God Bless America was written by prolific American songwriter Irving Berlin in 1918 to commemorate the end of ‘the war to end all wars.’ The song was revised and recorded again in 1938 as America soon would embark on another world war. The song is a prayer, purely American in calling on divine guidance and protection specifically for America as a country:
“God, bless America, land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
through the night with the light from above.”
This Little Light of Mine seems a typical African-American spiritual, given its blues lyric format. But it was written as a children’s song in the 1920s by Harry Dixon Loes. Ever since, it continues to be performed in churches and elementary schools around the world. What makes the song uniquely American is lyrics that relay self confidence, an individual’s assurance that is based in the spiritual. The song, sung in first person, implies all God’s children possess a unique talent symbolized as an inner light radiating intelligence and value:
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”
Rhapsody in Blue: The fabulous New York composer George Gershwin performed this brilliant musical tribute, combining jazz and modern American classical elements, in 1924, having written it as a last-minute instrumental composition. Beginning with a swirling clarinet solo, the symbolism is not lost as the optimistic American who awakens to a brand new day. Stretching to life and full of pride and purpose, he is soon joined by the rest of the population represented by the orchestra and then catapulted to work by strategic cymbal crashes. Then Gershwin himself improvises on piano assorted syncopated and dazzling melodic phrases. The famous finale represents day’s end, with the working American proud of occupational duty and livelihood, tired but content, and ready for well-deserved rest, awaiting dreams of even bigger endeavors.
Blue Skies by Irving Berlin came out in 1926. The song is overflowing with optimism due to newfound love. Yet it was penned by someone who suffered dark depression and low self esteem. Unbelievable. The work itself is classic American in that its creator is a humble man producing voluminous work and never letting on to his solitary sadness and insecurity:
“Blue skies smiling at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see.
… Blue days, all of them gone. Nothing but blue skies from now on.”
Wildwood Flower was recorded with acoustic guitar in 1928 by the Carter Family. The tune and lyrics were derivative of another lesser known song, but the Carters’ guitar-playing style, melodic riff with harmony simultaneously, sets it apart as an American folk stylistic masterpiece. The lyrics tell of a gal wearing colorful flowers in her hair to attract suitors at a dance. Eventually she settles for a mate who will neglect her as she ages, leaving her feeling like a faded flower still alive in the wild but unappreciated and overlooked. The upbeat clap-along tempo carrying a song of rue is typical of the American expectation to keep a-goin’ even if heartbroken and unhappy.
Happy Days are Here Again: The originally peppy ditty, chosen by President Franklin Roosevelt as his campaign theme song, was somehow a hit at the beginning of America’s Great Depression. The song was popularized in 1930 in a movie called Chasing Rainbows. The upbeat tempo and lyrics ooze American optimism. Then again, Roosevelt was wealthy and financially secure:
“Happy days are here again!
The skies above are blue again!
Let us sing a song of cheer again!
Happy days are here again!”
Don’t Fence Me In, a Cole Porter and Bob Fletcher song written in 1934, was based on another similar song and reworked by the duo to the familiar hit melding cowboy Westerns with pop orchestra music. The song inspired a movie or vice versa and represents the American pursuit and longing for land and spacious sky:
“Oh, give me land, lots of land, and the starry skies above.
Don’t fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide-open country that I love.
Don’t fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
and listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees.
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
don’t fence me in.”
Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing), recorded in 1936 featuring the savage drumming of none other than Gene Krupa, must’ve created a generation gap between fainting Ragtime elders and the energized youth who would be known as Bobby soxers. Add the growling brass and swirling winds, this Louis Prima tune recorded to fame by the Benny Goodman Orchestra best typifies a new untamed generation of Americans. The song was first performed by Goodman’s Orchestra at Carnegie Hall as the finale of the premiere Big Band music concert, a music style found highly objectionable by the snooty concert board. Stressing the off beat, the piece obviously puts front and center elements of African drumming, which would influence the next American generation’s musical taste, rock ’n’ roll.
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince for the hilarious 1941 Abbott & Costello movie Buck Privates, is a WWII song representing the American attitude that says ‘I’ll do my duty, but I’m gonna have a lot of fun, too.’ GIs frequented canteens to swing dance and jitterbug the night away with lovely gals. Archival photos and film clips leave the impression young Americans danced throughout the war. There were dances to raise funds, dances to reinvigorate soldiers, and dances just to socialize and maybe meet prospective sweethearts. And all that dancing to Big Band music, the greatest music America ever created. The young Andrew Sisters’ lush harmonies poured over tight lyrics in a brisk tempo catapulted the swingin’ song to the top of the pop charts, number six on a list ranking the most influential songs of the 20th century:
“He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the top man at his craft.
But then his number came up, and he was gone with the draft.
He’s in the army now, a-blowin’ reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.”
Mid 20th Century
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, by country & Western icon Hank Williams in 1949, was the B side of an uptempo tune typically preferred in those days by jukebox crowds. But Williams’ sobering poetic lament became a natural American hit, aptly depicting the sights and sounds realized in solitude. The singer says he’s so lonesome he could cry, yet he doesn’t—very American:
“Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
Like me, he’s lost the will to live.
I’m so lonesome I could cry.”
This Land is Your Land: Just another hit song that tells the world our love affair with our country’s breathtaking and diverse terrain. Penned by Depression folk hero Woody Guthrie in 1940, this standard American folk song was not recorded until 1951. The entertainer and singer/songwriter had said he was inspired as an Okie hobo arriving in New York City. Because of Guthrie’s leftist sympathies, the song may still be thought as subversive with secret meanings supporting socialism or communism. But nevertheless, the song, sung in every school child concert, expresses the majestic land called America is perhaps the apple of God’s eye and intended for anyone to reside and enjoy, as the refrain goes, “This land was made for you and me.”
Rock ‘n’ Roll Music: By one of the genre’s pioneers, Chuck Berry, this song was an anthem and instant smash, earning it the prestigious title of ‘Oldie but a Goodie’: “It’s got a back beat, you can’t lose it.” The song brings together country & Western flavor with a hard-driving rhythm & Blues beat. Rock music may have been born in the 1950s, but the beat and spirit particularly in this song would continue to influence countless bands and steer Americans into a new direction when it came to what would be considered pop music.
Christmastime is Here: America believes in Christmas and has contributed to the world’s collection especially in the 20th century. But this 1965 classic from A Charlie Brown Christmas TV special is eloquent though somber, combining elements of jazz piano, brush drumming and beatnik bass. Written by Lee Mendelson and jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, the lyrics are as breathtaking as the melody, and at this moment in time not directly related to biblical passage, though the animated show’s storyline is. The song presents a universal appeal, as mere children ponder if the loving and giving spirit of the holiday season could last throughout the year:
“Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer,
fun for all that children call their favorite time of year.
Snowflakes in the air. Carols everywhere,
olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share.”
What a Wonderful World, uniquely sang by beloved American jazz entertainer Louis Armstrong, was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. The song was a quick hit in Great Britain in 1967 but slow charting on American radio. A throwback to the standard orchestrated American Pop style, Weiss wrote the lyrics specifically to bring the races together, and he wanted Armstrong to sing the song. Like a jazzy lullaby, the lyrics are carefully crafted to convey optimism, hope and spiritual purpose—traits of American songs that first touch the heart before the mind fully comprehends and respects the message:
“I see skies of blue, clouds of white,
the bright blessed day and the dark sacred night,
and I think to myself, ‘What a wonderful world.’”
And When I Die is an uplifting declaration by influential ’60s’ singer/songwriter Laura Nyro. In the spirit of a raucous minstrel style, her message may have been considered sacrilegious. She expresses acceptance of the cycle of death and life while asserting no fear of dying. The song is a sample of the changing attitudes of post-war Americans who by the 1960s were willing to split from traditional Christian teachings and beliefs, even the belief in God. The song was recorded in 1966 by Peter, Paul & Mary but in 1968 became a major hit for the rock-jazz hybrid band Blood, Sweat & Tears. And When I Die was a personal favorite of consummate 20th century American entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr.:
“And when I die, and when I’m dead, dead and gone,
there’ll be one child born and a world to carry on, to carry on.”
My Way became a major late-career hit for America’s most famous crooner Frank Sinatra. The lyrics were by songwriter Paul Anka who used the melody from a beautiful instrumental tune known in Europe. Recorded in 1969, the life-affirming ode was an instant hit and remains interestingly enough a staple in the funeral biz. The song is a good example of American sentiment that wants no one to grieve their death, though the song’s commentary could apply to the end of a romantic relationship. The lyrics are stoic yet tender. With no apologies, the lyrics convey one’s satisfaction and responsibility of life’s path and individual choices good and bad:
“Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
when I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all, and I stood tall
and did it my way.”
Rose Garden, written by Joe South (Games People Play) and recorded in the late 1960s by a few notable artists before country singer Lynn Anderson took it to the top of the cross-over charts in 1970, presents in an upbeat tempo, as Americans like, a hard life lesson: practicality beats sentimentality.
“I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden.
Along with the sunshine, there’s gotta be a little rain sometime.”
Me and Bobby McGee, Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster’s ode to freedom in having nothing but your jeans, was recorded in the late 1960s by several country artists. But rock star Janis Joplin would take the song to number one in 1971, her version released to radio after her death. What makes the song American is an expressed stubborn streak, a don’t-give-a-damn attitude that no one can look down on people who are poor, homeless and rootless:
“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”
Late 20th Century
Take This Job and Shove It, written by country music outlaw David Allan Coe and sung by Johnny Paycheck, was a huge hit in 1977. What song could be more blue-collar American? A sentiment felt by the working man who may not be in control but is willing to say ‘to hell with it’ and go for broke rather than work one more day for The Man in a meaningless job. Sweet freedom! Oh, and the song was number one on the charts:
“Take this job and shove it.
I ain’t working here no more.
My woman done left and took all the reasons
I was working for.
You better not try to stand in my way
’cause I’m walkin’ out the door.
Take this job and shove it.
I ain’t working here no more.”
I Will Survive, by American songwriters Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, exemplifies the disco era and was a first-time hit for singer Gloria Gaynor in 1978. The over-the-top production begins in rubato like a sad ballad but then switches to a joyful dancing celebration and assurance of surviving not only heartbreak but the loneliness and fear of an uncertain future sans romantic love. The song is about emotional strength. Americans know they’ll survive anything. Most of us don’t want no pity party:
“I will survive.
As long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.”
Material Girl, by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, was a 1984 super hit by Madonna who took the music world by storm and ruled the decade. The song is an excellent example of America at the time, overindulging in material things. But the song’s video storyline culminates with the singer preferring romance with a simple man of little means. Yeah, right:
“They can beg and they can plead. But they can’t see the light
’cause the boy with the cold hard cash is always Mister Right.”
One Moment in Time was an anthem and pop hit for Whitney Houston, an American singer who arguably possessed the greatest voice of the 20th century. The song was written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis for the 1988 Olympics. Told in first person, the song is about going after your dream, a common theme in America, one that requires courage and belief in oneself:
“I want one moment in time when I’m more than I thought I could be,
when all of my dreams are a heartbeat away, and the answers are all up to me.”
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of the alternative rock band Green Day in 1997, returns to an unadorned acoustic sound of guitar accompaniment and male vocal solo enhanced later with a small string orchestra to elevate the song’s message. The song contrasted the usually loud metal band (American Idiot) and may have been written sarcastically, playing on the phrase ‘good riddance.’ Even so, the song expresses American life in phases, looking back one last time in fondness before moving on to the next stage. To the rest of the world, the ability to move on in life is our most notable American characteristic:
“Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road,
time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why.
It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time.
It’s something unpredictable but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.”
21st Century
Where is the Love?, by pop rap troupe Black Eyed Peas, presents a host of messages in rapidly rapped verses countered by a smoothly sung chorus repeatedly asking “Where is the love?” The 2003 song was a collaboration written by group front man will.i.am along with apl.de.ap, Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Ron Fair, Printz Board, Michael Fratantuno, George Pajon, Fiona Davies M. Fratantuno and J. Curtis. The song presents concerns and suspicions about American government from the FBI to the CIA, terrorist organizations including gangs and the KKK. Subsequent verses call on parents to teach their children instead of letting them grow up on their own and even shames adults for letting kids watch movies with adult content. It is a moralistic message, something for which America is well known:
“People killin’. People dyin.’
Children hurt, and you hear them cryin.’
Can you practice what you preach?
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father, father, father, help us.
Send some guidance from above
’cause people got me, got me questionin’
‘Where is the love?’”
Shake It Off is a fantastic recent smash pop song (and video) by Taylor Swift, recorded in 2014. Swift wrote the lyrics with songwriters Max Martin and Shellback. Thinking about herself as a celebrity and how she is often cast in the gossip tabloids, Swift’s lyrical comments indicates the need to carry a sense of humor when others speak unkindly, cruelly and even falsely about you. It is an American ideal to maintain a sense of humor about oneself and not worry about what others think and say about us, individually and as a nation:
“I go on too many dates, but I can’t make ’em stay.
At least that’s what people say, mmm, mmm. That’s what people say, mmm, mmm.
But I keep cruisin’, can’t stop, won’t stop moving.
It’s like I got this music in my mind sayin’ it’s gonna be all right.
’Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play.
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake.
I shake it off. Shake it off!”