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  1. #1
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Songs about America

    In your opinin what is the best song written about America?

    There seem to be few standards like Lee Greenwood's God Bless the U.S.A. that get heavy play on patriot holidays and occasion, but IMO that song is a real bore. Not withstanding the lyrics, the song itself is so disjointed and there is no melody to speak of.

    Neil Diamond did it better with his song America, but it might have been little bit over the top and too formal.

    IMO the best song I have heard about USA is Waylon Jennings' song America. A low key song that talk about race, unity, multiculturalism and a good melody to carry the tunes.

  2. #2
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    Yeah I have the record of Neli Diamond and the first track is the song " America ".

    I don't know any other songs

  3. #3
    Oldest join date recoveryone's Avatar
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    I don't think there are many songs, but the way it can be sung makes a big differences. I.E:

    Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl (Star spangle Banner)

    Ray Charles at NBA Finials (America the Beautiful)
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  4. #4
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Thanks dakatabg

    Quote Originally Posted by recoveryone
    I don't think there are many songs, but the way it can be sung makes a big differences. I.E:

    Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl (Star spangle Banner)

    Ray Charles at NBA Finials (America the Beautiful)
    Or Roseanne Barr SInging the National Anthem

    There are actually quite few songs written about America if one also include songs that explore the not-so-rosey side (Springsteen's Born in the USA).

  5. #5
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    I like this one...

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    In your opinin what is the best song written about America?

    "Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together"
    "I've got some real estate here in my bag"
    So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies
    And we walked off to look for America

    "Kathy," I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
    "Michigan seems like a dream to me now"
    It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
    I've gone to look for America

    Laughing on the bus
    Playing games with the faces
    She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
    I said "Be careful his bowtie is really a camera"

    "Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat"
    "We smoked the last one an hour ago"
    So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
    And the moon rose over an open field

    "Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping
    I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
    Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
    They've all gone to look for America
    All gone to look for America
    All gone to look for America



    I also like James Brown's 'Living in America',
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

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  7. #7
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Swish, is that a poem or a song as it seem it got too much ambiguity. But there is not too much ambiguity about James Brown's 'Living in America'

    Dakatabg, thanks for list. I did ran cross few song lists while putting this post together and was surprise not seeing Waylon Jennings song in any of them. That just show how much good taste is out there

  8. #8
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    How about Little Pink Houses by John Melloncamp?

    Rocking In the Free World by Neil Young

    A little light on lyrical patriotism but You Can Still Rock In America, according to Night Ranger

    Styx's, Sweet Madam Blue sure says America enough times.

    Sammy Hagar, Voice Of America

    If memory serves I believe Don't Tread On Me by Damn Yankees

    This Land Is Your Land

    My Country Tis Of Thee

    I'm not a Toby Keith fan but it seeems like he ought to have a hand full.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    Swish, is that a poem or a song as it seem it got too much ambiguity. But there is not too much ambiguity about James Brown's 'Living in America'

    Dakatabg, thanks for list. I did ran cross few song lists while putting this post together and was surprise not seeing Waylon Jennings song in any of them. That just show how much good taste is out there
    I believe it was a Simon and Garfunkle song made popular by Yes.

  10. #10
    _ Luvin Da Blues's Avatar
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    Two by non Americans.....

    Breakfast in America - Supertramp

    Ohio -C, S, N & Y
    Back in my day, we had nine planets.

  11. #11
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    What about Kansas - Song for America

  12. #12
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    That's a pretty well-known song from Simon & Garfunkle...

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    Swish, is that a poem or a song as it seem it got too much ambiguity. But there is not too much ambiguity about James Brown's 'Living in America'

    Dakatabg, thanks for list. I did ran cross few song lists while putting this post together and was surprise not seeing Waylon Jennings song in any of them. That just show how much good taste is out there
    ...and is named 'America'. Great song and I'm surprised you never heard it.
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

  13. #13
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    Hmmm...

    Joan Armatrading - "All the Way to America"

    Worf

  14. #14
    Stone Stone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Luvin Da Blues
    Two by non Americans.....

    Breakfast in America - Supertramp

    Ohio -C, S, N & Y
    And "America the Beautiful" by D.O.A.:


    Lock your door
    Lock it tight
    It's the new immortal right
    They wanna cleanse the home of the brave
    For the master race of the USA

    So Beautiful!

    On the street you won't know
    Like a pack of wolves in sheep's clothing
    Spreading wide and spreading far
    Not just another false alarm!

    It's so beautiful

    America!
    I got my bible
    America!
    And I got my handgun
    America!
    Now I'm Ready!

    America!
    I got my bible
    America!
    And I got my handgun
    America!
    Now I'm Ready!

    Are you?

    It's so Beautiful

    America!
    It's the home of the brave
    America!
    And the home of the Slaves
    America!
    Are you Ready?

    America!
    I got my bible
    America!
    And I got my handgun
    America!
    Now I'm Ready!

    It's So Beautiful (Hey!)
    Home of the brave (Hey!)
    So Beautiful! (Hey!)
    And the world will turn to flowing pink vapor stew.

  15. #15
    Forum Regular frahengeo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Swish
    ...and is named 'America'. Great song and I'm surprised you never heard it.
    Yes. A Simon and Garfunkel song made popular by Simon and Garfunkel. Nice choice.

    Can't imagine Jon Anderson singing this song...
    It's a disease, really.
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  16. #16
    RGA
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    The song God Bless America is practically offensive but anyway.

    I will go with Casino Nation from Jackson Browne


    In a weapons producing nation under Jesus
    In the fabled crucible of the free world
    Camera crews search for clues amid the detritus
    And entertainment shapes the land
    The way the hammer shapes the hand

    Gleaming faces in the checkout counter at the Church of Fame
    The lucky winners cheer Casino Nation
    All those not on TV only have themselves to blame
    And don't quite seem to understand
    The way the hammer shapes the hand

    Out beyond the ethernet the spectrum spreads
    DC to daylight, the cowboy mogul rides
    Never worry where the gold for all this glory's gonna come from
    Get along dogies, it's coming out of your hides

    The intentional cultivation of a criminal class
    The future lit by brightly burning bridges
    Justice fully clothed to hide the heart of glass
    That shatters in a thousand Ruby Ridges
    And everywhere the good prepare for perpetual war
    And let their weapons shape the plan
    The way the hammer shapes the hand


    Lyrics by Jackson Browne
    Music by Jackson Browne, Kevin McCormick, Mark Goldenberg, Mauricio Lewak, Jeff Young
    (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP; Eye Cue Music, ASCAP; Bossypants Music/Songs of Windswept Pacific, BMI; Bateria Music, ASCAP; Glad Brad Music, Inc., ASCAP)

  17. #17
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    Smile Exuse me you Canadian s.o.b.!

    Quote Originally Posted by Luvin Da Blues
    Two by non Americans.....

    Breakfast in America - Supertramp

    Ohio -C, S, N & Y
    You can take credit for Neil Young being a Canadian, but Nash is British while Stills and Crosby are American. Now go sing 'God Bless America' and get some rest.
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

  18. #18
    _ Luvin Da Blues's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Swish
    You can take credit for Neil Young being a Canadian, but Nash is British while Stills and Crosby are American. Now go sing 'God Bless America' and get some rest.

    Maybe spend some time and see who wrote and sung "Ohio".

    Now go cry to somebody that gives a dam.
    Back in my day, we had nine planets.

  19. #19
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    Hehe! Oh man, you don't have to get all ticked off.

    Quote Originally Posted by Luvin Da Blues
    Maybe spend some time and see who wrote and sung "Ohio".

    Now go cry to somebody that gives a dam.
    I was messing with you. Or, are you now messing with me?

    Anyway, Neil did indeed write the lyrics to the song, but the band helped write the music, and your post did say 'non-Americans C.S.N. & Y.', right?

    I'm going to cry now. Chat with you later.
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

  20. #20
    Stone Stone's Avatar
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    While you guys are pissing on each other's shoes, here's another one by some non-Americans:


    Yankee soldier
    He wanna shoot some skag
    He met it in Cambodia
    But now he can't afford a bag

    Yankee dollar talk
    To the dictators of the world
    In fact it's giving orders
    An' they can't afford to miss a word

    I'm so bored with the U...S...A...
    But what can I do?

    Yankee detectives
    Are always on the TV
    'Cos killers in America
    Work seven days a week

    Never mind the stars and stripes
    Let's print the Watergate Tapes
    I'll salute the New Wave
    And I hope nobody escapes

    I'm so bored with the U...S...A...
    But what can I do?

    Move up Starsky
    For the C.I.A.
    Suck on Kojak
    For the USA
    And the world will turn to flowing pink vapor stew.

  21. #21
    _ Luvin Da Blues's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Swish
    I was messing with you. Or, are you now messing with me?

    Anyway, Neil did indeed write the lyrics to the song, but the band helped write the music, and your post did say 'non-Americans C.S.N. & Y.', right?

    I'm going to cry now. Chat with you later.

    LOL, I was gunna just put Neil Young but thought I would get blasted for that. I guess it's one of those songs that's international then.

    Can we agree that it's still a song 'bout 'merica?

    Cheers
    Back in my day, we had nine planets.

  22. #22
    Audio Hobbyist Since 1969 Glen B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    In your opinion what is the best song written about America?
    For me its America The Beautiful. This song causes a stirring in my heart anytime I hear it, regardless of which artist is performing it.

  23. #23
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    One More....

    "Livin' in America" - James Brown...

    "All night Diners, keep you awake...."
    "Black Coffee and harld roll. Heyah!!!"

    Worf

  24. #24
    Stainmaster Finch Platte's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Worf101
    Joan Armatrading - "All the Way to America"

    Worf
    I love this song, and to nitpick, it's called All the Way From America, and it's more about a relationship than America, per se.

    You called all the way from America
    And said hang on to love girl
    But the weeks and the months and the tears
    Passed by
    And my eyes couldn't stand the strain
    Of that promised love

    All the way from America

    You called all the way from America
    And said I'll soon be home girl
    But the years and the tears and the fears
    Passed by
    And my heart couldn't stand the pain
    Of that promised love

    All the way from America
    All the way from America

    I stayed all alone and I waited 'round
    For you to knock at my door
    But the knock never came and no ring
    At all
    And now I sit and wonder why
    You made that first call

    All the way from America

    I don't believe I'll stay here
    I don't think I wanna wait here any more
    And if you search for me baby
    Better bring some more love than you declared

    All the way from America

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