America is sus, but you know there’s some great music made in celebration and in lamentation of it. Favorite 🇺🇸 songs??

Question

Paul Clarkson · Answer

Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper - This Land is Your Land: An extended dirtbag take on Woody Guthrie‘s classic. It doesn’t get much more ‘Merican than this.

faye · Answer

a very random couple of America songs…: Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World

(At least as powerful now as it was then, I think.)

City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman, popularized by Willie Nelson/Arlo Guthrie/etc. A little sad, a little gritty, but not unlovely. Kind of goes with America by Simon and Garfunkel in my head?

Speaking of trains, but not in a great way:

The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore - Jean Richie (or any of the many covers). A bitter folk song about coal miners getting screwed over could be from a couple places. One  that starts the chorus with “ I was born and raised at the mouth of Hazard holler”, calls out the L&N (Louisville & Nashville rail line), mentions scrip/company stores (which I’m pretty sure was an illegal practice in the UK and Canada a lot earlier), and references kudzu… yep, you’re in the Appalachians.

I had one more that got back into a more pop/rock place but now I CANNOT remember. Oops.

jouy · Answer

no brainer by cure for paranoia: amazing lyricism and musicality. addresses multiple issues seeping throughout the country.

the eye in the background points to the incoming likening to a mass surveillance state.

“left brain, right brain, no brain-er” i mean not to be political but… you see it.

change my mind!

side note: they won NPR’s tiny desk contest! no confusion why!

Anisha · Answer

Only in America (Vince Staples): It goes
Fireworks on Friday night
Have you standin' by my side
Feel like the Fourth of July
Perfect slice of apple pie
Got me feelin' warm inside
Like the Fourth of July

Let's go
Shootin' stars, scars like stripes
Red, white, and blue, police lights
Big house, picket fence
Just don't be late, don't get rent
Land of the free, home of the brave
Home of the natives, home of the slaves
Trust me when you hear me say
God gon' bless the USA

Emily · Answer

Johnny Cash - Ragged Old Flag

Emily · Answer

James Brown - Living in America

Emily · Answer

Neil Diamond - America

Emily · Answer

saturday in the park: Will be playing this on repeat today

J Gutz · Answer

Liberty (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, 10/14/1994) by Grateful Dead: Can you think of any better summation of the US than: “If I was an eagle, I’d dress like a duck.Crawl like a lizard and honk like a truck.”?

Lil rose · Answer

Nina Simone, Why (The King of Love is Dead): Ultimate lamentation

Claire Marie B · Answer

No Kings In The USA (feat. Allison Russell, Demeanor, R-SON The Voice Of Reason, Dolio The Sleuth & Ole!): Let’s get some gangstagrass!

Sarah Cooney · Answer

For What It's Worth: Time we stop

Hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down

A song for Vietnam and a song for now. I think we’d be a lot better off if we had musicians writing songs like this today.

Samantha Culp · Answer

Ice People - Link Wray - 1971: By the rock'n'roll legend Link Wray (Shawnee)

Lizzie · Answer

Not Ready to Make Nice (The Chicks)

Evan McAvenia · Answer

u.s. blues live at the great american music hall: "we're all confused, what's to lose? you can call this all the united states blues."

now that's what i call some cosmic american music.

Chiara · Answer

Americans by Janelle Monae: The song itself is extremely catchy and there’s a powerful speaking portion!

E_C_B · Answer

Grand Canyon, Ani DiFranco: “I love my country

By which I mean

I am indebted joyfully

To all the people throughout its history

Who have fought the government to make right”

❤️💙🤍

Colin Doran · Answer

Childish Gambino - This Is America: it’s recent, but still absolutely amazing

Nora · Answer

Simon & Garfunkel, America : "This song explains why I'm leaving home to become a stewardess."

Jules · Answer

Bruce Springsteen - Badlands: he never says USA or America in this song but depending on your point of view this is a call to get up and survive agains all odds  or a searing critique that any of us even have these insane odds to answer to. poor men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be king, and the king ain’t satisfied untilhe owns everything.

Rish · Answer

im afraid of americans: Bowie being based once again

Meredith B · Answer

Independence Day (Martina McBride): 90s Martina 🫡🫡🫡

Emily · Answer

Bill Callahan - “America!”: Classic Bill C

Dylan · Answer

Ethel Cain - American Teenager: The neighbor's brother came home in a box
But he wanted to go, so maybe it was his fault
Another red heart taken by the American dream

Dylan · Answer

American Woman (Lenny Kravitz): an iconic late 90s timeless classic

Dylan · Answer

Momo Boyd - American Love Song: tysm to @bradshaw for introducing me to this song & artist! <3

Eric F · Answer

Dance In The USA - Show Me The Body 🇺🇸: “Dance for the minimum wage”

Benjamin Liljenquist · Answer

American Pie - Don McLean: Great ole song with some fire lyrics

Ginny Branch · Answer

This Land (Gary Clark Jr.): “I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”- James Baldwin

Spines, Flicks, and Wax · Answer

Woody Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land: Woody Guthrie, a true punk in the best way.

Toby Nieboer · Answer

Lou Reed - Dirty Blvd: More on the lamentation end… and more true today than it was back then.