DBT #439 American V1

 

After a few anti-Trump posts including Shame and Lies, this post is really about being American; so take the trifecta for whatever you would like to interpret these playlists to be.  I know for sure it's great songwriting capturing the American spirit.

1) Americano - Brian Stetzer

Even my wife said, you have this song?  Yes and I love it.  Really kicks off the playlist, and screams "Want to be American!"

2) Do You Remember the Americans - Stephen Stills w/Manassas

The idea for this playlist as went to the back room to get room to get "Down the Road" for his song "Lies" for the last playlist.  I imported a good chunk of the whole record, but when I heard this one it was wow.  Again, even my wife said "Is that really Stephen Stills?"  Yes the banjo and harmonies, this song deserves to be covered by a bluegrass band.

3) American Kid - Carsie Blanton

My favorite Americana revolutionary.  She is so good live, and loved that this one is out there and needs some view love.  Yes God help the American kid, we don't always do what is right for them.

4) American Insanity - Mike Ward

Yes of course my buddy Mike took time to describe the insanity we're living in; and definitely got use of the rhyming dictionary.  Well done Mike, so good here you can read along:

AMERICAN INSANITY

Every day in the comment section
There’s talk about insurrection
Calling names at our own reflections
Exploiting our imperfections
An online viral infection
Where truth can’t pass lie detection
Happens every single election
It’s a crossroads not an Intersection
Each side is so partisan
Not open to our fellow man
Always ready to open a can
Thinking each of us is better than
All over this apathetic land
Who really has the right to ban
Books, ideas gays or trans
Sinking us into quicksand
CHORUS: It’s Insanity… oh all around me
Hyperbole… Qanon conspiracy
Instability…..oh say can’t you see.
It’s insanity… from sea to shining sea
Let’s talk about the right to choose
What every woman could lose
From red-state courtroom abuse
Holier than thou point of views
A dynamite stick with a lit fuse
A handmaid’s tale vacation cruise
Going backwards we must refuse
Come on there’s no excuse
It’s a constitutional crisis
Congress running round like 3 blind mices
Talking bout where Jesus Christ is
Acting oh so righteous
Made of gold like King Midas
Scarier than Taliban or isis
Contagious as meningitis
It’s all gonna come back to bite us
CHORUS: It’s insanity. Oh all around me
Idiocracy…a dictator wanna be
Lies and deceit…oh say can’t you see
It’s Insanity. from sea to shining sea
BREAK: Dark clouds above forming
That was our capital they were storming
Oh It was more than a warning
What will be left standing in the morning?
Now we got to separate
All the church from the state
All the love from the hate
When there’s crime investigate
Stop all the click bait
Meant to eviscerate
Contaminate, manipulate
Take a stand, vote, demonstrate
CHORUS: Its Insanity. oh all around me
no civility .. just criminal proclivity
rewriting history…..oh say can’t you see
it’s Insanity American insanity… Tucker, Trump and Hannity…
no integrity…a future catastrophe…a damn calamity…
use some profanity…cause it’s insanity from sea to shining sea

credits

5) American Dream (Explicit) - The Rebel Eves

Keeping in the Michigan lane for music, I love these ladies, I need more of them in the library.  This is one of their pop rockers, not really sure why they have to claim explicit.

Don't change who you are ladies, you are kick ass and I loved finding this more stripped down version.  This song does has that same smack that the Riot Woman's song had that would change their lives in the TV show.  Yeah we gave that show two thumbs up too.

6) All American Made - Margo Price

Nice story song about today's struggle to understand our political environment.  I saw something recently that most of our problems started with the rise of Fox News; yes they and the blow hards on right wing radio stocked division and hatred.  Ha, another wife comment; she really didn't need all the new clips in the song though I loved them.

7) Green Eyed American Actress - Jesse Wood

Here's one to cheer you up a bit, I bought it just for the Eyes Volume 2 playlist.

8) Define American - Megan Keely

We're back in Michigan for a great song by Megan Keely that was on a album put out for an Immigrant fund raising.  On Annie Bacon's Bandcamp page:

I wrote this song in a moment of paralysis and heartbreak when I first heard of our president's plans to rescind DACA. My music made its first public foray into the topic of immigration reform back in 2013, when I was just beginning to learn about the plight of the Dreamers and the limitations on a clear path to citizenship for Dreamers and their families. That's when I co-wrote and contributed my song "Dream It Now" to the campaign supporting "The Dream Is Now," a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim. Fast-forward several years later and there is still no clear path to citizenship for so many individuals who I believe are vital to the fabric of our communities. Like all movements, immigration reform progresses in waves. I wrote "Define American" to lend a voice to DACA recipients, and specifically to direct energy towards the incredible story of Jose Antonio Vargas. A journalist born in the Philippines, Jose Antonio Vargas arrived in the US as a child and grew up to win the Pulitzer Prize for his courageous, brilliant writing. He also founded Define American, a nonprofit organization intended to open up dialogue about the criteria people use to determine who is an American. I hope my song encourages people to learn about his organization, read his breathtaking memoir "Dear America," and take a moment to embrace the common ground that holds us together as one unified humanity. ~ Megan Keely

Of course you know me if I can contrast a studio Bandcamp version to a live video; I'm all over it.  Plus you know if you ask I still define American as from the land of the free and the home of the immigrants that made their way to freedom.  Enjoy:

9) Rusty Old American Dream - David Wilcox

Ah... yes Americans do love their automobiles, another lighter fun song to keep the playlist ever changing.

10) American Dream - Hayes Carll

Yes I own "What It Is" album, and here's a great live studio cut:

11) American Idiot - Green Day

Yes Martha, Dave's Basement Tracks music collection contains a few Green Day albums.  Not played a lot but they are important to own, and I like they have to say about and to our orange leader. Now be careful to adjust the volume before you click this song, it ROCKS from the start.

12) American Tune - BettySoo

Of course I have a few covers of Paul Simon's classic; I loved to listen to Betty's version and gave it a nod for the first volume.  Here was how this cover came to happen:

I found myself needing solace during the election season this year, and I pulled my guitar out of the "studio" and sat on the couch, playing this song. It struck me that my supporters on Patreon (aka the BS Song Club) might enjoy a studio demo of it, and once I started getting feedback from them, I decided to release it. I haven't officially released any recordings to anyone but the BS Song Club in over six years, so this feels both momentous and anticlimactic, but I decided none of that matters. All I hope is that you enjoy it and that Paul Simon's beautiful classic brings you the solace it brought me.

Ok so BettySoo didn't have a video in YouTube to put on the One Click streamable playlist below, so I put Paul solo on it.

Next steps:

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