Welcome to another Saturday night of music, memories, and conversations.
I think true patriotism is calling us out on our flaws and mistakes. To really love a country, you need to point out where we could do better.
Springsteen’s Born In The USA is so frequently used as an unthinking, uncritical patriotic song. But if you really listen, he’s talking about how Vietnam veterans were screwed, and people in general have to work so hard for so little. But is is a patriotic song, just not a “my country has no flaws” one.
and this one’s a double —John Mellencamp - Pink Houses (Live at Farm Aid 2005) — in a recent interview on Fresh Air, he said this song was about redlining; and here he is performing it at Farm Aid, which was put together because so many of our family farms were being repossessed by banks & sold to big agribusinesses
here’s another example of tough love from Mr. M, Our Country:
The dream is still alive
Some day it will come true
And this country it belongs
To folks like me and you
So let the voice of freedom
Sing out through this land
This is our country
Neil Young —Rockin' in the Free World
John Legend In America
written by John Legend for the TV series Underground. "The song points out the tension between the promise of America, the ideals of America, and sometimes us not living up to those ideals in practice," he told Billboard.
But maybe it's a long shot
Maybe it's a fantasy
We've given it all that we've got
Maybe we can live a dream
Oh, oh
Can we build a new life was it ever meant that we...
Could make it in America
Make it in America
Woodie Guthrie This Land is Your Land
And did you really think I could do a music diary with no U2 in it? Have we met? This one is American Soul. Both loving and calling us to be better. Lyrics here.
Gentle reminder: Please continue to put the name of your selection in your comment along with your song. Those of us on our phones? We really appreciate it.
You know how this works — Put your quarter in the slot and your song in the comments. This is your Saturday night jukebox and the party starts NOW.