50 Rock Songs About the U.S.

[uwe]

About 25 years ago, some columnist suggested that the national anthem be replaced with Doo Wah Diddy, saying it was the essential all-American boy-gets-girl song.

The original recording was girl-gets-boy.

Never heard this original version - beats everything that came out later.

[uwe]

Can't believe that this wasn't in the original list:




Heck of a guitar solo too. Talk about an angry guitar.

[4stringer77]

This one isn't rock but there is a little slap bass. Eat your heart out Larry Graham!

[uwe]

I find it hard to draw exacting boundaries between rock, pop, folk and country. It's also pointless.

I always loved this "America Song" (admittedly, I thought it was a John Denver song, I wasn't aware about the argument who wrote it), it gives me goose bumps (in a good way) to this day, it's not chest-beatingly patriotic, but says something about the undisputable beauty of America as a geographic country.

BTW, in my ears this is more folk than country. Its vibe is even Paul Simonish to me.

[westen44]

Folk to the core.  Not country. 

[4stringer77]

The overalls almost make it country. A cowboy hat would have put him over the top.

[Dave W]

I'm not aware of any controversy about who wrote City of New Orleans. Steve Goodman, all the way. He considered himself a folk artist.