# America-themed songs: need your help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953 "2017-04-21T23:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/61 "2017-04-25T00:19:48Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I can’t find a song that mentions Delaware [Let Perry Como fix that for ya.](http://www.metrolyrics.com/delaware-lyrics-perry-como.html)😉 I’m fond of John Pizzarelli’s [“I Like Jersey Best”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYGjcZmuAzU) ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/62 "2017-04-25T01:16:28Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Didn’t see Kansas’ [Song For America](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC-JhQ1p7nw) posted yet. Post #2. 😛 Also: Survivor “American Heartbeat” David Bowie & Pat Metheny “This is Not America” Eminem “White America” Riot “Born in America” Sacred Reich “The American Way” Electric Light Orchestra “Calling America” Alice Cooper “Lost in America” David Bowie “I’m Afraid of Americans” Less Than Jake “Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding” Bob Seger “Hollywood Nights” Randy Newman “I Love L.A.” Billy Joel “New York State of Mind” Dave Loggins “Please Come to Boston” Kiss “Detroit Rock City” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/63 "2017-04-25T01:30:26Z")
[American Tears](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1mulU5A-rk&t=0s) “Sometimes I think about America…” … “I will always be an American, And I’ll always shed American Tears.” ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/64 "2017-04-25T03:35:17Z")
FL = Tallahassee Lassie GA = Georgia on my Mind HI = Blue Hawaii (Elvis’s whole album of Hawaii titles) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/65 "2017-04-25T14:11:00Z")
Anyone mentioned “Viva Las Vegas” yet? Or Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/66 "2017-04-26T07:26:42Z")
How about some official (or semi-official) state songs: Georgia on My Mind The Arkansas Traveler Rocky Mountain High (Denver) Home on the Range (Kansas) You Are My Sunshine (Louisiana) My Old Kentucky Home Blue Moon of Kentucky I Love New York Hang on Sloopy (Ohio) Oklahoma Tennessee Waltz Rocky Top (Tennessee) Roll On, Columbia, Roll On (Washington) Louie, Louie (Washington) Take Me Home, Country Roads (West Virginia) On, Wisconsin! Here are a couple more about states: (Back Home Again in) Indiana - it’s better as traditional jazz than as a sappy ballad Carolina in the Morning How about selections from Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland, especially Simple Gifts and Hoedown? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/67 "2017-04-26T08:40:12Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > “Born in the USA” is not really pro-America. Neither is “American Woman” really. “Born in the USA” is at least from the USA, like it says in the title. It’s not anti-USA, just downbeat in a Springsteenish way. “American Woman” is Canadian, and that’s the one that I thought didn’t work. ETA: Not that you can’t throw it in, if you have a wry sense of humor about naturalizing. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/68 "2017-04-26T22:58:37Z")
Dennis Madalone - We Stand As One http://americawestandasone.com/ Actually started a thread about this 12 years ago. Still not sure if serious. ---
**Author:** ![MeepersC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meepersc/32/12088_2.png) [@MeepersC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeepersC)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/69 "2017-04-27T02:22:17Z")
James Taylor - “Carolina in My Mind” ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953/70 "2017-04-27T02:34:20Z")
Depends whether or not you’re really listening to the words… –The Guess Who’s “American Woman,” That was a very misogynistic song. _American Woman: Get Away from Me! :eek:_ –Kansas “Song for America” This is about how the beautiful pristine land of America was ruined by humans crossing the oceans and exploiting the resources while stabbing each other in the back. Oh, but there’s hope IF we can unite and love each other. :dubious: –Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “American Girl” This is about how the ‘typical’ American girl is shallow and pathetic ☹ –Styx “Miss America” This is about how Miss America contestants are shallow and get exploited for a year (and then forgotten). Said contestants are allegories for America (the USA) itself. OR it’s about how the American public so rudely treats the Miss America winners. Either way, it’s not a flattering portrayal of America. ☹ –David Bowie “Young Americans” This is about how shallow and superficial (and money-driven) Americans are. She will do what it takes to secure a husband, who will slave away working and supporting her even in absencia :mad: –John Cougar Mellencamp “Pink Houses” (“Ain’t that America for you and me…”) This is about how the American dream has faded to something pathetic – little pink houses admidst freeways and failing farms. :dubious: Night Ranger “(You Can Still) Rock in America” This is a simple tale of young kids disobeying their parents. Maybe that’s what’s so great about America! :rolleyes: Supertramp “Breakfast in America” This is a British view of how America is all rich oil magnates who import the best of everything from everywhere. 🆒 –Bruce Springsteen “Born in the USA” This is a biographical tale of the “typical” Vietnam Vet: Born and raised in a fading midwestern town with no future, he gets caught in a minor crime and, instead of prison time, is automatically enlisted – sent off to kill people just because they look different – and watches friends die and, upon returning gets only grief for participating in an unfavorable military venture. And it’s all done in a style similar to Woodie Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land. 😛 –Neil Diamond’s “America,” This one is VERY appropriate. I was once at a bookstore/cafe and overheard a meeting of the [local community] Tea Ladies (Tea Party supporting women). One of them noted that she had chosen that song to play on the MySpace site for their organization. I scooted my chair over to them while noting, “Oh, that’a a GREAT one! It’s at the end of his remake of The Jazz Singer and he’s playing it to commemorate the massive post-Word War 2 immigration of Jews like his father. It’s a great song for celebrating and welcoming immigrants!” The ladies looked at each other for a moment and then the MySpace manager said, “Perhaps Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen would be better.” The other ladies nodded and I did my best to bury my sarcasm while sliding my chair away and nodding, “Oh, yeah. That one’s even better!” because, after all, it really is quite appropriate as a Tea Party theme. And, since I haven’t seen them suggested yet: Bon Jovi: Undivided Bon Jovi: We Weren’t Born to Follow And, for your husband’s particular situation (though not necessarily a patrotic song)… Huey Lewis & The News: Finally Found A Home —G! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-themed-songs-need-your-help/784953.md?page=3)