The thing that connects Roots, A New England and American Pie is that they are all have great singalong choruses. Indeed, I have had the privelege of being asked to join in by the writers of the first two during this year, and in the case of Roots it was several times. I haven't had the chance to sing along with American Pie quite so recently (last time was in 2003), but then Don McLean doesn't visit my part of the World quite as often. I think I understand the lyrical content of Roots and A New England rather better than American Pie, but that is still a fine song. I have to confess that the last time anyone persuaded me to kick off my shoes and dance it was to American Pie and it was in Cuba of all places. So idealogical divides are sometimes bridgeable. Crossing them just often takes a lot of work. Songs won't do it all but they sometimes can help.