Songs about American Historical events

26 Aug 12 - 03:18 AM (#3395250)
Subject: Looking for songs about American Historical events
From: KT

Brain picking time...... a teacher friend wants to add music to her American History class this year and is seeking a good song or two from or about significant events in American History. Wars are obvious markers on the timeline, as well as any other important significant events, from, say, the mid 1700s - to the present.
For example - Civil War - Battle Hymn of the Republic
I told her my mudpals are experts and would have lots of ideas! Any ideas?

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26 Aug 12 - 04:53 AM (#3395264)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: MGM·Lion

Gold Rush ~ Days of 49?

~M~

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26 Aug 12 - 05:51 AM (#3395281)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: Deckman

"a good song or two" .... good grief ... there's thousands of such songs ...

The Eire Canal, Sweet Betsy From Pike, Starving To Death On My Government Claim, on and on and on ..... bob

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26 Aug 12 - 07:24 AM (#3395313)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: Susan of DT

Cruise the keywords in the DT (you can get to a list from the mudcat sitemap [dropdown from Mudcat FAQs]). There are keywords for history and historical (not all American), WWI, WWII, 1812, Prohibition, Civil, Confederate, revolution, Korea, immigrant, etc.

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26 Aug 12 - 10:02 AM (#3395367)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: Scrapyard Guitar

How about looking to Blues, the catastrophic great Mississippi flood of 1927 immortalised by Blind Lemmon Jefferson in "Rising High Water Blues" and Bessie Smith with "Back Water Blues" easily referenced to more recent events in New Orleans.

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26 Aug 12 - 11:46 AM (#3395416)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: dick.hamlet

I suppose everyone ought to listen to Ballad For Americans,
though it sticks to the official propaganda line a little too
closely for me.

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26 Aug 12 - 12:42 PM (#3395439)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: Thomas Stern

Check the SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS site - there were many albums devoted
to songs related to American History Seeger, House, et.al. Wars, Frontier, Gold Rush, Elections,....
The album notes (which usually include texts) are available in pdf
format, free to anyone who wishes to look.
Oscar Brand also did numerous albums related to elections, history usw.

Best wishes, Thomas.

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26 Aug 12 - 10:20 PM (#3395693)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: Ebbie

How about 'The Miner's Child'? John Lilly does a version of it- we'll probably get to hear it when he plays here next month.

'Daddy, don't go to the mine today
For dreams have so often come true
Daddy, oh, Daddy, please don't go away
For I never could live without you.'

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27 Aug 12 - 12:01 AM (#3395717)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: GUEST

Woody Guthrie sings about many events of his day.

Also, off the top of my head:

Cumberland Mines -- a mining disaster
Tenting Tonight -- Civil War
Follow the Drinking Gourd -- escaping slaves
I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night -- murder of a Union activist

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27 Aug 12 - 01:02 AM (#3395728)
Subject: RE: Songs about American Historical events
From: KT

Thanks, everyone, for these great suggestions! Keep 'em coming, if you have more! I'll see my friend tomorrow and will pass all of your great ideas on!

And Gargoyle, I will pass on your Kudos to her. I thought it was a great idea, myself, and wished I'd had a history teacher who'd been interested/dedicated/creative enough to do the same!   And kudos to you, Garg, for not using yellow, size 1 font!! :) I might have missed it, then!

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