By Joe Hines
5
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The podcast currently has 42 episodes available.
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented, some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers “were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this third and final part of our Progressive Rock episode, we're rocking out with some of the greats - including Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer! Life is a long song, friends. Come sing it with us!
Themes In this Episode:
Tracks
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented. Some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers “were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this second episode on Progressive Rock, we're going deep into 'prog rock'. So, "Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends!" Come explore progressive rock with me!
Themes In this Episode:
Tracks
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented, some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers "were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this first of a three-part episode on Progressive Rock, we'll take a deep dive into the fascinating world of 'prog rock'. It's time to 'set your controls for the heart of the sun', everybody! Come explore progressive rock with me!
Themes In this Episode:
Tracks
Dig deeper by checking out these reference episodes from previous American Song seasons:
Punk may have been born in America, but it had many homes around the world. In every place it went, punk became part of the struggle for social change.
Punk's roots are in the blues, music made for expressing struggles and refusing to accept things the way they are. With heritage like this, it should be no surprise that it moved people and shook things up in the powerful ways it did!
Join us, as we see how punk expressed the real lives of the people making and listening to the music in far away places like the UK, the USSR, South Africa and East Germany. Witness the remarkable impact the music had on the social fabric of the times - showing that music really can change the world!
This is an inspiring story of people pushed into a corner, and battling their way out, armed with guitars, drums, and a pen.
Warning: This episode includes quotes of song lyrics, including some "f-bombs". If you have young children around, you may want to choose an appropriate time to listen.
In This Episode:
Robert Johnson
Iggy Pop
English Punk
South African Punk
East German Punk
Related Episodes
The Duality of the Blues
R&B Was Born on the American Song River
Musique Concrete: A Radical Rethinking of Sound and Performance
America's Punk movement was started on both coasts. Early proto-punks like the MC5 and the New York Dolls were followed by a number of other early iconic acts who played at several New York clubs, including CBGB's (Country Blue Grass and Blues), such as the The Ramones, the Talking Heads, Blondie, and Patti Smith. Meanwhile, LA and San Francisco had a decidedly more political movement propelled by bands like X, The Dead Kennedy's, and Black Flag. These bands had more in common musically with UK groups like the Sex Pistols and the Clash.
In this episode, you'll see how the Punk Movement on both coasts continued to develop in the early 1980s, and you'll see what made these bands so utterly unique.
You won't want to miss a minute!
In This Episode
Links to related show content from prior episodes
This episode refers back to a few topics covered in prior episodes.
We invite you to learn more about these ideas!
Use the links, below.
Minimalism
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/9672982-the-celestial-pulse-of-minimalism
The Blues
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/8276409-the-duality-of-the-blues-episode-7-of-american-song
Call and Response
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/8532047-the-rising-of-gospel-music-and-how-it-inspired-the-world
When the dreams and promises you’ve placed your hopes in end up being a mirage, its only human to feel angry. In the mid 1970’s, a lot of teens and young adults found themselves in this camp. The nation’s shift toward a decidedly more cynical era could be heard in anti-war statements such as "War is not healthy for children and other living things" On the equal rights agenda, the demand for black civil rights encouraged a louder beating of the drum as seen in the rise of feminism. At the same time, both movements continued receiving backlash from the country’s conservatives, especially The "Silent Majority" campaign, responding to the ‘liberal excesses’ of the counterculture.
Running through everything, there was a feeling that the social changes that the ‘60s had promised were as far away as ever. America’s kids were caught in the cross-hairs. America was experiencing an epidemic of frustration, anxiety and anger.
With nothing to do, and a sense that the walls were closing in, teens living in places like New York, Detroit and Los Angeles, swam in an ocean of boredom and alienation that needed venting. Punk’s rawness and DIY attitude made it easy for anyone who had the need to hit back, or at least spit into the audience, to become an anti-hero.
In this first of two episodes on the origins of American Punk, we draw a through line from early New York proto-punk bands like the Velvet Underground, the MC5 and the New York Dolls through to California bands like X, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedy's. You'll come away understanding how the idealism of the 1960's gave way to the cynicism and anger of the 1970's punk movement. And yet, through it all, America's kids were still demanding change and even in the cynicism, holding out for something better.
In This Episode
Links to related show content from prior episodes
This episode refers back to a few topics covered in prior episodes.
We invite you to learn more about these ideas!
Use the links, below.
Minimalism
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/9672982-the-celestial-pulse-of-minimalism
The Blues
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/8276409-the-duality-of-the-blues-episode-7-of-american-song
Call and Response
https://americansong.buzzsprout.com/1622638/8532047-the-rising-of-gospel-music-and-how-it-inspired-the-world
This is the second half of a two-part episode
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Southern rock, a rebellious fusion of blues, rock and roll, and country music, emerged as the defiant cry from the heart of the South. Lynyrd Skynyrd's guitars wailed like banshees, their lyrics echoing the region's resistance to outside finger-pointing and strengthened a determination to preserve their own cultural identity. Never mind the warts and blemishes. The Allman Brothers Band played with improvisations like soaring eagles. Their music captured the untamed spirit, passion and raw energy of the South.
The intensity of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Outlaws was a force of nature, their music was a raw and unfiltered expression of southern pride. Their guitars roared like thunder, their drums pounded like a heartbeat, and their lyrics spoke of rebellion, and the indomitable spirit of the South.
John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival's showed that Southern music extended past Southern borders. Their music, infused with idealism and earthiness, captured the hopes and dreams of ordinary people. Their melodies were catchy and memorable, their lyrics were simple yet profound, and their art spoke directly to the hearts of their listeners. CCR offered a sense of hope and possibility in a world often filled with uncertainty.
Robbie Robertson and the Band's music was a tapestry of Americana, woven from the threads of blues, country, rock and roll, and folk. With songs written by a member of America’s first people, who crafted melodies that were both familiar and fresh, The Band captured the essence of the American experience. All its triumphs and tragedies, from the pinnacle of joy to the depths of sorrow, Robertson helped reveal a nation in search of an identity.
All of this and more await you in this latest episode! Hope you enjoy it!
Featured Artists
Alabama
The Allman Bros.
The Band
Black Oak Arkansas
Carl Perkins
The Charlie Daniels Band
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Graham Parker
Hank Williams
John Lee Hooker
Lonnie Mack
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Molly Hatchett
Muddy Waters
Neil Young
The Outlaws
Rossington Collins Band
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Links to Supporting Episodes
Season One Episode Four
Season One Episode Seven
Season One Episode Eight
Season Two Episode Eight
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Southern rock, a rebellious fusion of blues, rock and roll, and country music, emerged as the defiant cry from the heart of the South. Lynyrd Skynyrd's guitars wailed like banshees, their lyrics echoing the region's resistance to outside fingerpointing and strengthened a determination to preserve their own cultural identity. Never mind the warts and blemishes. The Allman Brothers Band played with improvisations like soaring eagles. Their music captured the untamed spirit, passion and raw energy of the South.
The intensity of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Outlaws was a force of nature, their music was a raw and unfiltered expression of southern pride. Their guitars roared like thunder, their drums pounded like a heartbeat, and their lyrics spoke of rebellion, and the indomitable spirit of the South.
John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival's showed that Southern music extended past Southern borders. Their music, infused with idealism and earthiness, captured the hopes and dreams of ordinary people. Their melodies were catchy and memorable, their lyrics were simple yet profound, and their art spoke directly to the hearts of their listeners. CCR offered a sense of hope and possibility in a world often filled with uncertainty.
Robbie Robertson and the Band's music was a tapestry of Americana, woven from the threads of blues, country, rock and roll, and folk. With songs written by a member of America’s first people, who crafted melodies that were both familiar and fresh, The Band captured the essence of the American experience. All its triumphs and tragedies, from the pinnacle of joy to the depths of sorrow, Robertson helped reveal a nation in search of an identity.
All of this and more await you in this latest episode! Hope you enjoy it!
Featured Artists
Alabama
The Allman Bros.
The Band
Black Oak Arkansas
Carl Perkins
The Charlie Daniels Band
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Graham Parker
Hank Williams
John Lee Hooker
Lonnie Mack
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Molly Hatchett
Muddy Waters
Neil Young
The Outlaws
Rossington Collins Band
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Links to Supporting Episodes
Season One Episode Four
Season One Episode Seven
Season One Episode Eight
Season Two Episode Eight
This is part two of a two-part focus on Reggae music.
The heart of Reggae music has always been politics and spirituality.
In this two part episode, you'll learn about some of the musical and political forces in Jamaica's colorful past that all contributed to the music that we celebrate as reggae today. From Marcus Garvey, the modern-day prophet who had a vision for the black people living in the new world, and Ethiopia's Emperor Hailie Salassie, whose formal title included "Lord of Lord, King of Kings, and Conquering Lion of Judah", and claimed to be a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Shebah, to great early reggae musicians like Derrick Morgan, and Desmond Dekker, to the firey Peter Tosh, and the brilliant reggae, who brought reggae to the rest of the world, Bob Marley - they're all here and you'll learn their stories, hear their music, and understand the major forces that fused to create a brand new genre.
In this latest episode, learn the inside story of how Bob Marley came from crippling poverty in one of Jamaica's poorest neighborhoods to became reggae's greatest musical luminary, and how he then faced off against the brutality of systemic Jamaican racism to permanently change his country and the rest of the world.
In This Episode
Bob Marley and the Wailers
1. Trench Town Rock
2. Simmer Down
3. 400 Years
4. I Shot the Sheriff
5. Rebel Music (3 0'Clock Road Block)
6. War
7. Exodus
8. Is This Love
9. Survival
10. Could You Be Loved
Also in this episode:
Interview with Bunny Wailer, formerly with the Wailers
Interview with Marlon James, Jamaican author of A Brief History of Seven Killings
Continue the experience on line.
Visit American Song Podcast Facebook page.
This is part one of a two-part focus on Reggae music.
The heart of Reggae music has always been politics and spirituality.
In this two part episode, you'll learn about some of the musical and political forces in Jamaica's colorful past that all contributed to the music that we celebrate as reggae today. From Marcus Garvey, the modern-day prophet who had a vision for the black people living in the new world, and Ethiopia's Emperor Hailie Salassie, whose formal title included "Lord of Lord, King of Kings, and Conquering Lion of Judah", and claimed to be a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Shebah, to great early reggae musicians like Derrick Morgan, and Desmond Dekker, to the firey Peter Tosh, and the brilliant reggae, who brought reggae to the rest of the world, Bob Marley - they're all here and you'll learn their stories, hear their music, and understand the major forces that fused to create a brand new genre.
In this latest episode of American Song, you'll see how a tiny Spanish colony developed to become Jamaica as we know it today, and how Reggae was instrumental in helping Jamaican culture 'conquer the world'!
In This Episode
Paul Simon - Mother and Child Reunion
The Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want)
Bob Marley - Redemption Song
Bob Marley and the Walers - 400 Years
Burning Spear - Slavery Days
Sly Mongoose - Count Lasher
The Folkes Brothers - Oh Carolina
Toots and the Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number
Marcus Garvey (Political Speech)
Derek Morgan - Forward March
Ernest Ranglin - Below the Bassline
Derrick Morgan - Tougher than Though (Rudie's in Court)
Desmond Dekker - 007 Shantytown
Desmond Dekker - Israelites
Stephen Marley (with Ziggy Marley) - Selassie is the Chapel
Peter Tosh - Let Jah be Praised
Culture - Behold
Sonjah Stanley - (Academic discussion)
Third World - 96 Degrees in the Shade
Peter Tosh - African
The Skatalites - The Guns of Navarrone
Mutabaruka - (Jamaican Poet; Dis Poem)
Bob Marley and the Wailers - No Woman, No Cry
Peter Tosh - Steppin' Razor
Burning Spear - Lion
Continue the experience online:
Visit the American Song Podcast facebook page.
The podcast currently has 42 episodes available.
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