Song Of America

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Cat No: 1206546

Release Date: 22 October 2007

Label: 31 Tigers Records

Packaging Type: Box Set

No of Units: 3

Barcode: 827912065466

Genres: Country

Description
Song Of America is a 50-song, 3-disc album that traces the history of the United States through its folk and popular musical traditions. The idea was the brainchild of President's Clinton's former Attorney General Janet Reno, whose premise was that music can be used as a great tool to teach the ideals and mores of the American peoples.

Enlisting her nephew, producer Ed Pettersen and teaming up with David Macias of 31 Tigers (who won a Grammy for Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs Of Stephen Foster), this set has been nine years in the making.

The result is an incredible musical journey. The first disc extends from the famous date of 1492 up to 1860, a broad sweep including John Wesley Harding's version of 'God Save The King' through to Beth Nielsen Chapman's spine tingling negro spiritual 'Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child.'
Disc Two from 1861 to 1945 sees songs from the Civil War in the anti-war song 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye' (Janis Ian) through to the Depression and then to war again, this time on foreign soil with the lament of 'Over There' (Jen Chapin).

The final disc brings us up to date from post war optimism, with the science will save us 'The Great Atomic Power' (Elizabeth Cook & Grascals), the civil rights protest inspired pride of 'Say It Loud' (The Dynamites), the affirmation of 'I Am Woman' (Martha Wainwright), and ends with John Mellancamp singing 'This Land Is Your Land'.

This seemingly impossible project has turned out to be not just about fantastic musicians and songs, it's a living representation of the story of the most powerful nation on earth. And it's relevance to today? This is answered with a final word from Janet Reno, who notes in her introduction: "It is important to know history to understand the importance our own actions have in shaping our future".
Tracklisting