The 8 Greatest American Songs of All Time
The United States has produced many beloved songs, some of which have been around for decades or even centuries and remain popular today. Yet the best American songs come from many eras, styles, and genres, including country music, jazz, rock & roll, and soul. Here are some of the best American songs ever written and performed.
1) Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah Hallelujah is a song written by the Canadian artist Leonard Cohen and released on his album Various Positions. Many artists have covered the song, including John Cale, Bono, and k.d. lang. It was initially written for his extended version of the 1988 John Cale album I'm Your Fan. Cohen said he would be happy if it became an anthem of sorts, saying It's a modest attempt at answering the age-old question: What is the meaning of life? He goes on to say I think one reason people find it so hard to answer that question is that they don't know how to relate the significance of their lives to anything more significant than themselves.
Cohen himself has said that he would be satisfied if Hallelujah could be perceived as an answer to that question. In an interview with PBS television broadcast in 2009, Cohen said: I think it's a modest attempt, you know, at answering one of life's most outstanding questions - which is: What does it mean to be a human being and how should we conduct ourselves concerning what we perceive as a higher power or our experience of a higher power? That sounds so abstract, but for singers and musicians, it's not. You try to consider those things when writing songs and making music. And I believe art comes from divine inspiration, spiritual impulse, or anything beyond words.
2) Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit is a song written by the Jewish-American school teacher Abel Meeropol under Lewis Allan's pseudonym. It became famous in 1939 after being recorded by Billie Holiday and was often performed live with Holiday's improvisations. The song is a protest against lynching in the United States and remains one of her most highly regarded songs. The music was composed first, with Meeropol writing the lyrics to express his horror at lynchings he had seen reported in 1938 newspapers.
When Holiday's record company, Commodore Records, refused to release it as a single due to its controversial subject matter, she performed it live at a New York concert with Paul Robeson accompanying her. After receiving a positive response from concert-goers and critics, Holiday's record label released a studio version in 1939. The song became one of her most popular hits and has been re-recorded by many different artists since. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994 and was selected for preservation in National Recording Registry in 2013. Strange Fruit is still considered one of Holiday's greatest songs and has been covered by various musicians, including Nina Simone, Sting, and Tori Amos.
3) Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
Like a Rolling Stone is considered by many to be the most fantastic American song of all time. Released in 1965, it has been ranked as one of the most influential pieces of music and continues to inspire musicians today. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was listed as number five on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time list.
It was recorded in just one take on July 29, 1965, during a marathon recording session with Dylan's backing band at Columbia Records. After recording six variations, Dylan told his producer Tom Wilson Man, I'm going for it tonight. The seventh and final take took an extraordinary twelve minutes to record as Dylan experimented with different phrasings and approaches to get it right. The lyrics were inspired by Tamblyn Lord's book about actress Joan Baez; Baez is mentioned in the song, and her picture can be seen hanging on Dylan's wall at home.
4) Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
What a Wonderful World is one of the most iconic songs in the world, thanks to Louis Armstrong's famous vocals and the classic combination of jazz and gospel. It was written by Bob Thiele, George David Weiss, and Frank DeVol in 1967 as a response to the social and political turmoil surrounding America.
It became an international hit within days after it was released on October 13, reaching number 2 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts.
The song has been recorded by over 150 artists worldwide in some form or another, with over two million recordings sold.
5) John Lennon - Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try—no hell below us. Above us, only sky. Imagine all the people living life in peace. The world would be as one. Imagine there are no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace... You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
So let me tell you how it will be. There's one for you, nineteen for me. Because I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman. And you better pay me now, or else... Hey, wait a minute Mister Jones! Your account's overdrawn, and your time is up! You should have made your payments a long time ago. Now, what do you think of that? Why don't you stand up and fight like a man? Instead of running away like a coward in-ah-in-ah-in Russia! Oooohhh. China girls, make your motor run! Why don't you give her a try? You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
6) Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now is an iconic song widely regarded as one of the best and most important in history. The lyrics are poetic but, at the same time, straightforward and to the point. Joni Mitchell delivers them with such a soothing, beautiful melody that it's easy to see why she's considered one of the best artists ever. It also helps that she wrote all her songs, which was pretty unusual back when she was singing in the 60s.
In 1969, Joni Mitchell released her first album, titled Song to a Seagull. She sings Both Sides Now for the first time on that album. As a teenager then, I wasn't much into music and didn't know who Joni Mitchell was, but I remember hearing it on one occasion and loving it from start to finish. Even now, when I listen to it on my speakers, I'm always amazed by its lyrics and melody because it will put me in a better mood just from listening. Although there are many versions of Both Sides Now (one even featuring Michael Bublé singing), nothing can match up to Joni's version because no one can match up to her vocal ability - she truly has a fantastic voice!
7) Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A. is a patriotic song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen for his eleventh studio album, Born in the U.S.A. The song was released as a single on June 4, 1984, and later appeared on compilation albums such as 1995's Greatest Hits (1995) and 1998's Tracks (1998). In 2009, Rolling Stone magazine named it the 27th greatest song of all time.
Born in the U.S.A. is considered one of Springsteen's signature songs and has been covered by over 200 artists. It was also heavily used during both effective presidential campaigns in 2008: first playing at Barack Obama rallies when he was running against John McCain, then at John McCain rallies when he was running against Obama.
8) Neil Young - Heart of Gold
Heart of Gold is a song written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young in 1972. The song's lyrics are about his break up with actress Carrie Snodgress. The song was an international success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and four on the U.K. Singles Chart. It has been covered by many artists and has become a standard.
In November 2006, Heart of Gold was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry list of culturally significant works, termed a compendium of America's best music.
Conclusion
As a country, the United States is known for many things. It is home to some of the most beautiful natural wonders and has created great innovators in its history. One thing that America has excelled at, though, is music. The following eight songs represent some of America's best: A Horse with No Name, All My Exes Live in Texas, Wild Thing, You Got Me, Born on the Bayou, Let's Stay Together, Everywhere You Go, and Piano Man. Each song speaks about different aspects of life here in America and what it means to be an American.
A Horse with No Name by America perfectly captures these ideas and more. It is an easy-listening folk song with a piano, several guitars, and a soft harmonica. The overall sound is mellow and soothing, but it also has a very catchy melody that you will find yourself humming. When you listen to A Horse with No Name, though, pay attention to what is being said. You might learn a thing or two about being an American!