Songs that reference US Historical Events or American Folklore

[Kaizen]

One of the great folk song, written by Joni Mitchell

 

[HuskyNan]

The big Kahuna of historical references.

 

[Bama fan]

Where we were once. and...?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Bama fan]

Johnny Cash with a bit of "history"

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Zanzman]

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Wally East]

Here's a cover oh "Ohio" by Devo. I love the original by Neil Young but I love this version a little bit more.

 

[Kaizen]

Tom Dooley by The Kingston Trio.

 

[Bama fan]

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Good song. Great Lakes Brewery makes a porter they call Edmund Fitzgerald. Porter is an acquired taste for many beer drinkers, but the Edmund Fitzgerald brand is a favorite of mine.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This one references 2 big pieces of US history:

 

[Scud49]

This one by Tom Waits is pure Americana, and based on a true story - "The Ballad of Big Joe and Phantom 309":

 

[Kaizen]

Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Pete Seeger reflects on the consequences of war and the way history repeats itself.

 

[Kaizen]

A great and powerful touching song, John Legend - Glory Feat Common
The song was released on December 11, 2014, by Columbia Records as the theme song from the 2014 film Selma, which portrays the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches ,
The song won the award for Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards (2015) and the 72nd Golden Globe Awards (2015), as well as the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards (2016).

 

[Kaizen]

Amy Grant "wait for the healing". She is referring to the idealism of the early '60's, and then all the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Dr. King (see "Abraham, Martin and John") as well as man walking on the moon, Vietnam, etc.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Martin Luther King

 

[willtalk]

Funny song from 1960

 

[TerpWomenFan]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[meyers7]

Reference to MLK.

Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[meyers7]

Who killed the Kennedy's.

Sympathy For the Devil - Rolling Stones

 

[Zorro]

I can't post the video here because the first fifteen seconds are "inappropriate", but the "I Feel Like I'm Fixin to Die Rag", by Country Joe and the Fish.