Songs that reference US Historical Events or American Folklore

[Zorro]

But this one I can post. It never got much recognition, but I think it is the most powerful and poignant protest song to come out of our "police action" in Nam.

 

[Zorro]

 

[meyers7]

Story about how the Royal Rooters helped Boston win the 1903 World Series.

Tessie - Drop Kick Murphy's

 

[Zorro]

Here is one more.

 

[Zorro]

 

[meyers7]

About the old mining ghost town in Calico CA

Ghosts of Calico - Enter the Haggis

 

[meyers7]

Another reference to Kennedy (along with Stalin, Mussilini and Ghandi)

Cult of Personality - Living Colour

 

[Zorro]

 

[calpedaler]

I love this song.

 

[Bama fan]

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.

I found it without the " bits". I heard it in the movie "Hamburger Hill' last week.

 

[Bama fan]

Ever hear of Pecos Bill?

 

[Monte]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Zorro]

 

[Zorro]

 

[Zorro]

The Ira Hayes ballad reminds me of an incident in Houston around 1972, as I recall. Joe Campos Torres was a Mexican American war hero, who couldn't adapt to civilian life and became a drunk. He was picked up by four of Houston's finest, smacked around a bit, handcuffed and then dropped into Braes Bayou, where he (naturally) drowned, while the cops sat around smoking dope. The local band Uranium Savages wrote a really piercing satire of Hank Williams "Fun on the Bayou". I can't post it because HW's estate got an injunction, but the refrain went; "Goodbye Joe, you gotta go for a swim-o, It'll be tough with the cuffs, me-o-my-o, Hang around, watch you drown and get high-o, Son of a gun, gonna have big fun on the bayou." The cops all got jail sentences, but mild ones.

 

[Zorro]

Don't stop me, I am on a roll!

 

[Zorro]

Here's one related to current events.

 

[Zorro]

 

[PoppaBear]

Casey Jones by The Dead

 

[PoppaBear]

Definitely...well Texas folklore at least

 

[PoppaBear]

U2 - Pride, In the Name of Love

 

[Ozimoto]

Ah, the 1960's. So fertile for song writers. Something a little lighter about a very contentious aspect of American life.

 

[luvgiraf]

In honor of the late, great John Prine.

 

[Bama fan]

In honor of the late, great John Prine.

The singer in the Phil Ochs tune says he is working in a defense plant. During the war in Vietnam many guys were drafted out of the mills around the Pittsburgh, Pa area. But some people at U S Steel's Christy Park Works in McKeesport, Pa were exempt because that plant made bomb casings and missile parts. They still got ragged about it though.

Sorry but I attached the wrong song to this post. It was intended to reply to Draft Dodger Rag post.