ENCORE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA PT.1

This is an Encore of a series I did back in 2006, when the 4th Of July fell on Tuesday, the day my radio show is broadcast.
Therefore, add 5 years and this is our great country’s 235th Birthday.
So let the musical Celebration Of America begin!
And a, shall we say…surprising beginning it will be.
Come Monday, those 235 years ago, the greatest document ever written, the Declaration Of Independence, was adopted by the Continental Congress.
With the singer/songwriters and poets of our songs we will take a broad look at the U.S.A.- warts and all.
And I should point out, ALL songs played in this series, and there will be 4 parts, will have the word “AMERICA” in them!
We will be patriotic, but not always warm and fuzzy- confronting some issues that may make our nation less than perfect.
But who is perfect? Certainly no other countries are.
Happy Birthday America!
Keep on rockin’ in the free world!

Here's the link to our opening salvo, at WLSO.FM:

http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1414

Mike

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Comment by Mike Pell on June 30, 2011 at 12:09am: RJ,
I know you like Neil Diamond, but I kept a poker face.

That's a great song, and I guess you should have thought of it.

But that's what I'm here for, lol!

I was proud of how I started the show and what I said.

Although The Duke wasn't in the service, thinking seriously about it, I have to feel he did MORE for the country with his movies and patriotic opinions than if he had been.

Hell, if he had been killed in the war, he wouldn't have been around for any of that for another 30 or 40 years.

Dan Fogleberg is another underrated songwriter who is worth some serious listening.

Randy Newman is not underrated at all, but he continues to come up with smart quirky tunes.

And that Sail Away one is sarcastically funny.

Though of Pink Houses by Mellencamp, but could not remember the lyrics eh?

Must have things on your mind like me, lol!

Glad you liked it bro, get through the first song in the next Part and you should like that one too.

Thanks for listening and writing,

Mike

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on June 29, 2011 at 10:19am: Mike,

Dang it, how could I forget that Neil Diamond song? I really like Neil Diamond. What a great song writer. And I loved the way you started the show. Nobody screams America louder than "The Duke", though he never actually served in the military.

Dan Fogleberg was another outstanding song writer, as I'm sure Randy Newman is too. However, I'm not familiar with his work whatsoever. But I did like the song you played by Newman.

You know, I immediately though of Pink Houses by Mellencamp, but for the life of me could not remember the lyrics and the fact that America is very prominent in them. Shame on me.

Good encore brother. Keep 'em coming.

Comment by Mike Pell on June 29, 2011 at 10:16am: I always enjoy your 2 cents, or however much you toss in, lol!

It's interesting to me to see where your mind is going, and although it is too late for shows already done, you are one of the people whose suggestions I take to heart and seriously consider before I do a show.

But I'll always first grab the ones I think of right away, or write them down, because those are the ones that accurately reflect me.

But I know someday there will be a few big glaring ones I SHOULD have thought of that you did, and a few of mine will get ditched, lol!

They are not so much bad bosses as stupid, but then, that may make them bad.

And I am not the easiest employee either...I have gotten to the point where I think "I work WITH you, I don't work FOR you!"

And I will be worse when I go back there.

Mike

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on June 29, 2011 at 10:03am: Always remember, I definitely know you take your own path. I just enjoy throwing my 2 cents worth in on what songs come to my mind.

There is a movie out about bad bosses, maybe you should check it out.

Comment by Mike Pell on June 29, 2011 at 9:57am: RJ,

4 Parts altogether, and all your curiosity picked just one!

I tend to go off on my own path, lol!

But it will be interesting, I hope.

Someday I may play American Pie, but it's been done to death and it is so long.

I have an old version on tape somewhere that is even longer, where an engineer and I inserted music for all the references McLean makes- it explains the song to those who may not know.

But I doubt the quality is very good, and I don't think I could bring myself to do it again, what a lot of work!
Good line about the greatest document ever written, lol!
After the other day I had, I may be getting my last one!

Mike

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on June 29, 2011 at 9:47am: I was gonna make a joke by quoting something you said, but the quote disappeared. Now it's at the end of my first reply and I can't get rid of it. So, the joke was gonna be that to me, the greatest document ever written was my last paycheck.

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on June 29, 2011 at 9:44am: A few observations before I listen:

If the word (or form of the word) America has to be in each song, then I imagine these songs would be in:

In America - Charlie Daniels Band

American Pie - Don McLean

Miss America - Styx

Miss America - Saving Abel (this is a joke, I know this song won't be played)

Bullet The Blue Sky - U2 (last word of the song)

But what about:

The band America

Breakfast In America (Supertramp album)

American Grafitti (Movie Soundtrack)

American Pie (Movie)

Just curious. I'm listening now.

Come Monday, those 235 years ago, the greatest document ever written, the Declaration Of Independence, was adopted by the Continental Congress.