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Songs of America

Songs of America

By Jon Meacham & Tim McGraw

Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. Random House, 2019.

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18 mins read

15 Key insights

A brief summary of Songs of America

The thrilling stories of triumph and loss as told through the songs that have inspired, shaped, and united generations of Americans during culturally defining events.

Key insights in Songs of America

1
What do you get from this book? Learn how music has impacted America’s changing cultures, attitudes, and wars
2
Music is vital to communicating ideas that spark change, relay information, and inspire us to keep going in tough times
3
Battlefield hymns strengthened soldiers’ morale with their cries for liberty, unity, and freedom
4
Songs and poems highlight the division among men and women, blacks and whites, and political parties
5
The “Star-Spangled Banner” and “My Country Tis of Thee” illustrate America’s freedom, identity, and fallen fathers
6
“Sorrow Songs” described the mistreatment of slaves; Harriet Tubman used similar songs to send signals on the Underground Railroad
7
Civil War songs portrayed the contrasting beliefs between the North and South regarding liberty and slavery
8
The women’s suffrage movement used music to protest their lack of freedom and gain the right to vote
9
Melancholy music illustrated an economically depressed and racially segregated America, contrasted by the Roosevelts’ fight for hope and justice
10
Northern folk music spurred by the likes of Bob Dylan protested Southern injustice while uniting blacks and whites through song
11
Anti-war songs rose as the soldiers in Vietnam were killed, giving rise to the “hippie” culture
12
Political parties attempt to associate themselves with specific songs, but sometimes the music ends up crossing cultural divides
13
Summary of the key insights
14
Selected critiques in brief
15
Final word

Who should read Songs of America

Music aficionados • musicians • teachers • students • historians • anyone with an interest in musical history

About the author of Songs of America

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Jon Meacham is the former editor-in-chief of Newsweek magazine and holds Vanderbilt University’s distinguished Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency. Grammy-winning artist Tim McGraw is a country singer with over 50 million albums sold. He is also a New York Times bestselling author and has won three People’s Choice Awards.

author avatar

Jon Meacham

author avatar

Tim McGraw

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