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Defining America Through Its Music: The Essential American Songbook

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Musicology professor Nate Sloan suggests that American identity can be understood through its music, highlighting songs that define different eras of the American experience.
  • Sloan emphasizes that quintessential American songs are communal, allowing people to sing along, and can also comment on society or simply stand the test of time.
  • The "Essential American Songbook" features a diverse range of genres and artists, reflecting the nation's cultural plurality, from Ray Charles and Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen and Billie Holiday.

Musicology professor Nate Sloan proposes that understanding what it means to be American can be approached through the lens of music. He suggests that the sounds defining the American experience at various points in time offer a pathway to answering this complex question.

When we try to think about what does it mean to be American, this almost impossible question, one of the ways we might try and answer that is through music. What are the sounds that defined the American experience at different points in time?

— Nate SloanNate Sloan, a professor of musicology at USC's Thornton School of Music, discusses how music can define the American experience.

Sloan identifies key characteristics of a quintessential American song. He believes it must be something people can sing along to, fostering a sense of community. Beyond communal appeal, American songs can also serve as social commentary, reflecting on the nation's society, or simply endure as timeless pieces. Examples cited include Ray Charles' "America the Beautiful," Mahalia Jackson's "We Shall Overcome," and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind."

It has to be something that people can sing along to. I think an American song needs to be communal.

— Nate SloanNate Sloan explains what makes a song quintessentially American.

The "Essential American Songbook" showcases the vast diversity of American music, reflecting the country's "plurality of cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds." This spectrum ranges from George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," a blend of classical and jazz, to Aretha Franklin's powerful rendition of "Respect." The list also includes Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," described as a non-nationalistic homage that resonates universally.

And beyond that, I think an American song can take a lot of different forms. I think it can be something that comments on society and our nation in some way.

— Nate SloanNate Sloan elaborates on the diverse forms American songs can take.

Sloan notes the inherent contrasts within the songbook, placing Billie Holiday's poignant "Strange Fruit" near the Beach Boys' classic "God Only Knows." He views this eclectic mix as a "beautiful representation of America itself," akin to the "wild, wild west of music" where "anything goes." This perceived chaos, he argues, mirrors the nation's diverse and dynamic identity.

What's so unique about our country is the plurality of cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds we have here.

— Nate SloanNate Sloan highlights the diversity of the United States.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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