Open Thread - 2 July 2026 - Some American Songs
Some American Songs
Coming up on 4th of July! I have been listening to some 'old' songs (we all know them, and were young when they were released) which really speak to me about America, and have all my life. This first one, The River, by Bruce Springsteen... well, it basically speaks about the life I was lucky enough to escape. And, boy, did I learn what he was singing about when I made my first trip across the USA from Santa Clara, CA to Philadelphia, PA in the 1980s. I was listening to this song, and others from Bruce's album, The River, as I did that long drive. And as I got closer and closer to the East Coast, to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Philly, New Jersey, and as I lived in Philly for years, everything Bruce wrote about became clear and understandable to me - a West Coast descendant of working class truckers and electricians, who has had a different life because of the early and continued support of her mother and father, and the brilliance and luck of her father.
The River:
Here's a reaction video from a young couple listening to the song for the first time. Yea, I cried along with her...
Another song I've been listening to recently, after hearing it most of my life (heh! 
) is American Pie by Don McClean. I have to admit that I still don't completely understand everything McClean is referring to in his lyrics, but I think that's his point. It's his song and it has become my song, as I think of it in my terms. Anyway, the reaction video below, with the young couple featured in the reaction video above, one of which is hearing the song for the first time (really? It's been THAT long since it came out??? Man, I'm old!), is really, really good.
So, these aren't the usual 4th of July songs, but they fit and I hope you enjoy them!
Ohh, and here's some political stuff, because I thought this article on Naked Capitalism about the Obama Library and the health care crisis in the USA was spot on: Obama Legacy: As Celebrities Descended Upon Chicago Presidential Center, Across Town Firefighters Were Evacuating Patients From Another Private-Equity-Destroyed Hospital h. I'm so glad I have WA state healthcare, and I wish everyone had the same kind of thing!
Ok, Here's the open thread! What's up, whatcha doing? Reading? Thinking? Listening to? Remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Thursday! Almost the Weekend!
Hey everyone! How's it going? It's puttering along here. Putter, putter. One of the comments on the reaction video to 'The River' really struck me, so I"m going to repost it here. You can see it in the comments list of the video, it was written by @Progressive_Canadian . I'm not sure how to link to the comment directly:
Yep, strip-mined. So, have a good 4th of July, everyone! I'm hoping no fires are started with fireworks, and that the ice cream doesn't run out
.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Morning
.
here is another of similar genre speaking on blue collar
experience post WW2.
Thanks for the TH-OT!
Zionism is a social disease
Yea, that's a great song...
Great song. When I lived in Philly I visited Allentown. This was a few years after the release of Joel's song. It really spoke to me.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
AI-controlled cyborg cockroaches with 3D-printed robocop suits
https://archive.is/xCtke
Sure, why not — what could go wrong? /s
What the heck?
Sheez!! What are people thinking these days? Now us little people have to beware of cyborg insects? Maybe TPTB figure we won't notice as their creations take the place of the insects that have died off and are dying off...
Dang. Thanks for the scary, interesting, article.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
It's not Springsteen, but
it fits the theme. Here are the lyrics for one of my tunes from back in the day- I wrote this in roughly 1980. The title is "Rust Belt". I may still have a cassette dub of the demo somewhere, and if so, I'll post it below.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
These lyrics are awesome...
From 1980? They sure did fit the times and still do. I would love to hear that demo, if you still have it. You are brilliant!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Institutionalized insanity
.
the new 'norm' apparently.
How does the US figure they can
cancel the $40 trillion debt without consequence?
Crushing the international economy holds second fiddle
to trumpet's ego. Winning by losing is inherently insane.
Not a very good look all around.
Zionism is a social disease
It sure does seem that..
institutionalized insanity is the new norm. Trump's playing everything like he played the wrestling stuff. He's too stupid to do different. I hated him then too, not that I cared a lot about wrestling. And all the people who are directing and 'guiding' him just take advantage of that, couch whatever they want in that kind of mindset, and get it. We need an FDR, and it ain't gonna be Elon Musk... hahahah, gag!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning Sima, thanks for the tunes and the OT.
As a kid I got my hands on The folk songs of North America by Alan Lomax and read it from cover to cover. Very interesting and worth a read if you can find it. It is one version of American Music: tragedies, ballads, heroes and bad guys, work songs, blues, gospel, lots of yearning, loss and fear; bravado, resistance and rebellion, so dance and sing and maybe even party because tomorrow will be more of the same. Not included, of course, is pop music or all eras, jazz, musicals, rock, and everything modern. Music is the one thing that encapslates "America", that and myths, lots of myths, to the extent that "America" itself, or, at any rate, the USA. is a myth.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good selections of Americana music
3 heavy hitters represented there.
Thanks.
Zionism is a social disease
Great songs, great songs...
Bring back memories. When I was a high school senior, my boyfriend at the time took me to a Grateful Dead concert. We had front row seats, it was in a little theatre in San Francisco. It was GREAT and I have no idea how lucky I was to see it, so dang lucky. That was my first ever concert.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Enjoyed these tunes
Some of Springstein's songs have a special place in my memory banks. Spent a bit of time as a mere yute, in PA. So I had close friends from Allentown, Philly. Pittsburg, etc.
As far as American Pie, it's a great song. Therefore, I had a lot of heartburn when wanna be dictator, Yoon Seok-yeol defiled it with his performance at a White House dinner I believe. If you hadn't already seen it, at the height of his glory as US marionette:
己所不欲，勿施于人。
Holy Cow!!
I had no idea that happened. And... dang, he defiled that song, didn't he? You got that exactly right. Does he, or Biden, have any idea about what that song means? What it says? Sheez. Thanks for stopping by, and posting this. Eyeopening!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
The minor controversy around this song
is that it mentions some reparations to Native
Americans, nothing about black reparations. Still, it is more about we folks from all places in the country are respectful, often kind, to their fellow Americans, from any state.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Great song...
Of course. I had not heard it before, which is weird, because I like Waylon's music. The video was good too. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Have a great weekend
Edited to Add: That visit you had from that gorgeous black horse? I had one like that a few years ago too. The cops showed up, horse in hand. They'd found in on a local road and didn't know what to do with it. Thought it might be ours. It was our neighbors
. Too funny!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning, sima!
A local guy owned the stallion. The sheriff said the guy bridled and saddled him, got on him and rode home from the impound pen. I bet the owner did whatever was necessary to keep him securely fenced in from now on.
The 4th of July is more about having fun grilling burgers and watching a fireworks display than a celebration of our nation. The Viet Nam war was a turning point for we Boomers.
Must have more coffee and take in more scenery. Glad you liked the tune.
Thanks for the OT, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hah!
The fences that went up at our neighbors' after the horse escape were amazing. Still are. No more escaped horses
Our little town has a fireworks display on the 4th. It's done on a raft, out in the middle of the little bay off Puget Sound. And that's ok. Once one of the fireworks didn't work right and there was a big explosion and lots of flames. But out over the water, nowhere near any people, and nowhere close to the shore.
Can't agree with this more: 'The 4th of July is more about having fun grilling burgers and watching a fireworks display than a celebration of our nation. The Viet Nam war was a turning point for we Boomers.' Have a good time grilling this weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
We did our grilling thing
for our last two dinners. We are chancing that a decent food cart will show up at the dance hall tonight. Maybe some barbecue, if we are lucky. The Mackenzie Barbecue Restaurant in Elgin, TX, is the oldest one in the state. Maybe they will send a cart. Elgin is pretty close.
The fireworks displays at home are all on Lake Livingston and pose no fire hazard. I can stand out in my front pasture and see them in the clear sky.
I am not a fan of fireworks.
Yep, fencing is pretty darn essential to keep in your horsey critters!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Here in colorful,
windy, drought-stricken, *flammable* Douglas County Colorado, we have a Stage 2 fire ban in place for this holiday: no open burning at all, and all municipal fireworks displays have been cancelled. Needless to say, all private fireworks are also strictly banned- but that isn’t stopping a lot of folks, who are out there banging away regardless. And the fireworks sales tents are doing their usual booming business, because We Can’t Interfere With Commerce: you can still buy them. You just can’t shoot them. The local cops are busting violators as fast as they can go, but I suspect that we’ll still have a few thousand more acres burned today and tomorrow from fireworks-related no-one-could-have-foreseen oopsies.
Luckily, since the management cut down most of our trees, we probably won’t get burned out here in the apartment. But there’s no doubt that many other people will. The only question is who it will be this time. I’m just waiting for the smoke clouds to start rising…
Not my favorite holiday, for a variety of reasons. And to think that I once actually liked fireworks.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
I once liked fireworks too...
Then, years ago, I was sitting outside on the 4th of July, listening to all the fireworks going off around the farm. It sounds like a war zone. I imagined the troops marching across the fields, men falling right and left, the terror, the cruelty, the grief... and that started me not liking fireworks. The final straw was when we were lighting some small fireworks and one of the fireworks had an undetectable broken support element. It shot towards my family instead of up in the air, nearly hitting my sister and me. Thank the gods it went into the compost heap, and not into the house after nearly hitting us. And that was it. No more!
I'm very frightened about fires. Where I am is not as bad as where you are, we did have like 0.01 inches of rain a couple days ago. Still, it's dry, and I'm worried. Saw a smoke cloud a week or so ago; some big building near Seattle burned down. I don't want to see any more of those, and hope you don't either. Take care, take care!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so