American Pop: Popular Music and the Idea of Home

Celebrating Freedom

This Classic American Tapestry episode is a reprise of Episode 13 from August 2021. It opens with Bruce Springsteen’s 2026 “Streets of Minneapolis” and then explores protest music, its global origins and examples from Beethoven’s celebration of the rights of man in the 9th Symphony’s “Ode to Joy” and Irish songs of rebellion then shifting focus to American protest music from “Yankee Doodle” to abolitionist songs to labor anthems to the great Civil Rights songs of mid-20th century America to anti-war songs during the Viet Nam War era down to today and songs seeking racial justice as we explore American patriotic music and the freedom of which it sings – American freedom holidays on The American Tapestry Project.

American Pop: Popular Music and the Idea of Home

This episode of The American Tapestry Project continues our exploration of “Popular Music: A Window Into the Soul of America” It examines the difference between musical categories composers’ music, performers’ music, and traditional music with a focus on the idea of “Home” in American culture from “Home, Sweet to Home” to Carole King’s “So Far Away” to Bruce Springsteen’s “My Home Town.” “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 53 of The American Tapestry Project.

American Pop: Popular Music as a Window Into American Culture

This episode of The American Tapestry Project begins on “Popular Music: A Window Into the Soul of America.” It examines the Top Ten Hits of the 20th Century for cultural insights as it surveys the history of American popular music from 19th century minstrelsy shows to the latest streaming “hit” on the platform of your choice. “American Pop” and the tapestry of America’s many stories. This episode asks, “What was the Top Hit of the 20th century? Spoiler alert” It wasn’t “White Christmas.” “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 52 of The American Tapestry Project.

Baseball Music: An American Art Form

This episode of The American Tapestry Project revisits that uniquely American art form – baseball music. From 1858’s “The Baseball Polka” to the Dropkick Murphy’s 21st century punk rock recreation of the Boston Red Sox’s “Tessie”, we’ll revisit the music and learn the backstory behind some classic American tunes celebrating America’s grand old game – baseball. “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 50 of The American Tapestry Project.

May Days

How many holidays in May? More than you think? Whatever happened to May Day? Once it was a major holiday with dancing round the maypole; now, not so much. Where did “Mayday, mayday, mayday” as a call for help originate? But the big three holidays are Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. Where did they originate? What’s the Cry of Dolores? Who is Anna Maria Jarvis? And how did Decoration Day morph into Memorial Day. This episode explores the origins and meaning of all three. May Days – more than you think.