Song of America
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Album Description| Purchase Song of America | Song List
Album Description
Song of America is a three CD, fifty song collection that tells the history of our country through song, from 1492 through modern times. Conceived by former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno as new versions of beloved songs interpreted by contemporary artists who span the folk, blues, rock, R&B, country, classical and hip-hop genres, this joint venture between Split Rock Records and 31 Tigers (via RED Distribution) offers listeners a way to connect or reconnect with America’s vast musical and cultural heritage.
Key tracks include John Mellencamp’s version of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” Blind Boys of Alabama’s “Let Us Break Bread Together,” Bettye LaVette’s transcendent take on Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets Of Philadelphia,” the first recording of The Black Crowes’ Robinson brothers singing with their father Stan (“Reuben James”), Martha Wainwright’s updated rendition of “I Am Woman,” Andrew Bird’s wistful account of “How You Gonna Keep ‘Em Down On The Farm,” Harper Simon’s “Yankee Doodle,” and The Del McCoury Band’s soon-to-be-classic take on Bob Dylan’s “The Times, They Are A Changin’.”
How to purchase Song of America
Song of America may be purchased from amazon.com.
Song list
Follow the link in the track titles to be taken to lyrics for each song. Asterisks indicate that lyrics for this title are not available online. The third column indicates which unit the song appears in the Voices Across Time Teacher's Guide and is linked to information in that unit, including available lesson plans.
song title |
Song of America artist |
VAT unit |
Lakota Dream Song* |
Earl Bullhead |
not in VAT |
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Julie Lee |
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Blind Boys of Alabama |
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John Wesley Harding |
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Elizabeth Foster |
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Malcom Holcombe |
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Ed Pettersen |
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Harper Simon |
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The Wilders |
Unit 2
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Steven Kowalczyk-Santoro |
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Take 6 |
Unit 3
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Beth Nielsen Chapman |
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Freedy Johnston |
not in VAT |
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BR549 |
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Trail of Tears* |
Will Hill and Jehnean Day Washington |
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Minton Sparks and Pat Flynn |
not in VAT |
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Fisk Jubilee Singers |
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Mavericks featuring Thad Cockrell |
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Marah |
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Joanna Smith |
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Janis Ian |
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Tim O'Brien |
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Otis Gibbs |
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Joni Harms |
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Stars & Stripes Forever* |
Jake Shimabukuro |
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Jen Chapin |
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Andrew Bird |
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Karen Parks |
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Danielson |
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Andy Bey |
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Jim Lauderdale |
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Old Crow Medicine Show |
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Suzy Bogguss |
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Folk Family Robinson |
not in VAT |
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Scott Kempner |
not in VAT |
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Elizabeth Cook and The Grascals |
not in VAT |
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Devendra Banhart |
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The Del McCoury Band |
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Kim Richey |
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The Dynamites/Charles Walker |
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Ben Taylor |
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Anthony David |
not in VAT |
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Martha Wainwright |
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Matthew Ryan |
not in VAT |
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Bettye LaVette |
not in VAT |
Wave* |
Gary Heffern/Chris Eckman |
not in VAT |
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Shortee |
not in VAT |
Sleep, My Child (Schlof Mayn Kind)* |
Judith Edelman/Neilson Hubbard |
not in VAT |
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The Wrights |
not in VAT |
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John Mellencamp |
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Note 2: "Young Ladies in Town" is also known as "Address to the Ladies." When you follow the link for the lyrics, you will have to scroll to end of the page (Song 9) to get the lyrics. |
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