On Jan. 20, 2001, former Attorney General Janet Reno made a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live, where she, wearing a blue pants suit, crashed "Janet Reno's Dance Party," a recurring skit, featuring comedian Will Ferrell, wearing an identical blue pants suit, danced to "My Sharona." Later, when Reno ran for Florida's governorship, she hosted a real dance party. On South Beach. A reporter for The New York Times summarized the event: "South Beach's gay contingent, black hip-hop aficionados and spaghetti-thin model types all turned out to raise the roof with a folksy but not fashionable white woman with little hip in her hop." Reno has surprised us again. She is the co-producer of a new CD compilation, Song of America. It chronicles American history through song, with a range of music. Everything from a Lakota dream song to a James Brown hit. What is your favorite "Song of America"?
Blog Of The Nation
A song about the Erie Canal, that all kids in Upstate New York learn called, "Low Bridge, Everybody Down" (written by Thomas Allen in 1905)
thank you Janet Reno! you continue to serve your country well!!
My vote would be for the Aaron Copland arrangement of "Old American Songs". My favorite is "The Dodger" but they're all great
Just in case my email didn't make it through - Redemption Song, Bob Marley.
I think ever so kindly of Ms. Reno and feel bad that she never got her pickup and traveled all over the country.
I would love to see the list of all 700 songs considered. I think that would be an amazing list. I would hope that Steve Goodman's song "City of New Orleans" made it on to that list.
How about.....
Midnight Special,
by Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter)
If I Had a Hammer,
by Lee Hays
Do Re Mi & This Land is Your Land,
by Woody Guthrie
City of New Orleans
by Steve Goodman
This Land is Your Land! Woody Guthrie
God Bless America! Irving Berlin
Goin' Home, written by ??? The same melody appears in New World symphony by Dvorak. Don't know which came first
Simple Gifts ditto my ignorance
Summertime by the Great George Gershwin
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.