A Mix For America
Listen to this mix on Spotify and Rdio.
Whether you're a constitutional scholar, someone who yells "USA! USA! USA!" at sporting events, or both, you'll agree that America — the country, not the soft-rock band behind "A Horse With No Name" — is worth at least one day off a year. From representative democracy and free speech to the ingenuity that gave the world deep-fried cheese and Slankets, America deserves a continuous music mix extolling her virtues.
As Flag Day gives way to July 4 festivities, it's the finest time of the year to hoist a flag, ignite some shoddily manufactured fireworks (imported, of course) and sit at your computer while streaming a whole bunch of music that sings the praises of our great land.
The Playlist:
"America The Beautiful," Ray Charles, Greatest Hits Vol. 2 [KUT]
"Fourth Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," Bruce Springsteen, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle [WXPN]
"Lift Every Voice and Sing," Charles Lloyd, Lift Every Voice [WDUQ]
"Leonard Bernstein: Tonight, From West Side Story," Original Cast Recording (Columbia/Sony 32603) [APM]
"Don't Fence Me In," David Byrne, Red, Hot & Blue [WXPN]
ID BREAK: David Dye from WXPN
"Stars And Stripes Forever," Pete Jolly Trio, Timeless [Jazz24]
"I've Been Everywhere," Johnny Cash, Unchained [KUT]
"Earl Robinson: Joe Hill," Paul Robeson, bass-baritone (Columbia/Sony 63223) [APM]
ID BREAK: Bill Morelock from APM
"Help Save The Youth Of America," Billy Bragg, Must I Paint You A Picture? [The Current]
"This Land Is Your Land," Woody Guthrie, This Land Is Your Land [Folk Alley]
"America The Beautiful," Charlie Haden, American Dreams [WDUQ]
"Traditional: Shenandoah (arr. Marshall Bartholomew)," Cantus Vocal Ensemble (Cantus 1206) [WGBH]
"4th of July," X, See How We Are [KUT]
ID BREAK: Jeff McCord from KUT
"Kurt Weill: September Song," Walter Huston, vocals; Victor Young & his Orchestra (ASV 5246) [APM]
"Fireworks," Louis Armstrong, The Complete Hot Five And Hot Seven Recordings, Vol. 3 [Jazz24]
"Hoe Down," Oliver Nelson, The Blues And The Abstract Truth [Jazz24]
"Young Americans," David Bowie, Young Americans [The Current]
"American Anthem," Norah Jones, The War, A Ken Burns Film, The Soundtrack [Folk Alley]
ID BREAK: Elena See from Folk Alley
"Peter Schickele: Lively, from Piano Quintet," Lark Quartet; Peter Schickele, piano (Arabesque 6719) [APM]
"Star-Spangled Banner," Brian Bromberg, Wood [Jazz24]
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home," Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Smith: The Very Best [WDUQ]
ID BREAK: Bob Studebaker from WDUQ
"America," Simon & Garfunkle, Bookends [KUT]
"Duke Ellington: A Tone Parallel To Harlem," City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; John Barclay, trumpet; Simon Gardner, high trumpet; Mark Goodchild, double bass; Geri Allen, piano; Lewis Nash, drums (Angel/EMI 57014) [WNYC]
"American Girl," Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers [KUT]
ID BREAK: David Brown from KUT
"Land Of The Freak," King Khan And The Shrines, The Supreme Genius Of... [The Current]
"Living In America," James Brown, Gravity [WXPN]
"Aaron Copland: Fanfare For The Common Man," San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (RCA 63719) [WGBH]
"On The Trail," Itzhak Perlman/Oscar Peterson Side By Side [Jazz24]
ID BREAK: Nick Morrison from Jazz24
"America," Leonard Bernstein, West Side Story Soundtrack [WXPN]
"America," Lynne Arriale Trio, Inspiration [WDUQ]
"Bossa Nova U.S.A.," Dave Brubeck, The Essential Dave Brubeck [WDUQ]
"This Land Is Your Land," Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings, 89.3 In Studio Performance. [The Current]
ID BREAK: Mark Wheat from The Current
"There's A Star Spangled Banner," Elton Britt, Classic Country Banner
"On The Road Again," Willie Nelson, The Essential Willie Nelson [KUT]
"The Battle Hymn Of The Republic," Gene Harris Trio with Stanley Turrentine, The Gene Harris Trio Plus One [Jazz24]
"John Philip Sousa: Semper Fidelis," Wallace Collection (Nimbus 5129) [WGUC]
"Washington Post March," Bill Frisell, Have A Little Faith
ID BREAK: Tom Huizenga of NPR Music
"Made In America (SD50 B-Boy Mix)," Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, The Best Of... [The Current]
"One Nation Under A Groove," Funkadelic, The Whole Funk And Nothing But The Funk [The Current]
"John Adams: Hallelujah Junction," Nicholas Hodges, piano and Rolf Hind, piano (Nonesuch 79699) [WNYC]
"Fourth Of July," Morton Gould, Mourton Gould And His Symphonic Band [WGBH]
ID BREAK: Cathy Fuller from WGBH
"America, The Beautiful," Harry Allen, Tenors, Anyone? [Jazz24]
"Stephen Foster: Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair," Chanticleer (Teldec 49702) [APM]
"Virgil Thomson: Allegro, from Symphony On A Hymn Tune," Eastman-Rochester Orchestra; Howard Hanson, conductor (Mercury 434310) [APM]
"Medley No. 2," Uncredited Orchestral with Percival Mackey, conductor; Paul Robeson, bass-baritone (Angel/EMI 15586) [WNYC]
ID BREAK: Terrance McKnight from WNYC
"Night Ride Home," Joni Mitchell, Night Ride Home [WXPN]
"Magic America," Blur, Parklife [The Current]
"Washington, D.C.," Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
"Sousa/Horowitz: The Stars And Stripes Forever," Vladimir Horowitz, piano (RCA 63471) [WGBH]
"Charles Ives: Variations On America," Cincinnati Pops/Erich Kunzel (Telarc 80144) [WGUC]
ID BREAK: Naomi Lewin from WGUC
"Independence Day," Ferron, Driver
"Freedom Song," Karan Casey, Freedom Song [Folk Alley]
"Stephen Foster: Hard Times Come Again No More," James Taylor, guitar and vocals; Ma/Meyer/O'Connor (Sony 66782) [APM]
"Jerome Moross: Main Title, From The Big Country," Philharmonic Orchestra; Tony Bremmer, conductor (Silva 1048) [APM]
ID BREAK: Bill Morelock from APM
"Somewhere," Tom Waits, Blue Valentine
"Gettysburg March," George Lewis, Ice Cream [WDUQ]
"Rally Round The Flag," Ry Cooder, Boomer's Story
"William Schuman: Chester, from New England Triptych," United States Air Force Band, Lt. Col. Lowell E. Graham, conductor (USAFB BOL-9604) [WGBH]
"Peanut Butter Toast And American Bandstand," Low, A Lifetime Of Temporary Relief [The Current]
ID BREAK: Mark Wheat from The Current
"Political Science," Randy Newman, Songbook Vol. 1
"George Gershwin: An American In Paris," Andrew Litton/Dallas Symphony Orchestra (Delos 1606) [WGUC]
"Shenandoah," Jo Stafford, American Folk Songs
ID BREAK: Tom Huizenga of NPR Music
"American Tune," Eva Cassidy, American Tune [Folk Alley]
"Big Sky Country," Chris Whitley, Living With The Law [KUT]
"Freedom March," Grant Green, Sunday Mornin' [WDUQ]
ID BREAK: Bob Studebaker from WDUQ
"The National Anthem," The Carla Bley Big Band, Looking For America [WBGO]
ID BREAK: Josh Jackson from WBGO
"America," Stan Kenton, Stan Kenton's West Side Story [WBGO]
"Leonard Bernstein: Overture (from Candide)," Original Cast Recording (Sony 90582) [WGBH]
"Leonard Bernstein: Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide)," Original Cast Recording (CBS/Sony 44760) [APM]
"(Cross The) Heartland," Pat Metheny Group, American Garage [WBGO]
"Fourth Of July," Aimee Mann, Whatever [WXPN]
ID BREAK: David Dye from WXPN
"This Land," Bill Frisell, This Land [WBGO]
"National Holiday," Timbuk3, Edge Of Allegiance [WXPN]
"Lukas Foss: Central Park Reels," Foss, piano; Philippe Quint, violin (Elysium 724) [WNYC]
ID BREAK: Terrance McKnight from WNYC
"Amazing Grace," Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, Not In Our Name [WBGO]
"Samuel Ward/Katherine Bates: America The Beautiful," St. Louis Symphony/Leonard Slatkin (RCA 60778) [WGUC]
"Virgil Thomson: Fugue & Chorale on Yankee Doodle," Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin (RCA 60983) [WGUC]
"A-That's Freedom," Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Live At The Village Vanguard [WBGO]
"Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town," Billie Holiday, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia [WBGO]
ID BREAK: Josh Jackson from WBGO
"Compositional Theme Story: Medleys, Anthems, and Folklore," Charles Mingus, Mingus Plays Piano [WBGO]
"Louis Gottschalk: Union, A Grand Concert Paraphrase On National Airs," Alan Marks, piano (Nimbus NI 7045/6) [WGBH]
ID BREAK: Cathy Fuller from WGBH