Should Kansas' "Song For America" get national recognition ?

[ProgMusician]

I personally believe so,... it is an outstanding musical work and truly "American" in it's thematic tone and subject matter. I have been thinking this for a few years now. With Livgren having health issues I think it would be a nice and well deserved thing for him to be recognized for it. Am I dreaming ?

[progeezer]

While I see a lot of merit in what you propose, unfortunately you're dreaming.

[Sean]

I love the song, it's their masterpiece, but it's about the way people came to this country, took it and screwed it up. It will never be considered a patriotic tune. It isn't. It's more a finger pointer about the bad white man and his encroachment on what became the USA.

[ThomasKDye]

I love the song, it's their masterpiece, but it's about the way people came to this country, took it and screwed it up. It will never be considered a patriotic tune. It isn't. It's more a finger pointer about the bad white man and his encroachment on what became the USA.

Yeah, this. It's not exactly "The Star-Spangled Banner."

[trurl]

I love the song but... no, not really. No more than the UK should adopt God Save The Queen in some official capacity *lol*

[Stickleback]

Maybe if Justin Beiber sang it, it would get recognition.

[flowerking]

If it was 1975 and prog was still in favor and heading into the bicentennial, then yes. But today? Not a chance. (unfortunately)

[ronmac]

I vote for "Monster."

Or, perhaps, if you want to stick with Kansas, "Cheyenne Anthem."

[Moribund]

If it was 1975 and prog was still in favor and heading into the bicentennial, then yes. But today? Not a chance. (unfortunately)

It was 1975 once, Prog was sort of in favor, the US was heading into the bicentennial and the Song For America was available, and it failed then.

[A. Scherze]

New Jersey made "Born to Run" the State Song. Of course, that's New Jersey for you.

[Scott Bails]

Ronald Reagan used "Born in the U.S.A." as a campaign anthem.

[yogibear]

nope.

[ronmac]

Ronald Reagan used "Born in the U.S.A." as a campaign anthem.

And many others do, without realizing what it's about. Usually Bruce steps in and tells them to stop using it.

[Septober Energy]

Didn't it get national recognition by selling a few hundred thousand copies?

[JIF]

While I see a lot of merit in what you propose, unfortunately you're dreaming.

I love the song, it's their masterpiece, but it's about the way people came to this country, took it and screwed it up. It will never be considered a patriotic tune. It isn't. It's more a finger pointer about the bad white man and his encroachment on what became the USA.

Why so harsh, guys? Everyone has opinions. Remember when you told me that? I think having something big done with Song For America would be good. I never thought it to be unpatriotic. Give a lyrical example of how it's unpatriotic. Kerry said he did get inspiration from the song by viewing our great nation from his plane. Maybe you two are confusing this song with Cheyenne Anthem? I would take any action to get the SFA title track more recognition. All I hear on classic radio down here is Dust In The Wind, Point Of Know Return, and occasionally Play That Game Tonight and What's On My Mind.

[trurl]

Didn't it get national recognition by selling a few hundred thousand copies?

I think what's actually meant is official recognition.

[Fracktured]

New Jersey made "Born to Run" the State Song. Of course, that's New Jersey for you.

With lyrics like "Baby, this town rips the bones from your back, Its a death trap, it's a suicide rap" would surely make you say let's make this our state song!

Song for America isn't exactly flattering to the American Dream.

Rick

[N_Singh]

That's the one song I like by these guys. I've only heard it in the past few months, though these boards, actually. But there's two problems with the official proposition posed in this thread. Practically nobody today would know know this tune and associate that song with this band. Except for people on boards like this. Second: because it sounds like prog, it is, by definition, ahem, very British sounding. Not a good thing if you want official American recognition.

[A. Scherze]

Give a lyrical example of how it's unpatriotic.

"Ravage, plunder, see no wonder
Rape and kill and tear asunder
Chop the forest, plow it under"

[A. Scherze]

With lyrics like "Baby, this town rips the bones from your back, Its a death trap, it's a suicide rap" would surely make you say let's make this our state song!

And, then there's "Born in the USA".

"Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man"

--

"Down in the shadow of penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go"

[JIF]

"Ravage, plunder, see no wonder
Rape and kill and tear asunder
Chop the forest, plow it under"

Wow, just one line in a ten minute song.

[ThomasKDye]

Wow, just one line in a ten minute song.

Three lines, really, but that's the core of the song. Before this line, "no human hand has soiled this paradise" and afterwards, "Highways scar the mountainside." It doesn't take much to see that Livgren is saying, in the song, man, this land was beautiful until we screwed it up.

[JIF]

I think that Suite Madam Blue by Styx should get national recognition.

[Sean]

I think the Hokey Pokey should. It's a national obsession anyway.

[Vic2012]

It would be a great song for all the Native American nations. Cheyenne Anthem would work too (not just for the Cheyenne nation) . Both are masterpieces but don't work as national songs/anthems.