America was meant to be a light on the hill — a place others looked to when they needed to find their own way forward.
If America has ever truly been that light, it came from its music. From the people who suffered the most and somehow still found something worth singing about.
From colonial taverns to protest marches in the Eastern Bloc, from gospel churches to a ghetto in Soweto, American rhythms helped people band together, speak truth, and refuse to quit. Our songs became the world's songs — not because we exported them, but because people who needed hope reached out and claimed them as their own.
American Song tells the stories of the artists who made the music and the people who were moved by it. One era at a time. One genre, one band, one song at a time. Music that started by campfires, in cotton fields, in churches and juke joints — and moved out into the world to become something larger than any one nation could contain.
This is American Song.
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Part Five starts with a funeral and a realization: when Bruce's friend and former Castile's band mate, George Theiss, dies, Bruce becomes the last man left from his teenage band. That shock pushes him into Springsteen on Broadway, Western Stars, and Letter to You—projects that ask what kind of ancestor, and what kind of citizen, you want to be when you’re running out of time.
We follow him into those late-career marathon shows and finally to a 2025 European stage, where he calls out a "incompetent, corrupt, and treasonous administration" and then sings about hope, duty, and “we the people” anyway.
This final chapter ties Bruce back to everyone we’ve studied in 2025 on American Song—including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon and Jackson Browne —and makes the subtext plain: if we want a better America, we’re going to have to live up to the American values embodied in the songs of the artists we say we admire.
Music In This Episode: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
My City of Ruins
Shackled and Drawn
Rocky Ground
Sundown
Hello Sunshine
Last Man Standing
One Minute You're Here
The Power of Prayer
Long Walk Home
We Shall Overcome
Archival Interviews
Rick Rubin/ Malcolm Gladwell
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Bruce Springsteen and the American Reckoning: Breakups, Ghosts, and Trump’s America
Part Four is where the story cuts close to the bone. Bruce lets the E Street Band go, stares down his own failures on Tunnel of Love, and writes The Ghost of Tom Joad for the people that some Americans prefer not to see: migrants, the unemployed, the left-behind.
The band reunites, “American Skin (41 Shots)” forces a conversation about race and fear, and The Rising and Wrecking Ball turn grief and economic anger into something like a shared civic ritual. We carry all of that forward into Trump’s first administration and Charlottesville, and we hold Bruce’s choices up as a different model of Americanness—one where loving your country means telling it the truth and standing with the people it’s hurting, even when that costs you.
Music in This Episode: Bruce Springsteen (With and Without) the E Street Band
Tunnel of Love
Human Touch
Living Proof
The Ghost of Tom Joad
Theme from Ken Burns 'The Civil War'*
The Price You Pay**
American Skin (41 Shots)
This Land Is Your Land
Archival Interviews
Rick Rubin/ Malcolm Gladwell
Mark Maron
Howard Stern
Bank Street Podcast
*As performed by my second cousin, Molly Hines of Wilmington, NC. A massively talented violinist, during our family reunion in Yellowstone National Park; Summer, 2025. Thank you, Molly! Visit https://www.mollyjhines.com/
** E Street Band backing track; no vocals.
Join our community and continue your journey through American Song: Visit us on Facebook.
There, you'll get more information, video content, and more about the music and personalities covered in all our episodes.
By the late 1960’s, folk was beginning to feel “scarred and battered”, so what came next in this tradition was less political, and much more personal. The world was changing politically, socially, and culturally. Some of the new generation of singers and songwriters felt that staying relevant meant they had to move away from folk, towards more personal themes. The ‘70s was the “Me” decade. Instead of drawing from what was happening in the outside world, one group of song-writers turned inward. Another group turned toward broader political issues, instead of the Hattie Carroll, situation-specific inspirations that had inspired writers in the early. ‘60s.
There’s no better artist to start with than Bob Dylan, the single artist without whom, this whole series may not have even been possible, his impact is so huge. And yet, even Dylan owes his position as the Mount Everest of rock music to the people who came before him. One very important inspiration was the great Woody Guthrie. And even Guthrie you have to put in context, amidst all of the other great artists we’ve been talking about since day one of the American Song podcast. It’s like Pete Seeger, the great folk musician and a closer friend and collaborator of Guthrie’s, said,
"All songwriters are links in a chain."
In This Episode
Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City
Pete Seeger - This Land is Your Land
Bob Dylan - The Times They are a Changing
Jim Croce - Operator
Bob Dylan - Song to Woody
Bob Dylan - Big Yellow Taxi
Buddy Holly and the Crickets - Not Fade Away
Buddy Holly and the Crickets - Maybe Baby
Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man
Bob Dylan - Jokerman
Bob Dylan - Foot of Pride
Bob Dylan - House of the Rising Sun
Bob Dylan - Rollin' and Tumblin'
Bob Dylan - Arthur McBride
Bob Dylan - Hurricane
Bob Dylan/ Tom Petty - I've Forgot More than You'll Ever Know
The Minstrel and the Symphony: Jethro Tull, ELP, and Progressive Rock's Wilder Shores
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented, some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers “were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this third and final part of our Progressive Rock episode, we're rocking out with some of the greats - including Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer! Life is a long song, friends. Come sing it with us!
Themes In this Episode:
Classical touches in progressive rock
Early Jethro Tull
Martin Barre joins the band
Tull's themes - a more relatable sort of prog
Ian Anderson - An Extraordinary Minstrel
Why the flute?
What made Tull so unique
Early Emerson, Lake and Palmer
ELP put their unique stamp on classical music
A dystopian future: Tarkus
Food For Thought or Thoughtful Food? Brain Salad Surgery
Tracks
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Genesis - Blood on the Rooftops
Jethro Tull - Bouree
The John Evan Smash - Blues for the 18th
Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath
Jethro Tull - Wind Up
Jethro Tull - Cup of Wonder
Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick Part 1
Jethro Tull - My Sunday Feeling
Jethro Tull - Excerpt; Thick as a Brick Part 2
Close to the Edge: How Yes and Genesis Took Progressive Rock to Its Furthest Reaches
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented. Some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers “were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this second episode on Progressive Rock, we're going deep into 'prog rock'. So, "Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends!" Come explore progressive rock with me!
Themes In this Episode:
Some of the concepts in the biggest prog rock "Concept Albums"
The roots of Yes
Some of Yes' greatest work: Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans
Time and a Word: The lyrics in progressive rock songs
Having dinner with the band: Genesis - Supper's Ready
The classic Genesis line-up: Steve Hackett and Phil Collins join the band
Tracks
Rush - 2112
Yes - The Revealing Science of God
The Beatles - Within You Without You
Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks - True Messenger
The Syn - Flowerman
Yes - Giants Under the Sun
David Bowie - Life on Mars
Yes - Excerpts; Roundabout, South Side of the Sky
Yes - Close to the Edge
Yes - Ritual; Nous Sommes du Soleil
The Beatles - Golden Slumbers
Jethro Tull - My God
Genesis - Excerpt; Watcher of the Skies
Genesis - Supper's Ready
Genesis - Excerpt; Firth of Fifth
From Kent State to King Crimson: How the Counterculture Invented Progressive Rock
It seems like every ten years or so, society experiences a great reset. The end of the ‘60s was like that. The idealism and teen-culture of the ‘60’s was ten years older and moving into adult life. Just like everything else in life that was questioned and re-invented, some musicians began pushing the boundaries of what rock music could become.
Across the Atlantic, and as Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull put it, English rockers "were trying to be originators and not simply relying on American music." Some of the most ground-breaking ‘60s albums led directly to the rise of prog, most prominently, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album set a whole new expectation for what bands could do, and for what rock could become.
In this first of a three-part episode on Progressive Rock, we'll take a deep dive into the fascinating world of 'prog rock'. It's time to 'set your controls for the heart of the sun', everybody! Come explore progressive rock with me!
Themes In this Episode:
Progressive rock in the context of the late 1960's and 1970's; flower power, and the counter-culture.
Musical context - Classical music and Jazz as foundations
Influenced by The Beatles and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles and The Beach Boys rivalry
Social unrest - Kent State, Bobby Kennedy, Martiin Luther King
Concept albums
Harnessing new technology
Tracks
The Who - Underture
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
Jim Ladd/ KMET; Headsets
The Beatles - A Day in the Life
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin
Punk may have been born in America, but it had many homes around the world. In every place it went, punk became part of the struggle for social change.
Punk's roots are in the blues, music made for expressing struggles and refusing to accept things the way they are. With heritage like this, it should be no surprise that it moved people and shook things up in the powerful ways it did!
Join us, as we see how punk expressed the real lives of the people making and listening to the music in far away places like the UK, the USSR, South Africa and East Germany. Witness the remarkable impact the music had on the social fabric of the times - showing that music really can change the world!
This is an inspiring story of people pushed into a corner, and battling their way out, armed with guitars, drums, and a pen.
Warning: This episode includes quotes of song lyrics, including some "f-bombs". If you have young children around, you may want to choose an appropriate time to listen.
America's Punk movement was started on both coasts. Early proto-punks like the MC5 and the New York Dolls were followed by a number of other early iconic acts who played at several New York clubs, including CBGB's (Country Blue Grass and Blues), such as the The Ramones, the Talking Heads, Blondie, and Patti Smith. Meanwhile, LA and San Francisco had a decidedly more political movement propelled by bands like X, The Dead Kennedy's, and Black Flag. These bands had more in common musically with UK groups like the Sex Pistols and the Clash.
In this episode, you'll see how the Punk Movement on both coasts continued to develop in the early 1980s, and you'll see what made these bands so utterly unique.
You won't want to miss a minute!
In This Episode
The Ramones – Beat on the Brat
The Ramones – Rock and Roll High School
U2 – The Miracle of Joey Ramone
The Ramones Family – Grammy Awards
The Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
The Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime
The Talking Heads – Burning Down the House
David Byrne Interview – David Letterman
Blondie – Hanging on the Telephone
Blondie – One Way or Another
Patti Smith – Gloria
Patti Smith – Interview
Patti Smith – Piss Factory
The Dead Kennedy’s – Holiday in Cambodia
The Dead Kennedy’s – Kill the Poor
Jello Biafra – PMRC Interview (Parent’s Music Resources Council)
Black Flag – Rise Above
Blag Flag – Depression
X – Los Angeles
X – Johnny Hit and Run Pauline
The Violent Femmes – Gone Daddy Gone
The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace with God
Gogol Bordello – Immigradiada
Green Day – American Idiot
Flush the Orange Turd
Links to related show content from prior episodes This episode refers back to a few topics covered in prior episodes.We invite you to learn more about these ideas!Use the links, below.MinimalismThe Blues
Coast to Coast Chaos: New York and LA Spark the American Punk Revolution!
When the dreams and promises you’ve placed your hopes in end up being a mirage, its only human to feel angry. In the mid 1970’s, a lot of teens and young adults found themselves in this camp. The nation’s shift toward a decidedly more cynical era could be heard in anti-war statements such as "War is not healthy for children and other living things" On the equal rights agenda, the demand for black civil rights encouraged a louder beating of the drum as seen in the rise of feminism. At the same time, both movements continued receiving backlash from the country’s conservatives, especially The "Silent Majority" campaign, responding to the ‘liberal excesses’ of the counterculture.
Running through everything, there was a feeling that the social changes that the ‘60s had promised were as far away as ever. America’s kids were caught in the cross-hairs. America was experiencing an epidemic of frustration, anxiety and anger.
With nothing to do, and a sense that the walls were closing in, teens living in places like New York, Detroit and Los Angeles, swam in an ocean of boredom and alienation that needed venting. Punk’s rawness and DIY attitude made it easy for anyone who had the need to hit back, or at least spit into the audience, to become an anti-hero.
In this first of two episodes on the origins of American Punk, we draw a through line from early New York proto-punk bands like the Velvet Underground, the MC5 and the New York Dolls through to California bands like X, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedy's. You'll come away understanding how the idealism of the 1960's gave way to the cynicism and anger of the 1970's punk movement. And yet, through it all, America's kids were still demanding change and even in the cynicism, holding out for something better.
In This Episode
John Lennon - Give Me Some Truth
Scene from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
the Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
TV News – End of Vietnam War
Scene from “Network”
Scene from the Godfather
The Clash – Police on My Back
Pink Floyd – Have a Cigar
Sweet Home Alabama: Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Band, Charlie Daniels, and the Music of a South at War With Itself
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Southern rock, a rebellious fusion of blues, rock and roll, and country music, emerged as the defiant cry from the heart of the South. Lynyrd Skynyrd's guitars wailed like banshees, their lyrics echoing the region's resistance to outside finger-pointing and strengthened a determination to preserve their own cultural identity. Never mind the warts and blemishes. The Allman Brothers Band played with improvisations like soaring eagles. Their music captured the untamed spirit, passion and raw energy of the South.
The intensity of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Outlaws was a force of nature, their music was a raw and unfiltered expression of southern pride. Their guitars roared like thunder, their drums pounded like a heartbeat, and their lyrics spoke of rebellion, and the indomitable spirit of the South.
John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival's showed that Southern music extended past Southern borders. Their music, infused with idealism and earthiness, captured the hopes and dreams of ordinary people. Their melodies were catchy and memorable, their lyrics were simple yet profound, and their art spoke directly to the hearts of their listeners. CCR offered a sense of hope and possibility in a world often filled with uncertainty.
Robbie Robertson and the Band's music was a tapestry of Americana, woven from the threads of blues, country, rock and roll, and folk. With songs written by a member of America’s first people, who crafted melodies that were both familiar and fresh, The Band captured the essence of the American experience. All its triumphs and tragedies, from the pinnacle of joy to the depths of sorrow, Robertson helped reveal a nation in search of an identity.
All of this and more await you in this latest episode! Hope you enjoy it!
Featured Artists Alabama The Allman Bros. The Band Black Oak Arkansas Carl Perkins The Charlie Daniels BandCreedence Clearwater RevivalGraham ParkerHank WilliamsJohn Lee HookerLonnie MackLynyrd SkynyrdMolly HatchettMuddy WatersNeil YoungThe OutlawsRossington Collins BandTom Petty and the HeartbreakersLinks to Supporting Episodes
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There, you'll get more information, video content, and more about the music and personalities covered in all our episodes.
The MC5 – Kick Out the Jams
The Stooges – I Wanna Be Your Dog
Iggy Pop – Interview
The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs
The New York Dolls – Jet Boy
David Bowie – Suffragette
David Bowie – Interview
Davie Bowie – Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie – Rock and Roll Suicide
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
The Ramones - Interview
Links to related show content from prior episodes This episode refers back to a few topics covered in prior episodes. We invite you to learn more about these ideas! Use the links, below.