Songs That Bring History to Life

TED: "Rhiannon Giddens (born 1977, from Greensboro, NC. She lives in Ireland now) pours the emotional weight of American history into her music." Her song, "Build A House," performed with Yo-Yo Ma, was written to commemorate Juneteenth in 2020. It tells the story of an enslaved family that will not be moved, and the music …

The Meaning of ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’

On this Labor Day, Oliver Anthony from semi-rural Farmville, Virginia is having a moment, with his viral music video, "Rich Men North of Richmond." It was uploaded to YouTube on August 8, and became an immediate hit, shooting to the top of the Billboard charts, with as of this writing, 56 million views, and hundreds …

Songs from the Great Depression and the Confederacy As Remembered By A 100-Year-Old

My 100-year-old mother-in-law in evenings likes to sip Makers Mark bourbon and sing songs from the Great Depression of the 1930s. Among the songs she sings: "With Plenty of Money and You" and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" Lyrics: "With Plenty of Money and You" (as recorded by Dick Powell) I have never envied …

The story of ‘Amazing Grace’ and John Newton

CBS Morning News: "On January 1, 1773, in Olney, England, The Rev. John Newton, a slave trader-turned-abolitionist, gave a sermon about personal redemption. Half a century later his words were paired with music, and would become one of the best-known hymns in the world, "Amazing Grace." Correspondent Ramy Inocencio talks with music journalist Steve Turner …

The Lament Of The Cherokee Indian Reservation, By Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1971

This song was written by John D. Loudermilk.[1] It was first recorded by Marvin Rainwater in 1959 and released on MGM as "The Pale Faced Indian", but that release went unnoticed. The first hit version was a 1968 recording by Don Fardon – a former member of the Sorrows – that reached number 20 on the Hot 100 in 1968[2] and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970.[3] In 1971, the Raiders recorded "Indian …

Rap and Hip Hop Music Emerged As New Form of Expression in the 1970s

Crash Course Black American History #47: "Music is an integral part of Black American culture. Today, Clint Smith will teach you about rap & hip hop, and the cultural significance of artists including Public Enemy, Wu-Tang Clan, the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, N.W.A., Queen Latifah, and Missy Elliott. And he just might break dance while doing …

Why Hitler Loved Composer Richard Wagner

Composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a favorite of Adolph Hitler. His "Ride of the Valkyries" became something of a theme for the Nazi Party. "He's also featured in films including the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. There is evidence that Wagner's music was played at the Dachau concentration camp to …

10 Questions A Baby Boomer Never Thought Anyone Would Ask

I know fame is fleeting, but one doesn't understand how fleeting it is until one teaches social studies. Public memory is exceedingly short. Pop culture to one generation is entirely different from popular culture to another generation. People who are extraordinarily famous to one generation aren't even known to another generation.  Teenagers ask me questions …

10 Historical Mistakes That Changed the World

Captivating History: "They say those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. History is full of costly jaw-dropping mistakes. So, if you know a lot about the past, you should be fine, right? The trouble is, there is so much history to learn, and so many mistakes have been made. Where do …

What Did You Learn in School Today? By Tom Paxton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf5Jn8O3s0c Pete Singer sings Tom Paxton's song from the 1960s. "What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine? I learned that Washington never told a lie I learned that soldiers seldom die I learned that everybody's free And that's …