<p>What is the main message of Songs of America?</p>

<p>Songs of America explores the power of music in shaping the nation's history and identity.</p>

Biography & Memoir

Songs of America Book Summary - Songs of America Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

Songs of America summary

Name: Songs of America
Rating: 4 (28 reviews)
Author: Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw

Jon Meacham Tim McGraw

Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation

4 (28 ratings)

22 mins

Brief summary

Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw explores the history of American music and how it has shaped the country's identity. From folk songs to rock and roll, the authors showcase the power of music to inspire and unite us.

Topics

Black History

Table of Contents

Songs of America
Summary of 7 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Discover America’s musical soul.

What shapes the soul of a nation? Your history teacher may have emphasized the role of politics, wars and social activism in nation-building. However, music’s role in shaping a country’s dream, beliefs and direction was probably overlooked. And yet, more than a mere soundtrack to important events, music has often been the driver of those events. It helps spur on their protagonists and embodies their hopes and fears.

In these blinks, you’ll join Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Meacham and Grammy Award-winning musician Tim McGraw on a fascinating tour of America’s rich musical heritage. From the American Revolution to the Great Depression and the Vietnam War, you’ll discover the songs that formed the backdrop to America’s triumphs, conflicts and protests. Shining a light on the cultural impact of icons such as Bing Crosby, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, these blinks take a look at America’s past by listening to its most famous voices.

In the following blinks, you’ll discover

the battle-scarred origins of the American national anthem;
why American troops in Vietnam loved Aretha Franklin;
how Native Americans expressed their pain through song.

Early American freedom fighters were inspired to write revolutionary songs.

On June 10, 1768, Boston was on the verge of war. John Harrison, a British customs official, was attempting to confiscate a local ship, claiming that its American owner had not paid sufficient taxes on its contents. In response, Boston locals threw bricks, stones and insults at their British overlords. Though the British were not defeated that day, something else would come out of the Boston uprising – a song.

Following the riot, Pennsylvania colonist John Dickinson was inspired to write verses about the colonists’ right to self-determination. Entitled “The Liberty Song,” Dickinson implored his fellow Americans to “join hand in hand” to answer “fair Liberty’s call.” This rebellious song had an immediate impact. After it was published in the Boston Gazette, people all over the city left their homes with whatever musical instruments they had on hand and sung it in the streets.

Why this immediate popularity? Well, this song was one of the first to connect the idea of American independence with music. It affected people emotionally in a way that dry political writing simply couldn’t. Furthermore, “The Liberty Song” showed Americans the potential for unity when they took to the streets together to sing it.

Thanks in part to individuals like Dickinson and their rousing messages of freedom, America finally signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Unfortunately, though, this momentous event did not enshrine everyone’s liberty. For women and African American people in general, life carried on as it had before – in subjugation and slavery, respectively.

Nevertheless, in revolutionary America, these marginalized groups also expressed their yearning for freedom through song. In 1795, for instance, a song appeared in the Philadelphia Minerva newspaper. Entitled “Rights of Women,” and set to the familiar melody of “God Save the King,” it proclaimed that “Woman is free” and should not “yield to slavish fear.”

20 years earlier, another American woman also called for liberation through verse. Her name was Phillis Wheatley, and she was an educated enslaved person. In a set of verses called “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” Wheatley addressed the taboo subject of equality. She wrote, “Negroes, black as Cain, may be refined, and join th’ angelic train.” Incredibly, Wheatley was such a gifted writer that some of her verses reached the desk of George Washington and were published after receiving his approval.

Brutal nineteenth-century conflict inspired both Native Americans and white settlers to write music.

Some songs are forged in the fires of battle. In 1814, American colonists were still fighting with the British Crown to have their Declaration of Independence validated. And at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, on August 13, British Naval Forces were treating the colonists to a relentless cannon and mortar attack. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer from Washington, watched as the events unfolded. As night fell, he dreaded the destruction he might see in the morning. Had all been lost overnight?

When dawn came, however, Key saw through the smoke and fog, something profoundly moving.

Activists expressed their dream of a slavery-free world through song.

The American dream hasn’t always lived up to reality. In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person, gave an Independence Day speech in New York and spoke some hard truths to his fellow Americans. What did July 4 mean to black people in America? Douglass asked. What could African Americans divine from the celebrations, other than the vanity and hypocrisy of white Americans, who refused to acknowledge black peoples’ humanity? With stirring orations like this, Douglass and others like him were pushing hard for the abolition of slavery. Here too, the fight for freedom was accompanied by powerful music.

British abolitionists Julia and T. Powis Griffith composed this music for Douglass. “Farewell Song” was written to coincide with Douglass’s return to the United States in 1847, after he had toured England with his anti-slavery message. In response to descriptions of America as the land of the free, the song laments, “Alas! That my country should be America! Land of the slave.”

Music accompanied the struggles and triumphs of women and black Americans.

In October 1915, tens of thousands of women took to the streets of New York. Walking arm in arm, they headed down Fifth Avenue to Central Park. This was a march of celebration. Finally, after decades of struggle, women would vote in the next presidential election. Once again, music had propelled the fight for women’s suffrage forward.

One of the most famous songs of the suffrage movement was entitled “Daughters of Freedom, the Ballot Be Yours.” First appearing in 1871, this stirring protest anthem included lyrics imploring women to “sunder the fetters custom hath made” and to “yield not the battle, till ye have won!” A year after it’s release, one American woman fulfilled the song’s message.

The Great Depression gave birth to songs of both optimism and deep frustration.

In the early 1930s, America was down on its luck. Caught in the middle of the Great Depression, much of the country was without work and hopeless. Into this mood of despair stepped Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), who was inaugurated as President in 1933. Determined to keep his country together, FDR seemed to many to be a walking promise of better things to come. Notably, his march toward hope was accompanied by song.

In the cash-strapped 1930s, that song was “Happy Days Are Here Again.” It came to national attention when it was played during an FDR rally in 1932. This upbeat tune initially seemed out of step with depressed America. Nonetheless, it perfectly captured the infectious optimism of FDR himself, who always expressed confidence that the nation would lift itself out of its present hardship.

The Vietnam War sparked songs of protest, as well as conformity.

In the late 1960s, the Vietnam War was raging, and America was bitterly divided. On one side stood millions of young people who demanded that the troops come home. These were the children of the counterculture, a population championing pacifism and progressive values. On the other side was Middle America. These were social conservatives who thought the dissenting youths were disrespectful and shamefully unpatriotic. On both sides, music fed their strong opinions.

During this era, anti-war songs like Edwin Starr’s 1970 hit, “War” and The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” boomed from loudspeakers at protest marches. And Middle America, the group that President Nixon would call the ‘silent majority’ who quietly agreed with the Vietnam War, had their own anthem. While not exactly a pro-war song, Merle Haggard’s country song “Okie from Muskogee” explicitly denounced those young hippies who wore their hair long, destroyed their draft cards and questioned their country’s foreign policy.

Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen represented two differing visions of America.

In 1954, at an open-air music performance in a Memphis park, something incredible was happening on stage. A white kid was singing the blues. Furthermore, with his incredibly versatile voice, electrifying good looks and outrageous dance moves, he was making them his own. That kid was Elvis Presley, and he would go on to become one of the most powerful cultural forces in twentieth-century America.

In many ways, Presley’s enormous success – and his terrible demise just two decades later – mirrors the fortune of America itself.

Want to see all full key ideas from Songs of America?

Key ideas in Songs of America

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is Songs of America about?

Songs of America (2019) explores the music that has shaped American History. From African American spirituals to Elvis Presley’s rock and roll, these blinks shine a light on the music that has defined the progress, defeats and protests of Americans from all walks of life, over the last three centuries.

Songs of America Review

Songs of America is a captivating exploration of the interplay between music and American history, making it a worthwhile read. Here's what makes this book special:

Through compelling narratives and rich storytelling, it uncovers the profound impact of music on shaping the American identity.
With its unique blend of historical analysis and personal anecdotes from the authors, the book offers a fresh perspective on familiar songs and their cultural significance.
The book's diverse range of musical genres and eras ensures a comprehensive exploration, keeping readers engaged and excited throughout.

Best quote from Songs of America

Shall I, like a coward, not join the fight...Scared by the enemys tyrannous might? - Farewell Song

—Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw

Who should read Songs of America?

History buffs looking for a fresh perspective
Music geeks seeking a deeper understanding of song in America’s political struggles
Social justice warriors hoping for inspiration

About the Author

Jon Meacham is an American author. In 2009, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his biographical book American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. He is currently a contributing editor to Time Magazine. Tim McGraw is a country music singer and actor. He has received three Grammys and ten American Music Awards.

Categories with Songs of America

Biography & Memoir History

Book summaries like Songs of America

Elizabeth Blackburn and Elissa Epel

A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer

The New Psychology of Success

15 min

4.4

The Art of Clear Thinking

Hasard Lee

A Stealth Fighter Pilot's Timeless Rules for Making Tough Decisions

12 min

3.7

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Gabor Maté

Close Encounters with Addiction

How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life

23 min

4.4

The Mindful Way Through Depression

Mark Williams

Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness

20 min

4.5

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Intuition or deliberation? Where you can (and can't) trust your brain

The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies and Companies

23 min

4.0

Myth America

Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer

Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies about Our Past

19 min

2.9

Creativity, Inc.

Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace

Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

19 min

4.3

The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

Nathaniel Branden

The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field

Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

32 min

4.5

The Situation Room

George Stephanopoulos

The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis

How Geniuses and Speed Freaks Made F1 the Fastest-Growing Sport

17 min

The Eight Master Lessons of Nature

Gary Ferguson

What Nature Teaches Us About Living Well in the World

Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success

19 min

4.2

101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

Brianna Wiest

Philosophical Meditations That Will Change Your Life

Unleashing Your Infinite Potential

Get Smarter About the Choices that Will Make or Break Your Business

Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century

How Economics Corrupted Us

Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle

A Historical Novel on the Irrationality of Human Behavior in War

How to Make It to the End with No Regrets

A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals

Work, Wealth and Welfare in the Robot Age

22 min

4.0

Content Rules

Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman

How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and more) that Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business

18 min

3.9

A Guide to the Good Life

William B. Irvine

The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

22 min

4.6

Sex at Dawn

Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá

How we mate, why we stray, and what it means for modern relationships

Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life

16 min

4.5

Emotional Intelligence Habits

Travis Bradberry

Change Your Habits, Change Your Life

Tips and Techniques to Help You Learn Any Language

Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation

27 min

4.5

How to Be an Adult in Relationships

David Richo

The Five Keys to Mindful Loving

Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home

Change is the only constant

Accelerate Your Career, Master Hard Tasks and Outsmart the Competition

30 min

4.5

How Successful People Think

John C. Maxwell

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

16 min

4.3

Help Me, I Have No Discipline and Zero Self-Control

Vaughn Carter

The Secret Formula to Breaking Bad Habits, Mastering Mental Toughness, and Reaching Your Goals

18 min

4.3

The Hidden Habits of Genius

Craig Wright

Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit – Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness

Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness

Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It

How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines

18 min

3.9

The Man Who Solved the Market

Gregory Zuckerman

How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

23 min

4.3

The Motorcycle Diaries

Ernesto Che Guevara

A Motorcycle, a Continent, and a Revolutionary Awakening

Find Your Passion, Build Your Business, Learn Your Limits, Love Your Life

16 min

4.3

I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was

Barbara Sher with Barbara Smith

How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It

15 min

4.4

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.