I am on an Americana kick.
It's tough to even describe what Americana is. It's just one of those things where you know it when you hear it. Like when I hear an old Johnny Cash song, or some new Zach Bryan songs – that's Americana. Some classic Sam Cooke songs and new Leon Bridges songs can get categorized as soul, but I think they are also Americana. Have you ever listened to “Lisa Sawyer” by Bridges? That's as American pie as it gets to me.
It's interesting what I perceive as Americana and what I don't. I'm going to try and pick my own brain for a moment. Feel free to turn the page if you want off this particular ride.
So, music makes us feel something. Now, I don't know about you, but music can also make me see something. It conjures images. So, the subject matter, well, matters. Not to sound like a stereotypical country music critic, but a song about drinking beer and driving on dirt roads? Not Americana. A song about working hard to make a living and provide for your family? Definitely Americana.
An old soul song about having your heart broken by an unfaithful woman? Not Americana. A song about struggling with oppression in a poverty stricken neighborhood? Definitely Americana.
Some people explain Americana as it pertains to the sound. I both agree and disagree. While the sound should definitely be somewhat stripped back and kept clean from commercialism, I think Americana is less about the sound and more about the truths contained within the song. While genres like folk, country, bluegrass, blues and soul found their roots in the U.S., particularly in the south, not all songs from those genres qualify. This is because of what the song is saying, not because of how it sounds.
Is there anything wrong with kicking back, drinking a beer and driving on dirt roads? Of course not, but there isn't much of an eternal truth there. Working hard to make a living and provide for your family? That's about as truthful as it gets, because truth is right and good.
Many of us will have our hearts broken at some point in life, and sometimes we feel the need to wallow in our sorrow. While there seems to be an element of truth there, it isn't Americana for the simple reason that it's about wallowing. There isn't truth in wallowing – as a matter of fact, wallowing is one big lie.
“I have to remain this way because things will never get better.” Absolutely not. Truth comes in bouncing back. That's why songs about moving forward from whatever afflictions, both societal and personal, that have plagued us are definitively Americana.
So maybe that's what Americana is: songs that capture the American spirit. Or, at least our idea of the American spirit. I personally believe the American spirit sucks these days, but our idea of it is still out there somewhere. I'm not sure if it's still within grasp or completely out of reach, but certain songs still make me feel as if it's holding together the fabric of our society.
I'll sum it up like this: The American spirit is about not being a loser, even when you're losing. But there are victories that transcend our worldly reality, and those victories are in spirit. Even during suffering, there needs to be some kind of resolve to carry on.
Anyway, thanks for entertaining the ramblings of a madman. I'll include some songs that I've really been enjoying lately. Let me know what you think.
Highwayman – Highwaymen
I Shall Be Released – Nina Simone
A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
Pink Skies – Zach Bryan
Lisa Sawyer – Leon Bridges
If I Ever Get Around to Living – John Mayer
