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American SongAuthor: Joe Hines
American Song is a podcast that traces the origins and development of American - and ultimately world-wide - forms of modern musical entertainment. Over time, we will trace every major genre from its origins through the current day.American Song looks at the development of our music through the lens of social, political, and economic changes that were occurring in each case, and we'll feature the most important musicians in each genre.Every episode is chock-full of the music we love and where possible, we include archival interviews so you can hear about, in the actual words and voices of these great musicians and singers, the motives and passions that drove their creativity. Language: en-us Genres: Arts, Music, Music History, Performing Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Singer-Songwriters Part Two: Truth to Power
Friday, 28 March, 2025
Get in touch!In this haunting and deeply reflective episode, we explore the music of Bruce Cockburn—an artist who persistently challenges our indifference and urges us to reckon with the moral weight of being human. His songs are not just art; they are calls to awareness, rooted in compassion and fierce clarity.We delve into the global injustices that course through his music: the devastation of climate change, and the brutal legacy of capitalism in the Global South, where lives are often sacrificed for profit. Later in the episode, Cockburn’s Postcards from Cambodia becomes a stark meditation on memory, violence, and the spiritual toll of silence.The episode closes with a powerful capstone—an excerpt from Elie Wiesel’s 1999 White House address—offering a final, unforgettable reflection on the dangers of indifference, and the sacred responsibility to bear witness. This is not an episode about despair. It’s about the quiet courage of paying attention.America is going through some troubling times today. I don't need to remind anyone of that. But I do hope that this warning about the dangers of being 'indifferent' stirs - at minimum - a time of deeper reflection. In This EpisodeMUSICBruce CockburnSunrise on the MississippiShining Mountain (live from Le Hibou, 1971)Call it DemocracyCreation DreamFalse RiverRadium RainPostcards From CambodiaJohn Lennon: GodJohn Luther Adams: Become OceanSPOKENBruce CockburnDouglas CockburnEvan Hadfield/ Rare Earth Frontline Interviews with Fossil Fuel Industry RepresentativesElie WieselJoin 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.
