By: Maddie Hopwood and Mollie Smith

American Dream Playlist

 “American Tune”
by Simon and
Garfunkel Lyric Analysis:
The opening line of the song, "Let us be lovers, we'll marry
our fortunes together

I've got some real estate here in my bag" is resemblant of

the freedom of opportunity that is shaped from the
concept of the American Dream.

Song Connections:

-America the Beautiful

https://www.youtube
.com/watch?v=Eo2Z
sAOlvEM
 “Living in the USA”
Lyric Analysis:
by Steve Miller
In the second verse of the song the singer expresses:
Band “I see a yellow man, a brown man/ A white man, a red
man/ Lookin' for Uncle Sam/ To give you a helpin' hand/
But everybody's kickin' sand/ Even politicians We're
living in a plasticland/ Somebody give me a hand, yeah”,
which shows the singer’s feelings towards American
society in how it is ethnically diverse, but everything
feels bland.

Song Connections:

-Fortunate Son
https://www.youtube.co -Born in the U.S.A.
m/watch?v=jyV41-tFPcQ
 “Fortunate Son” Lyric Analysis:

by Creedence In a closing verse of the song, the group expresses:

“Yeah-yeah, some folks inherit star-spangled eyes

Clearwater Revival Hoo, they send you down to war, Lord

And when you ask 'em, "How much should we give?"

Hoo, they only answer, "More, more, more, more"”,

which illuminates how the people feel towards the
government. It shows that the people who are
low-middle class, feel exploited by the fact they aren’t
as wealthy as their fellow citizens.

Song Connections:

-Living in the USA

https://www.yout
-Born in the U.S.A.
ube.com/watch?v
=ZWijx_AgPiA
 “Take Me Home
Country Roads” Lyric Analysis:

by John Denver In the opening verse, the song addresses

how Virginia is close to Heaven, and life is
rich with youth. This illuminates the
American people’s appreciation of the
country and the opportunities it has.
Song Connections:
-New York, New York
-America

https://www.youtu -God Bless the USA

be.com/watch?v=1
vrEljMfXYo
 “America the
Beautiful” Lyric Analysis:

by Ray Charles
In the closing verse of the Song, Charles sings “America, sweet
America

You know, God done shed his grace on thee

He crowned thy good, yes he did, in brotherhood

From sea to shining sea”, which resembles how many

Americans consider America a beautiful home with beautiful
people. This could be because of the nation’s stunning weather
or opportunity providing landscape.

Song Connections:
-American Tune

https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=9ZYH8v4
2a2w
“New York, New York” Lyric Analysis:
by Frank Sinatra Throughout Sinatra’s signature song, he expresses
how he can be successful anytime or place in life
if he can “make it” in New York. This shows the
opportunity present in the country, especially in
its capitals.

Song Connections:
-America
-Take Me Home Country Road
-God Bless the USA
-Empire State of Mind
Frank Sinatra - New York, New York
(Live At Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 1985)
 “America” Lyric Analysis:
by Neil Diamond In Diamond’s 1980 Pop classic he sings in the chorus
how immigrants have “Got a dream to take them there

They're coming to America

Got a dream they've come to share

They're coming to America”. Diamond’s expression

illuminates the encouraging feeling of opportunity in
America that people from all over the world come to
experience.

Song Connections:
-New York, New York
https://www.you -Take Me Home Country Road
tube.com/watch -God Bless the USA
?v=Pg8pj1x9-t4
“God Bless the USA”
by Lee Greenwood Lyric Analysis:

All throughout Greenwood’s song he sings

passionately of how inspiringly great America is.
He romanticizes the country for the freedom it
contains and the chances it provides.

Song Connections:

-New York, New York

-Take Me Home Country Road

-America

https://www.yout
ube.com/watch?v
=MYvUmhqa104
 “Born in the USA” Lyric Analysis:
by Bruce This song tells the story of a U.S. veteran who,

Springsteen upon his return to war, struggles to find success.

To portray the struggle to find jobs, Springsteen
sings “Come back home to the refinery/Hiring
man says ‘son if it was up to me’.” Springsteen is
making the argument that it is harder for
veterans to achieve the American dream due to
the pain caused by war as well as the lack of
support that they achieved when returning home.

Song Connections:

-Fortunate Son

https://www.youtu -Living in the U.S.A

be.com/watch?v=
EPhWR4d3FJQ
 “Living in the Lyric Analysis:
Promised Land” Willie Nelson explores the optimistic
by Willie Nelson possibilities of America to be a refuge for
immigrants. Singing “Give us your tired and
weak/We will make them strong/Bring us
your foreign songs/And we will sing along,”
Nelson portrays America as a land for
everyone to be happy and pursue their goals
without the burden of social, political, or
economic struggles.
Song Connections:

https://www.youtube.c -Take Me Home, Country Roads

om/watch?v=ogBg32iv
X7E
 “Fight the Power” Lyric Analysis:
by Public Enemy In the beginning of the racial equality movements
of the 1990s, Public Enemy wrote “Fight the
Power” about liberating African Americans from
racism and police brutality. They sing “People,
people we are the same/No we’re not the
same/’Cause we don’t know the game,”
emphasizing systemic disadvantage that black
people were facing at the time, making it much
harder to be successful. The song argues that
the American dream is not fair for everyone, that
it is discriminatory against race.

https://www.youtu Song Connections:

be.com/watch?v= -This is America
mmo3HFa2vjg
 “American Life” Lyric Analysis:

by Madonna From the perspective of fame, Madonna

shares her experience with the American
Dream. She unsure of why she isn’t satisfied
with her life although she has fame and
material things. After listing the many
luxuries she has gotten to enjoy, she sings
“I’m just livin’ out the American Dream/And I
just realized that nothin’ is what it seems.”
Madonna wants to express to her audience
that the American Dream should be thought
of differently. Instead of materialistic, people
should think about their happiness in life.
https://www.y
Song Connections:
outube.com/w
atch?v=LYduJ -Chicken Fried
w5LyFM
 “Chicken Fried”
Lyric Analysis:
by Zac Brown Band This song explores the idea of the American
Dream being less about money and more
about happiness, family, and time spent with
those around you. To express his humble yet
happy life, Brown sings “And my house, it’s
not much to talk about/But it’s filled with
love that’s grown in southern ground.”
Romanticising the American life, Zac Brown
expresses his faith in the American Dream.
Song Connections:
-American Life
https://www.yout
ube.com/watch?v
=e4ujS1er1r0
 “Empire State of Mind”
by JAY-Z and Alicia Lyric Analysis:

Keys “Empire State of Mind” describes New York

City as the epicenter of the American Dream.
The chorus goes “In New York/Concrete
jungle where dreams are made of/There’s
nothing you can’t do.” Portraying New York as
a city for ample opportunity, Jay-Z and Alicia
Keys uplift the idea that the American Dream
is accessible to all that chase it.
Song Connections:
-New York, New York
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=vk
6014HuxcE
 “Party in the USA”
by Miley Cyrus Lyric Analysis:
Miley Cyrus expresses her excitement to be
chasing the American Dream by moving to L.A. in
this song. Rather than measuring success in
forms of wealth or fame, she chooses to
emphasise feeling inspired and happy in her life,
explaining “So I put my hands up/They’re playing
my song/The butterflies fly away.” Having fun
with her friends partying is how Cyrus views the
American Dream, and this song is an ode to her
journey with it.
Song Connections:
https://www.y
outube.com/wa -Chicken Fried

tch?v=M11SvD -Empire State of Mind

tPBhA
 “American Kids”
by Kenny Chesney Lyric Analysis:

This song is an ode to Southern American living that

Kenny Chesney experienced growing up. He
romanticises the simplicity of his life, being happy
with it although it wasn’t the typical American Dream.
The chorus reads “We were Jesus save me, blue jean
baby/Born in the U.S.A.” Chesney makes a point to
attribute his memorable childhood to the fact that he
was living in America, experiencing the American
Dream.

Song Connections:

https://www.youtu -Chicken Fried

be.com/watch?v=
de1aPKXBdAE
 “This is America” Lyric Analysis:

by Childish Gambino This song is a critique of gun violence and police

brutality mainly against black people. The video to the
song is an important piece of the song’s meaning.
While Childish Gambino sings and dances in front of the
camera, the viewer almost doesn’t notice the chaos
happening in the background. Repeating “This is
America” to try to get the viewer to acknowledge the
violence happening, it is still difficult to even see all
that it going on due to the distracting dancing meant
to resemble everything else going on in the media that
ignores the violence occurring in real time. Gambino
makes a strong critique against the American Dream,
claiming it is corrupted by racial inequality and gun
violence.
https://www.youtu
Song Connections:
be.com/watch?v=
VYOjWnS4cMY -Fight the Power
Songs that Romanticize Songs that Criticize
-God Bless the USA, Lee Greenwood -Living in the USA, Steve Miller Band
-America, Neil Diamond -Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival
-Take Me Home Country Roads, John Denver
-Born in the U.S.A, Bruce Springsteen
-New York, New York, Frank Sinatra
-Fight the Power, Public Enemy
-America the Beautiful, Ray Charles

-American Tune, Simon and Garfunkel

-This is America, Childish Gambino

- Empire State of Mind, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys -American Life, Madonna

-Living in the Promised Land, Willie Nelson

-Chicken Fried, Zac Brown Band

-Party in the U.S.A, Miley Cyrus

-American Kids, Kenny Chesney

 American Dream Playlist Song List and Link
1. American Tune, Simon and Garfunkel 12. American Life, Madonna
2. Living in the USA, Steve Miller Band 13. Chicken Fried, Zac Brown Band
3. Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater 14. Empire State of Mind, JAY-Z and Alicia
Revival Keys
4. Take Me Home Country Roads, John 15. Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus
Denver 16. American Kids, Kenny Chesney
5. America the Beautiful, Ray Charles 17. This is America, Childish Gambino
6. New York, New York, Frank Sinatra
7. America, Neil Diamond
8. God Bless the USA, Lee Greenwood
9. Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen https://open.spotify.com/
10. Living in the Promised Land, Willie Nelson playlist/3GQWEnb3Yk0tfT

11. Fight the Power, Public Enemy M E : mjcRMg30?si=-fdLVH73S

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