Ought v. Naught
The Songs
One of the ways we most often communicate from our hearts is through song. The oral history of humankind is deeply rooted in the ballads that talk of deeds and dreams that reflect what we feel ought to be. One of the funniest bits ever performed was The Two Thousand Year Old Man done by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. In it, Reiner asks the two thousand year old man (played by Brooks) if they had countries back then and he says they did and that they were based on individual caves. Brooks explains that the name of his country was Cave 76. Reiner goes on to ask if the caves had anthems and Brooks says that they did indeed. Did he remember his? Why yes he did, it went something like, “Let ‘em all go to hell except Cave 76!” Thus proving several themes I have developed for our ought project. The first is that naughts are ever-present where oughts need to exist. The second is that the root of all patriotism as expressed in song is a heartfelt expression of what we feel ought to be, which is expressed as the passionate insistence on the ongoing existence of Cave 76.
Not all patriotic songs are as clear in their oughts as the anthem of Cave 76, but many come close and they all express some form of ought.
1. God Bless the USA – Lee Greenwood – Invocation of the deity (whether by name or reference to his place or the place of his antagonist – Satan, the Devil, the Dark Knight, etc.) in the firmament, is a clear and heartfelt way to express what ought to be. “And I’m proud to be an American…Where at least I know I’m free…I love this land…God Bless the U.S.A.” So we ought to be both free and thankful to our country.
2. America the Beautiful – Ray Charles – This adaptation of an American classic has special meaning because it was altered and improved by an American black man who happens to be blind. There are many great passages in its lyrics, but none more poignant than , “Who more than self, their country loved…And mercy more than life.” We ought to care more about each other and we ought to recognize meanwhile that the quality of mercy cannot be understated.
3. This Land is Your Land – Woody Guthrie – The operative stanza of this folk classic written during my lifetime is “There was a big, high wall there that tried to stop me. A sign was painted said “Private Property”…But on the backside, it didn’t say nothing….this land was made for you and me.” Few songs are more emotive to me for some reason. We are all capitalists, but we all want democracy and we ought to realize that the best of capitalism is brought forth by democratic principles that give us all access to the fruits of production because this land really was made for you and me and BY you and me.
4. America – Simon & Garfunkel – “They’ve all come to look for America” says it all about the aspirational side of our beloved country. We all want to seek the American Dream as we choose to define it and we ought to be free to do so.
5. We’re Coming to America – Neil Diamond – The recurrence of this search for freedom and our dreams comes up over and over…. “Far…We’ve been traveling far…Without a home…But not without a star…Free…Only want to be free…We huddle close…Hang on to a dream.” This song speaks to me about our strength as an immigrant country and how we ought to recognize that it is our greatest strength and that it keeps the dream burning bright.
6. Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen – Some say that Bruce’s anthem to the U.S.A. is less positive than negative in the way he suggests that being born in the U.S.A. should mean more than it does. We ought to turn that around and suggest that we need to export the goodness of our wonderful and free land and not work to better ourselves at the expense of others.
7. American Girl – Tom Petty – “Well, she was an American girl…Raised on promises…Something that’s so close…And still so far out of reach.” What we seem to miss too often and ought to better understand that it is the journey and not the destination of America that makes it so wonderful.
8. American Pie – Don McLean – Over fifty years ago, 24-year-old Don McLean got all nostalgic about his loss of innocence and youth and the same loss for America. What we ought to be doing is turning our face forward and rather than trying to reclaim past glories (often all too rose-colored), find answers for the pressing problems of our younger generations. It is what America has been and ought to be again.
9. Stars & Stripes Forever – John Philip Souza – This marching music can be mistaken as militaristic but the last lines say it more correctly, “That by their might and by their right…It waves forever.” The ancient Pharaohs knew that one hand could be in a fist but that the other needed to be a palm of mercy. We all ought to remember that as we march forth as Americans into the world.
10. Back in the USA – Chuck Berry – Chuck speaks to the young expat I was and remain at heart. He said, “Yes, I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the U.S.A….Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.” We ought to remember that and not look to leave, but rather to stay and fight for what is right about America.
11. God Bless America – Irving Berlin – We all ought to commit this one to memory and pray this way every morning, “God bless America, land that I love…Stand beside her and guide her…Through the night with the light from above” No evangelism needed, just pure patriotism.
12. I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy – George M. Cohan – My favorite patriotic movie with Jimmy Cagney – There is no better ought for us than to be as patriotic as that Yankee Doodle Boy.
13. A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke – We all ought to keep the faith, “It’s been a long…A long time coming, but I know…A change gon’ come…Oh yes, it will.”
14. Living in the Promiseland – Willie Nelson – Thank you, Willie, for saying it so clearly and succinctly so we all ought to remember… “And room for everyone…Living in the promiseland.”
15. Jack & Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp – He’s saying “Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone”, and we ought to save this country for all of our descendants.
16. City of New Orleans – Arlo Guthrie – No patriotic anthology would be complete with out some Arlo. We all ought to feel the real America like Arlo and his father did… and ought to ask ourselves what we can do for our country and not the opposite… “Good night, America, how are you?”
17. One Tin Soldier – Karen Young -Billy Jack – I’ve been a Billy Jack fan ever since first seeing it in my youth. I consider it patriotic even though it was composed and sung by a Canadian group. We all ought to stop and think about our motivations and the long term every chance we get.
I have proven to myself that in song we recount the best of ourselves and OUGHT to be able to find the soul of America.