What (patriotic) song brings tears to your eyes?

[BeBop]

Okay, maybe just me.  I grew up near the United States (Berkeley, CA), but have lived elsewhere for close to four decades.  A decent rendering of "America the Beautiful " will trigger the emotional response for me.  "God Bless America", "Star Spangled Banner", not so much.  You?

Edited November 3, 2020 by BeBop

[ghost of miles]

 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by ghost of miles

[danasgoodstuff]

Oh Canada.  I'm a US citizen and have lived in the States for decades, but I lived in Canada from grade 7 til halfway thru college.  Also all the songs I associate with the CND centennial in '67, shortly after I got there.

[ghost of miles]

I should add that I wouldn't necessarily say any of the songs I listed literally bring me to tears, but I've felt myself choke up at times, which is close enough, I suppose... songs that in certain moods really move me.  I was thinking earlier today, though, before laying eyes on this thread, that there is no music more "American" to me than that of Ellington.  

Here's another for the list:

 

[danasgoodstuff]

3 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

I should add that I wouldn't necessarily say any of the songs I listed literally bring me to tears, but I've felt myself choke up at times, which is close enough, I suppose... songs that in certain moods really move me.  I was thinking earlier today, though, before laying eyes on this thread, that there is no music more "American" to me than that of Ellington.  

Here's another for the list:

 

Thanks for this.

[soulpope]

Is this supposed to be a "Americans only" Thread .... ?

[mjazzg]

Being British I simply display a stiff upper lip and make sure my emotions don't get in the way of song enjoyment so happy for this to be a US-exclusive thread.

[OliverM]

I have been moved by many American songs though I wouldn't define them as being just that. I might be off topic here, but middle and late Billie Holiday comes to mind first. I've read Szwed's Billie Holiday: The musician and the Myth and largely agree with its main thesis (which would apply also to many blues musicians), but still... This video in particular, with Mal Waldron, I saw first in one of Washington's Smithsonian art museums. Billie's expresssion and movements, the tempo, etc. :

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by OliverM

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, mjazzg said:

Being British I simply display a stiff upper lip and make sure my emotions don't get in the way of song enjoyment so happy for this to be a US-exclusive thread.

🤣🤣 ....

[Dan Gould]

When combined with the images I put together from the 2004 and 2016 post-season triumphs in Flash movies, "Tessie" and "Go Cubs Go," respectively.

Edit to add: We Are The Champions, for the 2004 Red Sox.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Dan Gould

[BeBop]

5 hours ago, soulpope said:

Is this supposed to be a "Americans only" Thread .... ?

Sorry, I wasn't trying to close things off.  I realized that my situation and my own thoughts around "patriotic" songs meant that I could only speak to Americans directly.   (In my examples.) I know a few other patriotic songs and many national anthems, but - with a few exceptions - they're just songs to me, even if I lived somewhere for eight years.   

"Oh Britannia" "O Canada"  and "La Tchadienne" welcome.  And "Strange Fruit", certainly patriotic in it's own way, hopeful toward an America one wishes for from the one that is.  

(I retitled the thread, minus "American", plus "patriotic" to capture my original intent, though feel free to wander.)

Edited November 3, 2020 by BeBop

[ejp626]

Maybe Childish Gambino's This is America?

But more seriously, I have so soured on America falling so short of its promise that I don't feel even the slightest twinge of patriotism any longer.  Even a landslide by the Dems tonight won't really change my underlying feelings.

Feel free to delete, mods...

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, BeBop said:

Sorry, I wasn't trying to close things off.  I realized that my situation and my own thoughts around "patriotic" songs meant that I could only speak to Americans directly.   (In my examples.) I know a few other patriotic songs and many national anthems, but - with a few exceptions - they're just songs to me, even if I lived somewhere for eight years.   

"Oh Britannia" "O Canada"  and "La Tchadienne" welcome.  And "Strange Fruit", certainly patriotic in it's own way, hopeful toward an America one wishes for from the one that is.  

(I retitled the thread, minus "American", plus "patriotic" to capture my original intent, though feel free to wander.)

Thnx for your explanations, appreciated ....

[duaneiac]

Many a Ruby Braff performance has made me a little misty eyed, but none more so than this.

[ghost of miles]

9 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Thanks for this.

Our man in jazz does a very nice version as well:

 

[mjazzg]

Only patriotic songs I hear bring tears of despair these days. Give me 'Jerusalem' any day over the rest of our choices

[Pim]

I really can’t imagine getting tears in my eyes with our national anthem or any other ‘patriotic’ songs.... 

[BillF]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVOrg2ggwGg

[BeBop]

2 hours ago, Pim said:

I really can’t imagine getting tears in my eyes with our national anthem or any other ‘patriotic’ songs.... 

Maybe that's the unspoken reason I was thinking about this on U.S. Election Eve.  Without getting political about it, I'm distressed and angry about things going on "back home" (I'm visiting California for a few days now), but listening to, say, "Ametica the Beautiful" still affects me.  Maybe it's like "Strange Fruit" in reverse.  SF calls me to wish for a better future, AtB makes me sad about a past that's been lost.   

No, the Good Old Days really weren't all that (ref: "Strange Fruit"), but, as I sit in California, well, I don't know. I'm thinking.

[AllenLowe]

"God is an American." It's from the old Broadway show Red,White and Maddox, about the old racist politician Lester Maddox, that I must have seen in 1969 or 1970.

Edited November 3, 2020 by AllenLowe