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The U.S. is turning 250. These songs unexpectedly changed American history.

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The U.S. is turning 250. These songs unexpectedly changed American history.

Apple News In Conversation

1 DAYS AGO
Apple News In Conversation

Apple News In Conversation

1 DAYS AGO
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

The United States turns 250 years old this summer — and there’s no shortage of ways to mark the moment. One of the most revealing lenses through which to view the country’s history may be music. Anna Harwell Celenza, professor at Johns Hopkins University a...

Highlights

This podcast explores the hidden political history of American music, revealing how songs have shaped social and political debates from the 1930s to the present day.
00:03
Music shapes political and social debates
03:42
Songs can unify a nation in crisis.
06:49
Strange Fruit became a powerful anti-lynching anthem
16:40
Music's power was reduced to celebrity endorsements
19:49
Commodifying art diminishes its power to foster empathy.

Chapters

How songs like 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' became tools for political and social debate
00:00
Why 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was chosen in the 1930s and how 'Strange Fruit' helped pass anti-lynching laws
03:42
Abel Meeropol's 'Strange Fruit' becomes an anti-lynching anthem through Billie Holiday and later Nina Simone
06:49
Paul Simon's 'Graceland' cultural exchange versus the White House origins of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton'
13:37
Is music losing its political power? The risk of commodifying art and losing net neutrality
19:49

Transcript

David Greene: This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm David Green, in for Shomita Basu. Today, the music that changed America. This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, and many of us are taking time to reflect on our history and t...