America Song from songs, cycles by Ryan J Williams

Any time I have studied the history of art and music, composers and artists who used their art to react to social and political issues has given me cause to stop and reflect. I never felt the drive and impetus to bring such issues into my music: my music was music and my views on external issues were something different. This changed in December of 2016 when I sat down for a cup of coffee with my friend and fantastically talented poet David Yezzi. He and I had been musing on a collaboration that would reflect on the ideas of modern Americana. During our conversation, we continued to come back to the same shared thought. Through the 2016 elections in America, our society seemed to lurch outwards, with opposing political sides moving further apart from one another. David and I saw ourselves standing frustratedly in the middle, seeing both the pros and cons of either side and longing for everyone to see the middle ground; a mutually beneficial compromise that really could make American society a great place.
It is from this place that America Song was born. Through a beautiful text by David, this cantata strives to ask the question, “can’t we all find a place where we can live in harmony?” While Americans of all generations have their roots in countries from around the world, we all share in the vision of having a better future for ourselves, our children, and their children, too.
More than a century ago, scores of immigrants brought with them their rich culture from across Europe. The unknown created unrest for the established Americans at the time, but as we look back at our history, we see how those immigrants improved America in the long run, adding culture, beliefs, and style to the melting pot.
There is now a new generation of immigrants coming from other parts of the world. Once again, there is unknown and unrest. As a society, we need to have faith in the unknown and learn the lessons from the past, to have the confidence that different is not bad: different is just different. In the long run, we’re going to be okay.
America Song strives to communicate this message. It’s okay to recognize that Americans come from different places; that doesn’t make anyone a lesser person. Whether we look at old, historic disagreements, immigrants from coming from war-torn countries around the world, or the uncomfortable divides between gender, race, religion, or politics, we are all Americans, one and the same. Our kids all go to school here. We all can love America. We all can breathe free.

Tracklist

3.	America Song	22:28

Lyrics

1.
This is my town.
Here is Main Street.
Here is where the mill was. Here’s the lobby where we wait.
No work today.
No work at all this week. Here is the muddy river
and the chill we cannot shake.
I know the pastor
and I know the man who owns the store across the street.
I see them at the market and I see them on the street. I see them at the ballgame. Why don’t they look at me?

Recitative:
It’s my home too.
And I'm nothing like you.
So what do you suggest we do now?

2.
I know what God likes
I know what he wants of me: to love my children
and to live free.
I know what I know
and I know what is right.
I know right is good,
and I will yell what I know
to keep me from evil like I should.
Not all people act the same. Not all people look alike.
Not all words are understood. Some hate us for being free, some for being good.
My family comes from far away but we’ve been here now
many years
and many generations.

Recitative:
How long before I belong like you?
It’s my home too.
So do you suggest we do now?

3.
I can’t care for him who can’t care for me.

Recitative: I’m an American.

I love America.

Recitative: I love America.

Both:
God Bless America.

I have not spoken up for a long time. It’s time I spoke up for myself,
and for the people I love
It makes me angry to think how no one cares what happens to us
except for the few who grew up here.

Recitative:
My children grew up here.
Your children grew up here.
They are the future.
This is their town.

4.
I don’t believe what I see on TV.
I no longer believe the White House cares about me. I can’t believe how little we have.
I want to believe that God is love.
Your god is not my God.
My God, I will not forget you.

Recitative:
Is what I believe in so different from you.
This is my home too.
So what do we do?
What do
We do?

5.
Let me make it simple: I was here first,
I live in the middle,
I believe in the law,
I believe in what’s just.
Is what I believe in so different from you. This is my home too.
So what do we do?
What do
We do?
This is my town.
This is the school
where my kids all go.
Look at the rust
on the scrap at the mill.
We stand for our country.
It stands for us,
not for those who
want to take without giving,
not for those who take our living and leave us starving,
not for those who
leave us with nothing,
not for those who
make us strangers at home.

Recitative:
A mighty woman with a torch . . .
Her name Mother of Exiles . . .
Saying:

Both:
Give me your tired, your poor, // We are tired. We are the poor.
Your huddled masses . . . // We are the huddled masses . . .
yearning to breathe free. // yearning to breathe free. 

Credits

from songs, cycles, track released March 28, 2018

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