Tennessee Ernie Ford – America The Beautiful

Patriotism was the last refuge of a scoundrel in Samuel Johnson’s day, but that was before Billboard charts. These days it’s hard to know where the last stop on the downbound career train may be, somewhere after both patriotism and piety, probably; just follow the arc of Charlie Daniels if you’re irredeemably curious. Expressions of patriotism in today’s marketplace, whether puffed-up (Toby Keith) or puling (Anne Coulter), are transparent; its easy money.

None of which is to suggest there werent also obvious marketing angles in 1970 when Tenessee Ernie Ford recorded God Bless America, Battle Hymn Of The Republic and the Pledge Of Allegiance the Silent Majority owned hi-fi cabinets too. But the ole Pea-Picker himself writes liners that lean gently toward indusivity, that dont deny the public strife of the day.

OK, so his version of This Land Is Your Land doesnt include the last couple rabble-rousing verses about trespassing signs and the people wonderin IF… they dont really go with the cornball arrangements and vanilla brightness of the backing choir, right?

Ernie certainly commits himself professionally throughout. His stentorian baritone carries the day, particularly if that day is July 4. I cant recommend paying retail for its 24-minute program…unless maybe youve got an off-the-boat older relative just about to get their citizenship papers; then, this is the perfect gift.

Back on tha commitment tip: You cant ask for more than Johnny Horton gave to his reading of The Battle Of New Orleans, and the fates simultaneously rewarded him with a chart-crossing #1 hit and saddled him with saga songs for the rest of his limited days. Martial drumbeats and plucky banjos replaced his rockabilly swing (which had replaced his hard honky-tonk), and he sang about Young Abe Lincoln, Johnny Reb (a top-10 hit), and the noble effort to Sink The Bismarck (another top-10) all included here.

And I dont know from uniforms but damn if they havent dressed him in something like a British red coat on this collection of Action Tales Of Battles, Heroes, And Epic Events. Well, they covered his bald head anyway…and its another shortie program at 30 minutes, but all that marchtime makes it seem longer. Feet get tired. Ears, too. And you probably already own Battle Of New Orleans somewhere else quite possibly the same 45 you bought as a kid. We get older, but that song never will, I bet.