Songs Part 1 (15-11)

I have decided to work backwards here.

15. We didn't start the fire by Billy Joel (1989)
I was really happy that this song came up.
Here, Joel was recalling historical events during his life that occured around the world but mainly in the United States. He did not just recall the political events but also pop culture.
However, it all came together through his chorus when he explains that 'We did not start the fire.' How things have came to be this way is through what happened in the past. When he says, 'it has been burning since the world has been turning,' means that conflicts have always been there, and when he says, 'no we didn't light it but we've tried to fight it,' means that we have tried to prevent new conflicts from arising but it is inevitable that new events will occur and the future will be scarred.
I like this song because Billy Joel has listed events from the past and has connected it to life in the present and basically predicts what will happen in the future. The past is concrete because he lists events randomly, the present is during his refrain. The future is the abstract part that it is inevitable that some fire will occur that will spur the future like it has done with the past.

14. The Hands that Built America by U2 (2002)
I love U2 as a band. This is a very patriotic song in my opinion even though the artist isn't even American.
The song is about how America has been built and developed into the country that it is today.
The hands that have built America are the immigrants and the diversity has contributed to the diverse cultures America holds today. Also, the Native Americans who were there to show the immigrants when they came the first day. In the beginning, U2 sings about the journeys immigrants had to come from in foreign lands and how America has grown considerably.

13. The Times they are A-Changin (1964)
This song talks about how time is coming by. It reminds me when an aunt tells me that it feels like yesterday when I was born. Well, time has A-changed and it has a-changed pretty fast. This song points this out that time goes by fast and it would be nice if you kept up or you would fall behind. America has grown and many events have changed it. The waters have grown and are now filled with oil as Dylan points out. Bob Dylan hits it right on the nail when he says that the present now will soon be the past and something for better or worse will succeed today's event.

12.Youngstown by Bruce Springsteen (1995)
Mr. Springsteen here is talking about life in his former city of Youngstown, Ohio, where he grew up. First, he talks about its history that it was found near a creek like most cities and became an important city during the civil war. Also, he talked about growing up with his dad doing a dangerous job in the furnaces which he related to hell. Then, he talks about WWII and how his dad served there and how Youngstown was an important place. Then, he talks about Youngstown still being the same, hard working city in Northeast Ohio.
He points out the hardness people go through in America to make a living in dangerous places like the furnace or the coal mine.

11. A Change is gonna Come by Sam Cooke (1963)
This is a civil rights song which points out segregation during a time full of it. In the first two lines of every verse, Cooke talks about how hard it is to be colored and his last two lines are 'it has been a long time coming but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.' Cooke points out that his people have been insulted for centuries but is optimistic that they will get their freedom. His song and other civil rights songs have been key in making almost equal rights today. Granted, there is still racism today but change will come to make things better.