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American Jerusalem
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Wikipedia article
"'American Jerusalem'" is a song written by singer-songwriter and guitarist Rod MacDonald in 1978. Considered his "signature tune",[http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20130510/rod-macdonald-performs-tonight-in-hyde-park 'The Daily Freeman': Rod MacDonald performs tonight in Hyde Park] the nearly-six-minute long song first appeared on MacDonalds 1983 debut album 'No Commercial Traffic' (originally on Cinemagic Records, reissued by Blue Flute Music).
Recording and Rights
MacDonald re-recorded the song for his 2009 CD 'After the War,' with Gary Burke (drums), Pete Levin (keyboards), Mark Dann (bass), JP Bowersock (guitar) and Tracy Grammer (harmony vocals).
The publishing rights to "American Jerusalem" were acquired in 1985 by Dick James Music, which later sold its entire catalogue to PolyGram International; it is currently the property of Universal Music.
Context
Called "a brilliant contrast of rich and poor, of the powerful and the powerless in Manhattan",Regenstreif, Mike Sing Out! Summer 2003 the song also presages some of the September 11, 2001 events with such lines as in the ashes of American Jerusalem/the prophets live their deaths out on the corner/the pretty people say there should have been a warning/but nobody heard it and then shadows lick the sun/the streets are paved with footsteps on the run.
When Smithsonian Folkways re-released 'Fast Folk: A Community of Singers & Songwriters' from the vaults of Fast Folk's seminal collection of 200 songwriters and 600 songs dating back to 1982, a live performance of "American Jerusalem" by MacDonald at NYCs Bottom Line was the opening track.[http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40135.pdf Smithsonian Folkways: Fast Folk: A Community of Singers & Songwriters]
Covers and reception
The song was covered by Canadian singer-songwriter Garnet Rogers on his album 'The Outside Track' in 1986 (reissued in 2004 by the Canadian label Snow Goose).
It was also covered by Shawn Colvin on her 2012 Nonesuch debut 'All Fall Down'.[http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-fall-down-mw0002352089 AllMusic: Shawn Colvin - 'All Fall Down' review by Mark Deming] 'The Australian' praised her version saying "the immediate stand-out track is her cover of Rod MacDonald's "American Jerusalem", featuring a beautiful harmony from Emmylou Harris."[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/all-fall-down-shawn-colvin/story-fn9n8gph-1226417625476# 'The Australian': Review written by Peter Lalor - 'All Fall Down' (Shawn Colvin)]
'All Music Guide' said in its review: American Jerusalem and the title tune are thoughtful, pointed commentaries on the state of the union in 2012. 'Performing Songwriter' magazine, called Colvin's version of the song "stunning", asked her "Your cover choices, as always, are terrific. Was Rod MacDonalds 'American Jerusalem' one you used to perform in the early days of your career?" Colvin replied "Yeah forever ago. In the early 80s before I started writing Id perform it in Greenwich Village at the Cottonwood Caf. I think that songs more reminiscent of the New York that Ifor want of a better phrasegrew up in, in my 20s. It was a little bleaker. So thats kind of a little snapshot of New York when I first got there and didnt know anybody and I was getting used to living in this jungle. Im so glad I finally recorded it."Lydia Hutchinson, Lydia. [http://performingsongwriter.com/shawn-colvin-all-fall-down "Shawn Colvin: All Fall Down"]. 'Performing Songwriter',
References
*'After The War', Blue Flute Music (US), June 2009; Brambus Records (Switzerland) 2009.
Category:1978 songs
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