I need songs to use for an American culture class and i'm looking for songs that are uniquely American, or at least were a phenonomen/brief fad in the USA. Songs that people refer to in everyday conversations, not songs of brilliance, though these songs may be brilliant in their own way. They should be mainstream songs that people under 30 can identify and reference; kitchy and funny catch phrases are a bonus. Just as an example;

Right Said Fred- I'm Too Sexy...I see this song's title referred to in movies, plays on my school's campus, ect.

Sir Mix A Lot- I like big butts song. "she's gotta motor in the back of her Honda"

Madonna- Vogue "strike a pose"

Nirvana-Teen Spirit. "here we are now, entertain us."

Ideas?

Right Said Fred weren't American, or a specifically American fad. In particular, they broke through in Britain, their home country, first.

Madonna's Vogue was based around a dance craze imported from Italy, wasn't it? I could be wrong.

How about bland late 70s rock - the kind that was stifled by punk and New Wave in Britain and thus is a uniquely American experience? Styx, Kansas, REO Speedwagon, all that bollocks. Didn't really export well. Probably says a lot about Middle America. I mean, "Dust in the wind" probably says something about the American psyche, or at least tries to.

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actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Guns N' Roses, Bruce Springsteen, The Mamas & the Papas...actually i don't think this is what yr getting at...hell i don't know

American Pie ?
Anyone ?

jay-z - dirt off your shoulder
justin timberlake- sexyback
salt n pepa- shoop
young mc- bust a move

anything britney spears?

I don't know.
But I think this vh1 list will have a few: 100 Greatest : One Hit Wonders : VH1.com

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ummmm i dont know...those songs your mom n dadz listen to i guess. like the pina collada song...ummm anything bruce springsteen or bon jovi i guess (although i cant stand either one of them..who gives a fuck if they're from jersey?..i dont)

oh new york, new york by sinatra...thats very american.

How uniquely American does it need to be? Nelson didn't have big hits in the UK. Ready for the World didn't either.

__________________
Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

What about folk tunes like Where did you sleep last night? and Boll weevil? Gershwin's African American musical Porgy and Bess also counts. Aaron Copland's Hoedown, etc.

-American Pie by Don Mclean
-You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
-Keep On Loving You by REO Speedwagon
-Take It On The Run by REO Speedwagon
-Desperado by the Eagles
-Kokomo by the Beach Boys
-Be True To Your School by the Beach Boys
-Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf

i dunno... haha. I am not sure this is what you were looking for

hannah montana songs

"Ice Ice Baby" lol

Anything...Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Beach Boys, Madonna

Uniquely American? That's hard to define, really.

I don't really understand your assignment- is it songs about American places...or songs by American artists that are/were popular...this is a bit broad.

Bob Dylan = easy A.

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America by Simon & Garfunkel.
seriously.

CheshireCat is right.

And Born To Be Wild.

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Because I Got High by Afroman
Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus

Something by the Ramones or the Velvet Underground maybe? Elvis?

But ACDC are Australian.

well when i saw this thread title i immediately thought louis armstrong - black and blue. but that's obviously not what you're going for plus i'm white so wtf do i know.

ummm in terms of what you appear to be getting at:

sister christian - night ranger

play that shit in a bar at 2am and you will know the impact.

really. i was just going with the quote. "knocking me out with those american thighs."

hahahahaha.