Old Guy Radio for July 2020 - Immigrants
Every July, I try to put together a playlist that celebrates something about America. Whether that’s a playlist of blues, or a playlist on the theme red, white and blue, or whatever. This time around, I wanted to go with immigrants, because that is what we are: a nation of immigrants.
And let’s just clarify that I am using the term “immigrant” rather broadly. Basically I am counting someone born in another country who lives and works in the US. I do not require that they be citizens, although many have become citizens. So, in my view, it is OK to include Lars Ulrich of Metallica. He was born in Denmark and retains his Danish citizenship, but lives in California. Same for David Bowie, who was a citizen of the UK, but lived in New York for decades. Although he did famously sing “I’m Afraid of Americans”. Frankly, who can blame him? And here’s the list. I’ve included a link to the Spotify list at the end of the post.
Irving Berlin (Israel Isidore Beilin) - Imperial Russia (now Belarus). Berlin’s family immigrated to America in 1893, when he was five, fleeing the persecution of the Jews in his native country. He became famous over the years for songs he wrote for Broadway revues, and eventually movies. The irony is not lost on me that a Jewish immigrant wrote the most popular Christmas song of all time: “White Christmas”. But for this July playlist, we have to go with “God Bless America” by the inimitable Kate Smith, which Berlin wrote in 1918, while stationed at Camp Upton in New York during World War I. That’s him in uniform in the collage.
Phil and Leonard Chess (Fiszel and Lejzor Czyż) - Poland (now Belarus). The Chess brothers came to America in 1928, Chicago specifically. By 1950, they had acquired a record company that they renamed Chess Records and focused on recruiting a stable of blues musicians. Among the musicians to release records with Chess were Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Little Walter, John Lee Hooker, and Memphis Slim. And of course, there was Willie Dixon, writing the songs, playing on the records, and doing the producing. They also had a subsidiary label, Checkers, which they used for more popular music. In honor of the celebrations this month, how ‘bout you have a “Wang Dang Doodle”? Written by Willie Dixon, originally recorded by Howlin’ Wolf, and here performed by Koko Taylor with Dixon clearly audible doing harmony in the chorus.
Ahmet Ertegun - Turkey. Born in 1923, Ertegun came to Washington with his father, the Turkish ambassador in 1935. He formed Atlantic Records in 1947, with a focus on R&B acts. In the 60’s, Atlantic branched out, signing more diverse acts. The best known of these were Led Zeppelin, and the newly formed Crosby, Stills & Nash. And since we’ll be getting to Nash next, let’s have a track from the “New Yardbirds”: the immensely appropriate “Immigrant Song”
Graham Nash - UK. With all the protests going on, it seemed reasonable to reprise one of Nash’s own protest songs: “Chicago” about the trial of the Chicago Seven (originally Eight) for inciting the riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Carlos Santana - Mexico. Santana has produced some lovely music over the years. And he became a citizen in 1965. Their first album, simply titled “Santana”, was released two weeks AFTER they played Woodstock. Wow. Here’s their first top ten hit “Evil Ways”.
June Kuramoto - Japan. Kuramoto is one of the founding members of Hiroshima, a jazz fusion/pop band from California that incorporates Japanese instruments and elements in their music. “Go” is Japanese for “five” and is the title of their fifth album, from whence this cut, “Odon”.
David Bowie - UK. You know who Bowie was. “I’m Afraid of Americans” So am I, David. So am I.
Gene Simmons (Chaim Witz) - Israel. Simmons’ parents were actually Hungarian immigrants to Israel. “Rock and Roll All Nite” from “Kiss Alive!”
Tommy Ramone (Tamás Erdélyi) - Hungary. Born in Budapest in 1949, the Erdélyi family fled the country during the revolution in 1956. Originally intended to just be the producer of the Ramones, he was recruited to take over the drum kit when Joey Ramone became lead singer. You can hitch a ride to “Rockaway Beach”, but please practice social distancing, by sitting on the roof perhaps.
David Byrne - Scotland. Until I did this list, I didn’t know the Talking Heads frontman was born in Scotland. And I have to admit, sometimes it seems like we're all living “Life During Wartime”.
Van Halen brothers - Netherlands. It's my playlist, so I get to play the version of Van Halen I like. So enjoy yourself a little Sammy Hagar “Right Now”.
Lars Ulrich - Denmark. Ulrich actually came to the US to train as a tennis player. When he couldn’t even make his high school’s tennis team, he thought his future might be elsewhere. Because of the holiday, let’s have “Don’t Tread On Me”. Don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but there’s a few bars of “America” from “West Side Story” at the beginning.
Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan - Armenians from Lebanon. Shavo Odajian - Armenian from USSR. All the members of System of a Down are ethnic Armenians. Tankian’s family were originally from Turkey, who fled the Armenian Genocide. Both he and Dolmayan were born in Beirut. All eventually settled in Glendale, California. The rest is nu metal history. I’ve always liked “Chop Suey!”. I think it’s funny that Weird Al included it in “Angry White Boy Polka”.
John Lennon - UK. Lennon gets the last word. After the breakup of the Beatles, Lennon moved to New York with Yoko Ono. Because of his fierce anti-war stance, Nixon almost immediately began efforts to have him deported. Lennon eventually got his green card in 1976. “Imagine”
That’s your list this month. Enjoy the holiday weekend. Sorry if your dogs are freaked out by the sky booms (luckily, mine couldn’t care less).