Why America Is Interesting

The other day I was in a conversation with a friend. We were talking about the recent death of Danny Federici and music in general.

It lead to a larger discussion as to why there is no Canadian answer to Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan.

Sure, we have excellent singer/songwriters like Bruce Cockburn and Gordon Lightfoot and high-octane bands like The Tragically Hip who considered Canadian plots but they don't always transcend the Canadian experience. Quebec too certainly has their own versions of Springsteen but they have a language barrier to face and as such its appeal is limited.

America is filled with artists who consistently and constantly make it a cornerstone of their craft to explore Americana. It's an interesting phenomenon.

So why is this the case?

This is strictly an observation on my part but it has something to do with the types of societies Canada and the United States are.

America is a place where we see what human activity is really like free of too much interventionism (though there is a fair amount of it now) but Americans still consider themselves to be rugged individualists. That they've achieved this by avoiding murderous dictatorships and maintaining a sincere belief in democracy in a country of their size is a testament to their character.

What this has created is a nation that runs at full throttle bringing with it unrivaled wealth and innovation as well as staggering and glaring imperfections that teeter on inhumane. Some would even add a dysfunctional democracy.

Therein lies all the stories and plots available for social commentators to explore. It's a place where stories do not cease to be born. It's exciting and dangerous all at the same time.

Canada for its part is a straightline arrow. We chose to create a system and society that is stable but middle of the world. Though there are many events that take place here that are hardly dull, for the most part we're a society running under the speed limit. Some call it a commitment to mediocrity.

Hence, I think, there isn't really a need (or interest) to talk about Canadian values or stories too often. Besides, Canadian artists are in a no-win situation. If someone tries to become a Springsteen it may comes off as a cheap imitation. Many times it comes off as trying "to be American" or "cheesey" for some.

So Canadiana is not feasible in some ways.

That doesn't mean there aren't any storyline or historical incidences to sing about. There are. Sometimes Americans sing about them as was the case with Steve Earle when he sang about the Donnelly's.

The thing about Bruce Springsteen is that he takes stories about his surroundings and invokes powerful imageries wrapped in universal themes that everyone can relate to. For example, when he sings "My City Of Ruins" he speaks of Asbury, New Jersey. But it's very easy for, say, a Canadian or European to supplant Asbury with a town they hold dear to them. In Badlands, Springsteen talks of a person who is down on his luck and is lashing out at the world trying to improve his life. He wants to "spit in the face of these Badlands." Who can't connect on some level to this?

I bring up Badlands because I have witnessed fans sing to it live. You can see it in their eyes and faces that they live the lyrics of Springsteen songs.

That's the difference between Springsteen and just about everyone else. The songs are the people and the people are the songs. Many musicians manages to get their fans to chant or sing along but it's merely just that: sing alongs. Though Springsteen has magical rock songs in his repertoire that can bring us all back to basic rock'n roll, he has in his extensive and brilliant catalog songs that speak to people directly.

I know Springsteen talks about America. But his music transcends all that.

That's why Americans, in whatever form, are interesting: they can do that.