Moe Bandy sings "Americana" - small towns, friendly people, two lane roads

I've traveled all around this country
In my time I thought I’d seen it all
But today I took a detour down a back road
Through a little town whose name I can’t recall

There were old men on benches playing checkers
Children playing hopscotch in the square
And high above a statue of an unknown soldier
Old Glory was waving in the air

Suddenly I realized what I’d too long forgotten
Chill rose up like mountains on my skin
Overcome with the feeling, I knew I was seeing
America all over again

Americana, pictures of a people proud and free
Americana, I’ll keep holding to the dream
You’re still what living means to me

I knew this stop would throw me off my schedule
But I parked around behind the five and dime
There’s something ‘bout a small town in the summer
Like a Norman Rockwell picture back in time

Kids were courting at the Rexall soda fountain
Like we did before they built the shopping mall
I saw so many reasons why I love this country
You know some things never really change at all

As I left the two-lane road and pulled back on that superhighway
I thought of what I’d seen back in that town
And it hit me like a freight train that a stone’s throw from the fast lane
America is still safe and sound

Americana, pictures of a people proud and free
Americana, I’ll keep holding to the dream
You’re still what living means to me

Americana, pictures of a people proud and free
Americana, I’ll keep holding to the dream
You’re still what living means to me

 

Written by Larry Alderman, Richard Fagan, and Patti A. Ryan, "Americana" reached #8 January 30, 1988.

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