How long does it take for a nation to develop its own cultural identity? I am not sure, but I bet with little effort I could point to countless volumes of criticism and theory that trace and define a country's cultural output.

In a young country like the United States it is fairly easy to point to the European traditions that informed American writing, painting, and music. It is also pretty easy to see where these traditions are set aside for a new way. While in each region of the U.S. there is no clear cut example or time for the birth of an American art form -- there are instances in which new ways can be seen with clarity.

Whether you recognize original American voice in the crafted writings of Samuel Clemens - the gospel of the blues - the angular rhythms of jazz - or the gestural lines of abstract expressionism - there is no question that American artists have spoken and that their utterances, while informed by a world of tradition, are truly unique.

On Sounds and Pictures I have been posting some audio of these utterances... all recorded in the 20th century and all recorded to 78 rpm records. While the sound quality is imperfect, the voices and performances found within approach perfection. These 78 recordings are in the public domain, and were found on archive.org.

Going through this old audio I came across a recording of a song that I absolutely love. Unlike the others -- this was not recorded to 78 and may not be in the public domain -- this recording reveals a voice and wit that fall short of perfection. That being said, this song, sung by Billy Griffith (possibly related to Andy), is uniquely American.

Without further adieu I present 'Damn Yankee Lad,' a song about a Union soldier masquerading as a confederate in post war Dixie.

Recorded on June 13, 1963 at the Leslie Homecoming.

Courtesy, but without permission, of the John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection at Lyon College.