America "A Horse With No Name"

After one Cleveland radio station pulled the Christmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" after listeners complained that its lyrics promote date rape, a Louisville radio station promises to play the song all day on Christmas. To each their own, I suppose. In the pre-#MeToo era of 1971, some radio stations banned America's "A Horse With No Name" for its alleged reference to heroin usage. Despite that, the song went to #1 on the Hot 100 and #3 on the Adult Contemporary Charts. 

America "Ventura Highway"

Rumor has it Prince got the title for "Purple Rain" after hearing the words in the lyrics of America's "Ventura Highway".

America - "You Can Do Magic"

In the fall of 2001, an Adult Contemporary radio station hired me to produce the morning show.  I remember agreeing to take the position and then going to Google and typing "what does a radio producer do".  Despite the fact that I worked nearly 45 hours each week, the position was considered part-time.  That meant my paycheck reflected working 35 hours and there were no benefits (no insurance, 401K, vacation time, etc.).  My budget reflected this as I paid over $300 each month for a COBRA from my previous job.  My grocery shopping bags were typically filled with generic versions of brand name food items.  I remember proclaiming to my roommates that once the radio station hired me full time, my days of buying Magic Twinkles cereal were over.  Instead, I would splurge and buy Lucky Charms.  In 2002, the station hired me on full-time, and I happily posed for a photo holding that coveted box of Lucky Charms.  

Champaign - "How 'Bout Us"

Smooth, soulful, and sexy, "How 'Bout Us" fit the mold of Adult Contemporary music in 1981.  The ballad sat atop the Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks until Neil Diamond's "America" knocked it from the top spot.

America - "Lonely People"

"Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup."

John Mellencamp - "Pink Houses"

"But ain't that America.  Home of the free. Yeah.  Little pink houses for you and me."

America - "You Can Do Magic"

God bless the U-S of A.