The Americans (commentary)
Encyclopedia
"The Americans" is a famous commentary by Canadian
broadcaster Gordon Sinclair
. Originally written for a regular broadcast on CFRB radio in Toronto
on June 5, 1973, it became a media and public phenomenon, replayed several times a day by some United States
radio stations, released as a hit audio recording in several forms, credited by Ronald Reagan
for giving comfort to the United States
in difficult times, and widely rediscovered and redisseminated as the United States faced new crises in the 2000s.
On June 5, Sinclair discussed some stories from the day's news. Widespread heavy tornado
damage afflicted the U.S. midwest
. The Mississippi River
was in flood stage. The American Red Cross
faced an imminent threat of insolvency. And the United States dollar
reached very low levels, something Sinclair, an inveterate market watcher, was keenly aware of.
"The Americans" was not, as widely reported later, an angry response to countries that were criticizing the American failure in the Vietnam War
. Instead, Sinclair's commentary stated that when many countries faced economic crises or natural disasters, Americans were among the most generous people in the world at offering assistance, but when America faced a crisis, it often faced that crisis alone.
The editorial became a phenomenon on American radio after CKLW
Radio news director and news anchor Byron MacGregor
read Sinclair's commentary on the air. After CKLW (a 50,000 watt Windsor/Detroit powerhouse radio station) received many requests for it, a record was released by Westbound Records
of MacGregor's recording, with "America the Beautiful
" being played by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
. The single sold three and a half million copies in the United States, and made it to #4 on the Billboard
Hot 100
chart. All proceeds from the record were donated by MacGregor to the American Red Cross
.
Sinclair's original recording was released as a record as well, again with "America the Beautiful" in the background, and went to #24 on the US record charts. This made the 73-year-old Sinclair the second-oldest living person ever to have a Billboard US Top 40 hit (75-year-old Moms Mabley had a Top 40 hit in 1969 with "Abraham, Martin & John").
Country singer Tex Ritter
also released a version of the track, which was issued just weeks after his death in January 1974. Ritter's version of "The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)" made it to #90 nationally in the US, and #35 on the country charts. It was the last chart hit of Ritter's career.
In 1981, when Ronald Reagan
made his first state visit to Canada, he praised both Sinclair and MacGregor as figures who had given the United States an inspiring tribute in one of its darkest hours. MacGregor was also posthumously honored with the National Americanism Award.
"The Americans" performed by Byron MacGregor was widely revived on the Internet
, on radio & television and in newspapers in 2001, following the September 11, 2001 attacks
, and again in 2005 in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
. Some revivals of the message incorrectly stated that it was newly written as a direct response to the recent crises; in this question of its authorship alone, the address has become a part of urban legend
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
broadcaster Gordon Sinclair
Gordon Sinclair
Allan Gordon Sinclair, OC, FRGS was a Canadian journalist, writer and commentator.-Early life:Sinclair was born in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. In 1916, before finishing his first year of high school, Sinclair dropped out to take a job with the Bank of Nova Scotia...
. Originally written for a regular broadcast on CFRB radio in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on June 5, 1973, it became a media and public phenomenon, replayed several times a day by some United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio stations, released as a hit audio recording in several forms, credited by Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
for giving comfort to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in difficult times, and widely rediscovered and redisseminated as the United States faced new crises in the 2000s.
On June 5, Sinclair discussed some stories from the day's news. Widespread heavy tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
damage afflicted the U.S. midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. The Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
was in flood stage. The American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
faced an imminent threat of insolvency. And the United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
reached very low levels, something Sinclair, an inveterate market watcher, was keenly aware of.
"The Americans" was not, as widely reported later, an angry response to countries that were criticizing the American failure in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Instead, Sinclair's commentary stated that when many countries faced economic crises or natural disasters, Americans were among the most generous people in the world at offering assistance, but when America faced a crisis, it often faced that crisis alone.
The editorial became a phenomenon on American radio after CKLW
CKLW
CKLW is a 50,000 watt AM radio station broadcasting on 800 kHz and located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and serving Windsor and Detroit. Additionally, its signal can be heard as far west as Belding, Michigan; as far east as Batavia, New York; as far south as Edgewood, Kentucky; and as far...
Radio news director and news anchor Byron MacGregor
Byron MacGregor
Byron MacGregor was a Canadian news anchor and news director.-Career:Born Gary Lachlan Mack in Calgary, Alberta, by the age of nineteen, he became the youngest news director at the AM radio station, CKLW in Windsor, Ontario, which also served Detroit, Michigan as well as Toledo and Cleveland in...
read Sinclair's commentary on the air. After CKLW (a 50,000 watt Windsor/Detroit powerhouse radio station) received many requests for it, a record was released by Westbound Records
Westbound Records
Westbound Records is a Detroit-based record label founded by Armen Boladian in 1970. It had a distribution deal with Janus Records from 1970 to 1975, but then it switched distribution to 20th Century Records during 1975 and 1976, but again switched distribution to Atlantic Records from 1976 to...
of MacGregor's recording, with "America the Beautiful
America the Beautiful
"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward....
" being played by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
. The single sold three and a half million copies in the United States, and made it to #4 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. All proceeds from the record were donated by MacGregor to the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
Sinclair's original recording was released as a record as well, again with "America the Beautiful" in the background, and went to #24 on the US record charts. This made the 73-year-old Sinclair the second-oldest living person ever to have a Billboard US Top 40 hit (75-year-old Moms Mabley had a Top 40 hit in 1969 with "Abraham, Martin & John").
Country singer Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
also released a version of the track, which was issued just weeks after his death in January 1974. Ritter's version of "The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)" made it to #90 nationally in the US, and #35 on the country charts. It was the last chart hit of Ritter's career.
In 1981, when Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
made his first state visit to Canada, he praised both Sinclair and MacGregor as figures who had given the United States an inspiring tribute in one of its darkest hours. MacGregor was also posthumously honored with the National Americanism Award.
"The Americans" performed by Byron MacGregor was widely revived on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, on radio & television and in newspapers in 2001, following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, and again in 2005 in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. Some revivals of the message incorrectly stated that it was newly written as a direct response to the recent crises; in this question of its authorship alone, the address has become a part of urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
.
External links
- Canadian Communications Foundation includes the original audio and a transcript.