Lewis and Clark in Music

Music is clearly an essential element of any culture. It’s a universal language that brings people together. And it influences aspects of society’s life, expressing feelings, remembering history, and sharing traditions.

Now, to be honest, there aren’t many modern popular genres of music that directly tie into the story of Lewis and Clark. But there are some musical connections.

Australian guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel, considered one of the greatest acoustic guitarists of all time, first learned of Lewis and Clark in 2006 when teaching at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. He quickly became fascinated by the Corps and wrote a song that’s become one of his most popular -- named simply, “Lewis and Clark.” Here’s a link where he explains the backstory in creating an original song that shares the Lewis and Clark journey, including the impact on the Native peoples of the West: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb-6swsgOns. He performs the song at the 13:00 mark.

A long-time American rock band, The Long Ryders, formed in Los Angeles in 1981, released an original song, “Looking for Lewis and Clark” in 1985. It has appeared on several other albums since, and the band continues to perform several times per year, in the U.S. and abroad.

A few of you may remember the country-rock group named Lewis and Clarke Expedition (yes, Clark was spelled with an “e”), an L.A. folk band that formed in the mid-1960s. The group recorded just one album in late 1967. Michael Martin Murphey (he was “Travis Lewis” in the band), later had numerous hits on the country and pop charts, including “Wildfire,” “Carolina in the Pines,” and “What’s Forever For.” During the past 30 years, Murphey has primarily performed and promoted traditional western/cowboy music. His partner was Owen Castleman (who was “Boomer Clarke”). He only had one hit in his career – 1975’s “Judy Mae” – and later played on several of Murphey’s LPs. Their 1967 single, “I Feel Good (I Feel Bad)” was a local hit, though nothing from the band ever hit the national music charts.

Dig around the internet and you’ll find other artists who have lyrics or songs which mention Lewis and Clark, in a variety of genres from hip-hop to folk, heavy metal to new age. Here’s a “clean” hip-hop song from Mind Muzic (an online educational platform that teaches history, science, English, and math) which tells the full story of the Corps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ho-z07Qh3g.

Do you have a favorite song tied to the Corps of Discovery?

Image Description: Three photos on a brightly colored background. One of Tommy Emanuel, a middle-aged white man playing an acoustic guitar; a 1960s photo of the group Lewis and Clarke Expedition, four young white men standing in front of or sitting on large bales of hay wearing leather fringe shirts and striped pants; and an album cover of The Long Ryders, State of the Union, featuring four young men standing in a row.