Of Thee I Sing: Celebrating Songs About America at 250
OLLI favorite Pete Elman returns with a brand-new course exploring 48 American songs from the past 80 years — and asking a compelling question: What makes a song uniquely American?
Spanning the 1940s to today — and genres from Tin Pan Alley to folk, rock and roll, and hip-hop — this carefully curated collection of songs has sparked conversation and inspired acts of courage. Together, they form the soundtrack of our shared experience: our heritage, our legacy, our art, our heart — and, ultimately, our soul.
Across six sessions, each organized around a central theme, we’ll explore:
• The story behind the song — the history, context and inspiration that brought it to life
• The creators and performers — the artists whose voices and perspectives shaped the work
• The craft — a closer look at lyrics, music and production
• The impact — how each song reflects its moment and shapes American culture
Join us for what promises to be a lively and thought-provoking journey through our history — a celebration of songs about America at 250.
Faculty Bio
Pete Elman is a musician, performer, composer, studio musician, and producer of 30 albums. He has created more than a dozen popular music courses for OLLI.
This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course
- Classes will meet in person at The Freight at 2020 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704
- Classes will also stream live simultaneously, and be video recorded
- You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and ends on Wednesday, Nov. 4
- Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 PM)
- There will no class on Oct. 28
- All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31
Member Praise for Pete Elman
Another wonderful class from Pete! Once again, he added to my appreciation and understanding of the music and contributions from artists I already have enjoyed and admired for so long.
I gained so much appreciation for the musicians and their music than I expected to. Very, very enjoyable. I'll take any course Pete Elman offers.
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Pete Elman from our archive.