ABSTRACT
Madonna's twenty-year career has been founded on the often controversial appropriation of icons, images and musics derived from the (sub-)cultures of American and European identity. Madonna's pursuit of self-creation and re-invention works in parallel with the American dream and the foundational myths of American identity. Only lately has Madonna begun to locate herself as a white European-American with a matching cultural heritage and reproduced the north-eastern WASP fascination with English and Scottishness. Madonna has formerly distanced herself from Country and what she felt was an unreconstructed, racist and redneck culture. Madonna's 'American Pie' is therefore a simple visual restatement of liberal politics and individualism within the national context. Madonna's 'The Funny Song' therefore takes on significance due to its lightweight and ill-considered treatment of themes at the heart of Country. Madonna's music suddenly dies laughing, like a stand up comedian telling a joke without any inclination of the punch line.
