Janet Reno Rocks. Really.

I say Janet Reno. You think fashion-challenged former attorney general. You don't think music impresario. But Reno -- who has a little more spare time now that she's not chasing the Unabomber and torching the Branch Davidians -- dreamed up the idea for "Song of America," a three-disc collection that chronicles American history through 50 seminal songs performed by an appropriately representative cross-section of artists -- among them the Blind Boys of Alabama ("Let Us Break Bread Together"), Marah ("John Brown's Body"), Andrew Bird ("How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On the Farm"), Devendra Banhardt ("Little Boxes"), The Del McCoury Band ("The Times They Are A Changin'"), Martha Wainwright ("I Am Woman"), Bettye LaVette ("Streets of Philadelphia"), and John Mellencamp ("This Land is Your Land").

“I thought that music would be a great way to engage listeners, especially young listeners, and spark their interest so they could gain a greater understanding and appreciation for our history," said Reno in a press release. Look for the set Sept. 18.