I guess in retrospect this is not surprising.
If we think of it as a form of conservative (red) folk music, both red & folk are significantly values focused.
By “virtue song” I mean one with a strong moral message, whether implicit or explicit. Since virtue is very hard for me, and I need all the help I can get, I’ve been cultivating a playlist of such songs for several years, but it needs at least a year more to simmer before release.
You should check out these two gems I came across last night: “American Saturday Night” which is a celebration of America as a melting pot where we enjoy the best of other countries, and “A Different World” which is about the insanity of modern safety culture.