With the Fourth of July this weekend, we're not only celebrating our right to ignite incendiary devices (Thank you, Bend City Council), but it's an annual chance to unleash upon collective ear of your neighborhood barbecue your favorite patriotic, nationalistic and/or songs that merely include "America" in the title, including but not limited to the aforemenionted Greenwood hit. If you need some help compiling your play list, here are a few pointers. Again, many of these cuts have little or no connection to the signing of the Declaration of Independence or the celebration thereof, but who cares, right? A real song about the Fourth of July would largely be centered on hot dogs, sun burns and paid vacation, so let's not get too carried away people.
Join us in lighting a Chinese-made sparkler, cracking a Belgian-owned Budweiser, and hitting play on your Shanghai-manufactured iPod with the following songs:
"American Pie" - Don McLean: It's a right of passage in the rock fan world to memorize all eight-plus minutes of this 1971 classic. Anyone knows that. There's really nothing America-related in this song, other than the repetition of the phrase of "American Pie" as well as references to both Chevys and levies, neither of which have fared well this decade. The song does include the line "Lennon read a book on Marx," which is so violently anti-democratic and pro-Beatle that it may cause your inner Limbaugh to lust after a cheeseburger and oxycontin smoothie.
"I am a Patriot" - Jackson Browne: What? A leftie singing about patriotism? WTF? This is nonetheless a pretty inspiring cut, even if it does meander into the realm of lions and such toward the end. The Eddie Vedder version is worth checking out as well.
"America, F**k Yeah!" - From the motion picture Team America: World Police: Probably the best tribute to the land of the red, white and blue one is ever likely to hear, this didn't make it onto the airwaves. Why? The song's 37 F-bombs probably had something to do with that. But this song touches on a myriad of American attributes...like baseball, McDonalds and...uh...slavery.
"Living in America" - James Brown: Rocky IV, anyone? Too bad James probably didn't remember his appearance in that movie, if you know what I mean. (If you don't, YouTube "James Brown Drunk.") Still, the Godfather goes all Uncle Sam on your ass in this one, with grand results. I've always thought that if Apollo Creed wouldn't have wasted all that energy dancing to this song before taking on Ivan Drago he probably wouldn't have gotten killed by that stupid Soviet.
"America" - Neil Diamond: "There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't," said Bill Murray in What About Bob?, the landmark 1991 film also starring Richard Dreyfuss. Well, a lot of Americans love Neil Diamond as well as this tribute to America's many immigrants.
"Born in the USA" - Bruce Springsteen: Who knew a song about the horrors of Vietnam could turn into a Republican theme song? But hey, if you don't listen to it carefully, the Boss seems to be rocking a flag-waving, bandana-tightening anthem.
written by mhbookey , July 02, 2009
written by Jon Jegglie , July 03, 2009
As for me, I would vote for anything by the Dixie Chicks. Nice career move taking on Toby Kieth and American Patriotism. Eh, Chicks? God bless American patriots Lee Greenwood and Toby Kieth.
written by Jon Jegglie , July 04, 2009
by Lee Greenwood
If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
A song about love of country, admiration for our fine military, past, present, and future and the notion that the United States and what it stands for is worth being proud of, standing behind, and fighting to maintain. Not a damned thing nauseating about that.
My favorite song about America? "This Land Is Your Land," Woody Guthrie.