Songs I Heard This Week (Patriotic)
Tomorrow is Independence Day for us Americans, and like all Americans, I love a good celebration. And celebrations for me always include music! So, I thought I would share some of my favorite songs from my patriotic playlist that no Independence Day celebration would be complete without. Now these aren’t your traditional Patriotic anthems, I love those too. In fact, I always enjoyed being a part of uber-patriotic shows where we honored our men and women in uniform, but I decided for this post to mostly focus on pop/rock songs that would be well suited for a bbq or setting off a fireworks display, as opposed to a formal tribute. So get your flags in hand and wave them proudly…
Wanted to start with a bit of reverence so I had to put Johnny Cash in the proper number-one spot. His track, Ragged Old Flag is the perfect start to any Fourth of July celebration. You can’t help but take the Man in Black seriously as he gives a brief history lesson on what our flag has endured for the sake of freedom. This is why we celebrate!
I suppose all great events deserve to be opened with a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, and none so iconic as this version made famous by the late, great Whitney Houston. Play ball!
I gotta say, it just wouldn’t be Independence Day without Neil Diamond rockin’ it out in his talking/singsong sort of way! Yup, people have traveled far and wide to be a part of the American dream. It was appealing for a reason. It offered hope. Let’s keep that dream alive!
It’s sometimes pointed out that this track isn’t meant to be so patriotic, but even so, it has a become a Fourth of July staple. And let’s face it, nobody rocks like Bruce Springsteen!
Love that opening line…”Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July.” Perhaps this Independence Day does not fall on Saturday, but in no way would that deter me from jamming out to this feel-good track tomorrow!
This is simply an iconic song about American culture. A well-written reflective ballad with a catchy chorus everyone can sing to!
Well, this song may not have boded well for Rocky’s cocky adversary-turned-friend, Apollo Creed, when he took on Ivan Drago (sad), but it’s still a fun song to play at the BBQ. American decadence at its finest!
Nothing says Americana and summer quite like the Beach Boys! It’s a wonderful tradition to listen to their music during these warmer months, but this track in particular pays a wonderful tribute to beach goers all over the country, and what better place to spend a toasty Fourth of July?
Like Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp just exudes a certain blue-collar rock that jives with the American spirit. This definitely classifies as a modern patriotic anthem!
And because John Cougar Mellencamp captures such a perfect American rock vibe, for that reason, you get a little two for one. I simply couldn’t choose between the two!
This song hit the charts hard during the Gulf War of the early 90s. But what I remember most of all was sitting on a plane, on my way to Norfolk, VA and sitting next to a young guy in military attire who was playing this on his little portable radio. He was very kind and pleasant, despite just returning from Iraq. I never forgot that imagery and think of him every time I heard this song. He is a reminder of the exact type of person who fought for our freedom!
This song is a great celebration of the American spirit…possibilities, exploring, seeking new experiences, even finding a new life. I’ve been there. I’ve hopped the bus, the plane, the car, in search of something. And those moments were seminal for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to live in a country that offers so many opportunities, something very much worth celebrating!
And like the Simon & Garfunkel song, America, Tom Petty speaks about a girl who also reaches for the American dream. “Well, she was an American girl raised on promises. She couldn’t help thinkin’ that there was a little more to life somewhere else. After all it was a great big world with lots of places to run to. Yeah, and if she had to die tryin’ she had one little promise she was gonna keep.” Sometimes you find it elsewhere, and sometimes you find it was where you were all along. But it’s freedom that allows us the opportunity to keep striving for something better!
The perfect closer for the night. It makes me think of fireworks, of the calm after the storm, and of how grateful I was to be born in this country. The American ideal is something still worth believing in and fighting for.
