It’s the fourth of July. Independence Day in America. I’ve been hearing a lot of fireworks for about a month now. I’ve rather tired of it, actually. Instead of the usual musical fare, I’ve listed some perhaps less obvious songs that can represent the day. Add your choices in the comments.
Martina McBride. This song, written by Gretchen Peters, has been covered by several artists including Carrie Underwood. “In 2014, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #77 in their list of the 100 greatest country songs.”
“She tried to pretend he wasn’t drinkin’ again
“But daddy’d left the proof on her cheek.”
Independence Day – Bruce Springsteen, from The River album.
“There’s a lot of people leaving town now
“Leaving their friends, their homes”
Independence Day – David Byrne.
“We know what will make us happy
“We know what will ease our pain”
More cheerful. I love this musically.
Independence Day – 5 Seconds of Summer.
“I gotta break away or nothing’s gonna change
“You’ve got to go, it’s the end of the road”
Independence Day – the Shires.
“You’re better off without
“Someone who gets you down”
Instrumental interlude:
ID4 Reprise – Independence Day Resurgence Official Soundtrack
Every day’s…
On the 4th of July – James Taylor
“Unbelievable you, impossible me,
“The fool who fell out of the family tree.”
Fourth of July – Pete Droge
“When you’re sick of the trying
“And you’re tired of the crying”
A depressing song.
Fourth of July – Sufjan Stevens
“It was night when you died, my firefly.”
Ditto.
Fourth of July –Fall Out Boy
“You and I were fire, fire fireworks that went off too soon.”
4th of July –Shooter Jennings
“Couldn’t take no more of that rock ‘n’ roll”
Oddly, there’s a lot of rock riffs in that country guitar, I think.
4th of July – Soundgarden
“Pale in the flare light
“The scared light cracks and disappears”