America celebrates its 247th birthday this year. Over those two centuries, many patriotic playlists have been made – whether it was the jaunty battle hymns of the first settlers or more contemporary party starters for our celebrations in recent years.
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There are familiar faces that pop up time and time again in patriotic playlists like John Stafford Smith or Lee Greenwood. Below, we’ve tried to find a few less-on-the-nose tracks to include in your playlists for this year’s Fourth of July.
1. “Summer of ’69” (Bryan Adams)
Even if you weren’t around the in late ’60s, “Summer of ’69” will have you feeling nostalgic. Those were the best days of my life, Bryan Adams sings in the chorus after detailing memories of summers gone by.
Me and some guys from school / Had a band and we tried real hard / Jimmy quit and Jody got married / I should’ve known we’d never get far, Adams sings summoning up a more youthful version of himself for a few minutes.
2. “I’ve Been Everywhere” (Johnny Cash)
Johnny Cash hits every corner of the U.S. in his song “I’ve Been Everywhere.” I’ve been to Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana, Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana, Monterey, Faraday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa, Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa, Tennessee to Tennessee, Chicopee, Spirit Lake, Grand Lake, Devils Lake, Crater Lake, for Pete’s sake, he sings.
Though not traditionally a patriotic song, “I’ve Been Everywhere” is a celebration of all America has to offer, from sea to shining sea.
3. “American Woman” (The Guess Who)
“American Woman” is guaranteed to get a crowd up and moving. Frontman Burton Cummings belts the chorus out with a growl: American woman, stay away from me / American woman, mama let me be.
Lenny Kravitz delivered arguably the most well-known version of this song in 1998. Either version would be an apt addition to a Fourth of July playlist.
4. “All Summer Long” (Kid Rock)
Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long” combines three classic tracks, “Werewolves of London,” “Night Moves,” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” into one summer-soaked anthem. Adding this song to your playlist is like getting a whole host of rock classics in one fell swoop. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
5. “Free Bird” (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
“Free Bird” is independence incarnate. Allen Collins’ guitar solo feels like it’s breaking out of a box to roam far and wide. Though the song was written in response to a breakup, the lyrics And the bird you cannot change can inspire all kinds of reinventions and personal revelations. It may not be freedom in the typical Fourth of July sense, but it is igniting enough to work on that level.
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
