The Fourth of July is around the corner, and everyone is busy stocking their coolers, flying their flags and figuring out where to catch the best fireworks shows, but have you put together your party playlist? To aid you in your party preparations, we’ve compiled a list of 10 American anthems to bump at your backyard BBQs. To impress your patriotic pals, learn the backstories of the songs that have become ubiquitous at U.S. celebrations.
James Brown’s ‘Living in America’
The 1985 single “Living in America,” sung by the Godfather of Soul and the “most sampled man in the biz,” James Brown, paints a picture of the American dream, and the possibilities available just a road trip or train ride away. The music video includes a montage of fireworks, stars ‘n’ stripes-clad Vegas showgirls, scenes from Wall Street, and of course, one of the greatest U.S. fictional fighters, Rocky Balboa.
The song was actually written by Dan Hartman and Charles Midnight, but Sylvester Stallone asked James Brown to record the track to be featured in “Rocky IV.” In the film, Balboa (Stallone) has to rethink his retirement after his friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is mercilessly beaten to death by Russian newcomer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). The song encapsulates the film franchise’s message that in America if you work hard enough and don’t give up, your dreams can come true.
SEE ALSO: Summer songs: Going back 40 and 50 years to revisit top tracks of 1974 and 1984
Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the U.S.A.’
One of the songs that constantly gets mistaken for a celebration of patriotism is “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen. The 1984 hit written by Springsteen has been used in political speeches and rallies from former President Ronald Regan to former President Donald Trump. Still, the song is more of a critical commentary on the struggles of Vietnam veterans returning home. The hit’s lyrics paint a picture of the economic hardships of veterans juxtaposed with the patriotic glorification of the country’s fighting forces.
Part of the reason the song might elicit confusion is because of the way Springsteen writes his choruses and “Born in the U.S.A.” has a loud and triumphant one. In an NPR interview, Springsteen noted that his choruses are “the spiritual and hope part” of his songs while the “blues and your daily realities are in the details of the verses.” Sure, the song may not be about patriotism, but what’s more patriotic than using freedom of speech to criticize a government and society’s treatment of its own veterans?
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’
Although Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” sings about Alabama specifically when referencing the U.S. Southland, the three writers credited for the song, Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington and Ed King were not from the state. According to NPR, the song was a response to Neil Young’s “Southern Man,” on which the Canadian singer disparages the American South for the horrendous history of slavery and segregation. “Sweet Home Alabama” name-checks …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
