Top Fourth of July Songs: Forget Lee Greenwood; Celebrate Freedom

Independence Day is about celebrating our freedoms, liberties and civil rights, so if you haven't exactly gone out of your way to shoot fireworks on past Fourth of July holidays, you can be forgiven.

The Fourth of July is about backyard barbecues, and while firing up your Vogner Char-King Imperiale, you'll probably also want to fire up the stereo and remember what Independence Day was once really about. Here are some Fourth of July songs for your playlist. Word of warning, my fellow Americans: You won't find any Lee Greenwood or Trace Adkins or even Bruce Springstreen on this list. And as you celebrate the Fourth of July this year, allow me to leave you with this thought: Iraq didn't fight in our war for independence; why are we fighting in theirs?

"The New World"-X
Yeah, yeah, I know. X happens to have a song called "Fourth of July" and it is one of their most heart wrenching accomplishments, but there is a section of lyric contained in the song "The New World" that, though written in the early 80s, is even more fitting and is especially fitting for the irony of celebrating all that Independence Days entails. "It was better before, before they voted for what's his name." Who can't think of George W. Bush upon hearing those lyrics?

"This Land is Your Land"-Woody Guthrie.
My comrade Gregoriancant wrote a wonderful article detailing the background of this song that has been a staple for oblivious shooting range patriots for over half a century. In fact, like almost everything else that Woody Guthrie wrote, "This Land is Your Land" was intended as a criticism of the worst excesses of those who would corrupt the promise made by those sweaty gentlemen who signed Thomas Jefferson's declaration all those years ago. Consider these original lyrics that Woody was far too smart to leave in the final version of the song:

"Was a high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said: Private Property,
But on the back side it didn't say nothing --
God blessed America for me.

One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the Relief Office I saw my people --
As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if
God blessed America for me."