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FourScore Presents: The 4th of July Modern Music Mix By Kristi Kates Sure, you could spin some Sousa or crank out a little "Grand Ol' Flag" - and there's certainly nothing wrong with those traditional tunes - but what if you want a slightly hipper sound for your 4th of July barbecue or fireworks-watching party? We've got the tunes for you - a mix masterlist of patriotic songs that's still festive, but is also a feisty change-up from those parade-friendly marching bands and anthems... and remember, it doesn't have to specifically say "4th of July" to capture that same great American summertime spirit. MODERN AMERICANA Blue jeans, acoustic guitars, lyrics about flag-waving, local communities, peace, the positivity of politics, summertime barbeques, and the quintessential American experience; that's what much of today's modern Americana music is all about. The best modern Americana songs tell stories about not only our country, but the people in it; for instance, Aimee Mann's "4th of July" and Simon and Garfunkel's "America" describe their respective scenarios so clearly you can almost see them, while White Rabbits' "Beehive State" pays homage to the American farmer, and Elliott Smith's "Independence Day" quietly encourages. James Taylor's "On the 4th of July," Neil Diamond's "America," Wilco's "Ashes of American Flags," and X's "4th of July," offer more gritty portraits of American life - and we can't forget the one song that every small town in America makes their own each summer - "Small Town" by John Mellencamp, of course. Other songs that snap into this category as tidily as the fasteners on a denim jacket include a few that are a little less literal and a little happier in tone, but can be used on the big holiday weekend and every summer weekend thereafter; Fountains of Wayne's "It Must Be Summer," Sheryl Crow's "Soak Up the Sun," and The Black Eyed Peas peaceful, world-uniting duet with Justin Timberlake on "Where Is the Love." U.S.A. RETRO The '80s are back in a big way, and along with the fashion trends of leggings and neon are the returns of synth-pop and retro '80s hits, with several tunes perfectly suited for 4th of July weekend among them. "Vacation" by The Go-Gos keeps things peppy and summery, great for blasting loudly in the car as you drive Up North or downstate ("Vacation, all I ever wanted/Vacation, had to get away"), while Bananarama offers a similar feel with their wooden-xylophone accompanied "Cruel Summer" and its imagery of summer in the city. And if you want your retro tunes a little less bubblegum, throw in Don Henley's pensive "Boys of Summer" - and then get right back to that picnic-table-pogo feel with "Walking on Sunshine" (another peppy and perennial 4th of July weekend favorite), Kim Wilde's "Kids in America," David Bowie's "Young Americans" (well, okay, that one's technically from the '70s, but still...) and Buster Poindexter's "Hot Hot Hot." PATRIOTIC POP There are plenty of surprisingly modern tunes that take the July/4th of July/patriotism approach fairly literally, too. Stephen Colbert favorites The Decemberists' put a psuedo-historical twist into their lyrics for "July! July!", while Galaxie 500's "4th of July" sings about a guy who pretty much tries to avoid the festivities altogether; and if you want to add a little (lyrical) controversy to your bash, throw in Green Day's "American Eulogy" and see what kind of conversations that one prompts. Just a few more to round off this most festive of summer mixes - try adding Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' new take on "This Land is Your Land" as it brings both funk and soul to an otherwise basic classic; Johnny Cash's "Ragged Old Flag," which tells the story of the flag itself, as well as all the fighting men and women who have carried it; and, to close this summer-holiday set, "Spirit of America" brings things back to a classic summer-pop image courtesy of America's own favorite summertime band, The Beach Boys.
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