by Jack Straw
Renowned political magazine, Mother Jones, recently posted a list of 11 patriotic songs that “don’t suck.” Most of their nominees are valid, particularly “One Nation Under a Groove” by Funkadelic. But when I saw Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” on the list, I knew it was a sham. So in honor of Independence Day, I’ve made a Greenwood-free list of 10 songs (we don’t go to 11) about America. There are a lot more, but these are the first ten that came to me. The songs are in no particular order, so don’t get bent out of shape if I put someone ahead of your favorite artist.
10. “Democracy” by Leonard Cohen – “I’m sentimental if you know what I mean. I love the country but I can’t stand the scene.”
9. “Golden Country” by REO Speedwagon – Stop rolling your eyes. This song was recorded long before the band went soft-rock. The title was taken from a Time magazine headline about Vietnam war protests, maybe it was Newsweek. I can’t remember.
8. “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie – Yes, this was on the Mother Jones list too. As well it should be.
7. “Pink Houses” by John Cougar Mellencamp – As a kid, I thought this was cheesy but now it makes more sense. Plus, we all know now that Mellencamp is an unabashed lefty.
6. “Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young – Brutal, angry and accurate. Not bad for a guy from Canada.
5. “Suite Madame Blue” by Styx – I’m an unrepentant Styx fan and this is a great track about America in the mid 1970′s.
4. “Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane – Hearing Grace Slick sing, “Tear down the wall, motherfucker” is well worth the price of admission.
3. “US Blues” by the Grateful Dead – The Dead were never very political in their music but “US Blues” is a fun tongue in cheek take on America. “Red and white, blue suede shoes…”
2. “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen – The Boss chastised Ronald Reagan for quoting this song at a campaign rally. Ronnie didn’t understand what it was about but we do.
1. “America” by Simon and Garfunkel – “Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike.” Enough said.
You can check out Mother Jones’ list here. It’s good stuff. But Lee Greenwood? Really?
Jack Straw is a writer living in Wichita, Kansas.
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