An estimated 92% of us experience earworms. Despite the annoying times we can’t get a chorus or a hook of an overplayed pop song out of our heads, getting a really good earworm stuck can be one of the best things, ever. We here at Nerdist are dead set on bringing you those types of songs—even if only for the weekend. So shove this into your grey matter!
Happy 4th of July weekend, everyone! I’m certainly not above doing a themed article, especially when it lands on a Holiday with so many musical options. This week will be short and sweet so we can all get back to grilling up various foods, drinking up various drinks, and lighting up various fireworks. I’m sharing a few songs that, to me, are absolutely quintessential for the 4th of July but I urge you to share your favorites in the comments section of this article and on social media. I’m not going to dictate what your playlist should be but simply share what I would want on mine. If you disagree, that’s totally fine because… you know, freedom.
Bruce Springsteen – “Born in the U.S.A.”
Predictable and cliché? Absolutely. Do I care? Not one bit. As far as I’m concerned this song should be on a loop in every store in America for the first days of July much like music around Christmas time. At some point far in Earth’s future, should aliens find the remains of our civilization, it’d be fitting if they got things confused and marked down Bruce Springsteen as “Emperor of America” for no other reasons than this song and his indestructible vocal chords. Seriously, the guy’s been spring-screaming into a microphone like that for longer than I’ve been alive. It’s impressive.
Grand Funk Railroad – “We’re An American Band”
Other than the Spingsteen song, there might not be a more suitable tune for a 4th of July playlist. I can safely say I’ve never actually made it a point to listen to this song in it’s entirety until writing this article and yet, I still knew every single word. I suppose we’ve all been memorizing it by osmosis through years of it appearing in movies and television. Although, to be fair, the words “We’re an American Band” make up more than a quarter of the lyrics so I suppose there’s not much to the feat of memorization.
Let’s throw a curveball away from the classic rock and get to a song I think perfectly expresses everything the 4th of July should represent.
The Isley Brothers – “Freedom”
There may have never been wiser words put to music than the ones by the Isley Brothers on this song from 1970. It embodies everything we should not only think, but expect freedom to be for anyone and everyone. When you can say, do, go, love, live, be, join, learn, read, write, eat, sleep, play, work, flirt, laugh, cry, buy, dress, rock, talk, shake, and feel whatever, however, wherever, and with whoever you want–then that’s freedom, baby!
While there will always be those who try and pull some of these into question from time to time, it’s important to remember that this holiday is backing up every single one of the ideas in the song. The 4th of July signifies the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but what we celebrate is the idea behind it: freedom.
So let’s exercise those musical freedoms and share your favorite 4th of July-appropriate songs in the comments below!
Image: pdphoto.org
Blake Rodgers writes for Nerdist from Chicago, IL where he lives happily with his Guinness World Record for High Fives. You can be his pal by following him on Twitter (@TheBlakeRodgers)
